Attorneys representing Rep. Ilhan Omar demanded on Friday that the Justice Department return items seized during a federal search of her Washington residence earlier in the week, contending the operation lacked legal justification.
In a letter to federal prosecutors, attorneys Amy Jeffress and Joshua Matz denounced the investigation as politically retaliatory and argued that the operation infringed upon the Minnesota Democrat’s constitutional protections as a lawmaker, CNN reported.
Lawyers Challenge Pre-Election Search
Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations carried out a court-authorized search at Omar’s home early Monday. According to reports from ABC News and The Wall Street Journal, authorities took her mobile phone, computers and passport while issuing more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas to relatives and associates.
Omar’s legal representatives contended that the search broke with long-standing Justice Department norms discouraging overt investigative measures against candidates within 60 days of an election. The lawmaker faces reelection in the upcoming midterms, which are less than three weeks away.
The defense team wrote that there was “no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status,” according to the letter obtained by The Associated Press. Omar became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000 after fleeing civil strife in Somalia as a child.
Her lawyers also asserted that federal authorities failed to adhere to restrictions imposed by the magistrate judge who approved the warrant. They noted investigators did not notify the House of Representatives’ Office of General Counsel before the raid and failed to provide on-site personnel from the U.S. attorney’s office to address protections guaranteed under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.
Justice Department and Administration Respond
The Justice Department rejected the defense team’s claims on Friday evening. Department spokesperson Emily Covington stated in a text message that the defense letter was “riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies,” insisting that investigators and attorneys followed every court instruction and legal obligation, ABC News reported.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin characterized the probe as a “strong case” during a Friday appearance on a podcast hosted by Andrew Kolvet, CBS News reported. Mullin disclosed that investigators executed multiple search warrants across different locations on Monday and indicated authorities plan to present findings to a federal grand jury.
Mullin also floated the possibility that cases involving coordinated immigration deceit could be pursued under federal racketeering laws. CBS News reported that the inquiry centers on immigration records submitted decades ago by Omar’s late father when she was a child. Separately, Washington U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro previously stated that investigators are examining additional matters regarding the lawmaker’s official financial disclosure filings.
Inquiry Ripples Through Family
Omar has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, calling the inquiry an abuse of executive power and a continuation of years of political attacks by President Donald Trump. While Trump publicly criticized Omar at a Tennessee rally shortly before the search, he told reporters following the raid that he had “nothing to do” with the enforcement action and that decisions rested with prosecutors.
The fallout from Monday’s raid also affected public appearances by Omar’s relatives. Her older sister, Sahra Noor, was scheduled to appear Thursday evening at the University of Minnesota Rochester for a stop on her memoir book tour. A representative for the organizing bookstore told Fox News Digital that the event was called off because of a “family emergency.” Noor was among the relatives reportedly subpoenaed in connection with the inquiry.
Omar’s defense team has also requested that the government preserve all audio and video records captured by law enforcement personnel during the execution of Monday’s warrant, as defense lawyers evaluate possible further legal challenges to the evidence collected.
