Homeland Security Investigations agents searched the Washington, D. C.
-area home of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar on Monday as part of an active federal criminal investigation.
The Justice Department confirmed the court-authorized operation but did not disclose the nature or scope of the investigation.
The search occurred three weeks before November's midterm elections, drawing criticism from congressional Democrats over its timing.
Omar, who represents Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, condemned the search as politically motivated.
The Justice Department said the operation was conducted under a judicially authorized search warrant.
Agents remained near the residence while the surrounding street was blocked off, according to the source report.
The department did not identify the alleged offense or provide details about the evidence being sought.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Homeland Security Investigations, referred questions about the search to the Justice Department.
Omar criticized the operation in a statement posted on X, describing it as an attempt to use federal law enforcement against political opponents.
"For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation," Omar said.
She also declared, "I will not be silenced."
Omar has repeatedly faced criticism from President Donald Trump and other Republicans over her background and progressive political positions.
She was first elected to Congress in 2018 and became one of the first two Muslim American women to serve in the House, as well as the first African refugee elected to Congress.
Democratic Leaders Condemn Search
House Democratic leaders condemned the search and questioned its proximity to the election.
They pointed to longstanding Justice Department practices intended to avoid overt investigative actions involving political candidates shortly before an election.
In their statement, the congressional leaders said, "For years, Donald Trump and far-right extremists have relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Omar with vile personal attacks and baseless accusations.
Now, less than 30 days until the midterm election, his violent mass deportation machine has descended upon the home of a duly elected Member of Congress and her family."
The Justice Department has historically sought to avoid public investigative actions involving candidates within 60 days of a primary or general election.
The search occurred three weeks before the November midterms, in which Omar is seeking another House term.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin previously acknowledged an investigation connected in part to questions about whether Omar had provided false information on immigration forms.
Last month, Mullin described an "ongoing investigation" and said "something's going to happen."
Vice President JD Vance has also publicly raised allegations of immigration fraud against Omar, which she has denied.
Trump referred to Omar at a rally in Tennessee over the weekend and suggested that Vance and administration officials were investigating her.
In May, Vance defended the prospect of an investigation while acknowledging the principle of equal treatment under the law.
"It certainly seems like something fishy is there, but everybody's entitled to equal justice under the laws," Vance told reporters.
He added, "So we're going to investigate it. We're going to take a look at it.
If we think there's a crime, we're going to prosecute that crime."
In a separate interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, Vance asserted, "we actually think that Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America."
He offered no evidence in the cited remarks and said he had discussed the issue with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Vance said he and Miller were "trying to look at what the remedies are."
He also described the administration's deliberations over possible legal action.
"That's the thing that we're trying to figure out," Vance said.
He continued, "What are the legal remedies now that we know that she's committed immigration fraud. How do you go after her?
How do you investigate her? How do you actually do the thing?
How do you build the case necessary to get some, some, some justice for the American people?"
Omar's office rejected Vance's allegations in March, calling them fabricated and defamatory.
Her chief of staff, Connor McNutt, challenged the vice president's credibility and accused him of attempting to divert public attention from other administration controversies.
McNutt said, "This is rich coming from someone who literally said they were willing to 'create stories' to redirect the media."
He also described the allegations as a "ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract from the pedophile protection party's unpopular war of choice, increasing gas prices, and rapidly dropping polling numbers," according to the statement issued in March.
Republicans have questioned Omar's immigration history for years, including allegations concerning her marriage and immigration paperwork.
Omar has broadly rejected those claims as "disgusting lies."
In 2023, after Republicans took control of the House, lawmakers voted to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her remarks about Israel.
In January, an attacker sprayed her with a substance later identified as vinegar during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis, hours after Trump criticized her at a rally in Iowa.
The attacker was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison.
