Ilhan Omar: 18 rumors we've examined

Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota is in the national spotlight again after federal agents searched her home on Oct. 12. Omar's opponents have long targeted her with rumors about her and her family's immigration background, which may be related to the raid. Omar was sworn into office in 2019 as the first Somali American and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. Even before then, her opponents repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that she had married her brother. Years later, that rumor continues to circulate. Rumors about Omar have also targeted her progressive political views. For example, after she wrote to a federal judge on behalf of a man convicted of terrorism offenses — advocating for rehabilitation over a more punitive sentence — a social media account misleadingly claimed she called for "lighter sentences" for people "caught trying to join ISIS." Here are 18 rumors about Omar we've looked into: Sources About | Representative Ilhan Omar. 3 Dec. 2012, http://omar.house.gov/about.'Representative Ilhan Omar'. Congress.Gov, https://www.congress.gov/member/ilhan-omar/O000173.Wachiaya, Catherine. 'Former Refugee's Historic U.S. Congress Win Is a "Global Victory for Refugees"'. UNHCR, 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.unhcr.org/africa/news/press-releases/former-refugees-historic-u-s-congress-win-global-victory-refugees. By Rae Deng Rae Deng specializes in government/politics and is based in Tacoma, Wash. Article Tags