House Democrats Demand Justice Department Drop Investigation into Ilhan Omar

Jim Vondruska/Getty Images More than 170 House Democrats are demanding that the Department of Justice (DOJ) drop its investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) immigration history. In a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Democrats write that this month’s raid on Omar’s Washington, DC, residence and the investigation into her immigration history is akin to the “weaponization” of the DOJ. “We write to express our unequivocal opposition to your raid of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s home. We are profoundly alarmed by your weaponization of federal law enforcement against her and demand you refrain from taking any further actions that could affect the outcome of any upcoming election,” the Democrats, led by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), write: This weaponization of law enforcement to harass a sitting Member of Congress 22 days before an election is unprecedented and unacceptable. DOJ has long followed a policy not to take investigative steps relating to a candidate this close to an election if delaying the action will not jeopardize a criminal investigation, a policy which Attorney General Blanche has previously invoked as far back as nine months before an election. Congresswoman Omar is seeking reelection in Minnesota’s 5th congressional district in just one week. News of the search warrant, whether properly predicated or not, could affect voters’ decisions which is exactly why federal law enforcement should not engage in such conduct when voters are casting their ballots. This type of interference strips Minnesotans of their right to a free and fair election guaranteed to them under the Constitution. [Emphasis added] Your actions are clearly driven by a pre-determined political outcome rather than an objective pursuit of justice. Your probe into the Congresswoman reportedly concerns her late father’s filing of immigration paperwork after she fled Somalia’s civil war at age eight, making her a U.S. citizen at age seventeen. This does not justify a pre-dawn raid on her home for paperwork her father filed when she was a minor. Indeed, reports indicate that the first Trump Administration conducted a probe into this exact matter in 2019 and “ultimately determined there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.” That, however, has not stopped a group of Trump Administration officials from baselessly asserting criminal activity has occurred. In March of this year, Vice President J.D. Vance pre-emptively concluded that she “definitely committed immigration fraud” and asked White House advisor Stephen Miller to “go after her” well before DOJ or DHS completed its investigation. Secretary Mullin also hinted at this raid last month when he said, “something’s going to happen” with Congresswoman Omar. Shortly after the raid, Miller’s wife gloated in a since-deleted social media post, “Promise made, promise kept.” Political attacks should play no role in federal law enforcement, but they have here. [Emphasis added] Jayapal told the New Republic she is considering taking action against the Trump administration, should Democrats win the House majority after next month’s election, for the investigation into Omar. “We will actively and aggressively investigate this case,” Jayapal said. “We will probably have legislation to make sure there are no funds expended on this investigation.” Raskin suggested Democrats may even cut funding to certain agencies to ensure Congress has not approved funding for the Omar investigation. The DOJ and DHS are investigating Omar’s immigration history in the United States, reportedly probing the years-long allegation that the Somalia-born congresswoman married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, to help him secure immigration status in the U.S. In a recent court filing from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Omar was referred to as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi,” suggesting that federal prosecutors believe she shares the same last name as her ex-husband. During an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes last week, Omar was asked if she was related to her ex-husband. Omar responded, “Not to my knowledge.” As part of the raid on Omar’s Washington, DC, home last week, federal investigators reportedly took 17 items and collected DNA they reportedly hope will prove she committed immigration fraud. In addition to an immigration fraud case against her, Omar is being investigated by Pirro’s office for potential financial crimes. The Biden administration investigated Omar’s finances after it was reported she had a multimillion-dollar net worth. John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com.