The Department of Justice on Friday issued about a dozen subpoenas as part of an investigation into Rep.Ilhan Omar, including to members of her family, a person familiar with the investigation said.
The congresswoman herself was not subpoenaed, the source said, adding that the orders seeking information are tied to a federal grand jury in Minnesota, Omar’s home state.The investigation is examining matters surrounding Omar’s immigration status, and that includes, but is not limited to, her birthdate, the source said.Omar, who was born in Somalia and moved to the U.S.
with her family in the 1990s, was naturalized when she was 17 years old, meaning she was a juvenile and able be conferred citizenship through a parent.Investigators are attempting to speak with Omar’s sister but have not issued her subpoena yet, the source said.The investigation is seeking information to see where it leads, the source said.
For example, if records, representations related to age and immigration status contain false information, that would provide material for investigators to scrutinize further.They could also examine communications related to such matters.The Justice Department declined to comment to NBC News, and a spokesperson for Omar didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the subpoenas.
The subpoenas came just days before federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C.home as part of a yearslong criminal investigation that is partly looking into immigration fraud, a person familiar with the probe said.
The investigation, which is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S.attorney in Minneapolis and the Justice Department, has involved whistleblowers, documents and witness testimony, the source added.After the search of her house on Monday, Omar said in a statement on X, “Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.
For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and...