Ilhan Omar says she will move out of her Washington, D.C., home after a federal search, citing safety concerns over the attention surrounding the raid.
Federal authorities have reportedly been examining potential immigration paperwork fraud involving Omar’s family; Omar has denied wrongdoing.
The search has triggered political criticism ahead of the US midterm elections, with Democrats questioning its timing and implications.
Ilhan Omar to Move Out of Washington Home As She Feels 'Unsafe'
US Representative Ilhan Omar says she will leave her Washington, D.C., home because she feels unsafe following a federal search, as the investigation fuels political tensions ahead of the November midterm elections
Summary
US Representative Ilhan Omar has said she will move out of her Washington, D.C., home after federal agents searched the property last week, citing safety concerns following the attention surrounding the raid.
The Minnesota Democrat made the announcement on Wednesday, 21 October, in her first interview since the search, saying the incident had left her rattled weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. Omar said she was confident she had done nothing wrong.
Why Is Ilhan Omar Leaving Her Washington Home?
Federal agents searched Omar’s residence on 12 October under a judicially authorised warrant as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. According to the Associated Press, investigators arrived early in the morning and searched the property for around four to five hours. Omar said agents seized 17 items, including phones, notebooks, a Somali-language children’s book and a vintage camera that had been given to her husband. The Department of Justice has confirmed that the search was linked to an ongoing federal criminal investigation but has released few details.
A person briefed on the investigation told the Associated Press, on condition of anonymity, that federal authorities were examining potential fraud involving immigration paperwork related to Omar’s family. Grand jury subpoenas have also been issued to some of her relatives, the person said. Omar, who was born in Somalia and became a naturalised US citizen in 2000, has denied wrongdoing. She arrived in the United States with her family at the age of 12 after they obtained asylum.
Political Backlash Ahead Of US Midterm Elections
The search has prompted criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who have questioned its timing so close to the November 3 midterm elections, which will determine control of the US House of Representatives and Senate. Omar is seeking re-election in Minnesota’s heavily Democratic Fifth Congressional District, centred on Minneapolis, and is widely expected to retain her seat. Democrats have raised concerns about the use of federal law enforcement against a prominent critic of President Donald Trump.
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Omar has previously described the search as an attempt to intimidate political opponents. Trump, who has repeatedly criticised the congresswoman, said he had nothing to do with the raid, according to earlier reporting by CBS News. The Justice Department has not publicly detailed the evidence underpinning the investigation. Omar’s decision to leave her Washington residence adds a personal security dimension to a case that has already intensified political tensions ahead of the elections.
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