Feds Sought Omar’s DNA In Discarded Trash Before Home Search
Federal agents collected discarded trash in an effort to obtain DNA from Rep. Ilhan Omar and her family before searching the Minnesota Democrat’s Washington home, NewsNation reported Friday, citing sources. The reported tactic adds a new element to an investigation whose scope and findings remain largely undisclosed.
NewsNation’s Leland Vittert reported that the collection took place before Monday’s search. Sources described genetic evidence as relevant to a broader investigation involving relatives and possible grand jury proceedings.
The report also described more than a dozen raids conducted simultaneously and said Homeland Security Investigations in Minneapolis was coordinating the inquiry. It raised a possible connection to public benefits fraud, but did not establish that such a link exists.
Omar has accused the Justice Department of being weaponized against her. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the investigation Friday, describing it as “about enforcing our nation’s laws.”
NewsNation reported that an investigation begun during the Biden administration had been closed before parts of it were reopened and expanded under President Donald Trump. The report did not disclose any DNA results or establish that investigators recovered usable genetic material.
That distinction is central: an attempt to collect evidence is not the same as a laboratory finding. Nor does seeking DNA, by itself, establish a family relationship, a false statement or a criminal offense. Any genetic evidence would need to answer a relevant question and be considered alongside other evidence.
The latest report adds to earlier accounts of an inquiry into Omar’s immigration history. Reuters reported that the search warrant listed conspiracy, immigration fraud and false statements involving immigration paperwork as potential offenses. Sources told Reuters that investigators were examining information allegedly provided by Omar or relatives during immigration and citizenship proceedings.
One source described revoking Omar’s citizenship and deportation as possible objectives. Neither action has been ordered. Omar has denied wrongdoing and called the search political intimidation. The Justice Department declined to discuss the details of the case with Reuters.
The reported collection of discarded trash also raises questions under the Fourth Amendment. In California v. Greenwood, the Supreme Court held that the amendment does not prohibit a warrantless search of garbage left for collection outside a home’s protected surrounding area. The decision does not authorize unrestricted access to a residence or private property; whether it applies depends on where and how the material was obtained.
NewsNation’s account does not provide enough detail to independently assess the circumstances of the reported collection. The constitutional rules remain relevant regardless of the subject’s political standing. Public office does not put a person beyond a lawful investigation, and an investigation does not establish guilt.
Omar’s attorneys are challenging the search on separate grounds. They asked the Justice Department Friday to return property taken from her home, arguing that agents failed to follow instructions imposed by the judge, according to The Associated Press. The Justice Department rejected those accusations, saying its personnel complied with court orders and legal obligations. Her attorneys also asked that recordings made during the search be preserved. The competing claims have not been resolved.
Any attempt to revoke Omar’s citizenship would require a separate legal determination. The Justice Department says naturalization may be revoked when it was illegally obtained or secured through material concealment or willful misrepresentation. A disputed family history, standing alone, does not establish that those legal requirements have been met.
Investigators would need to connect any alleged falsehood to the relevant immigration rules and records. DNA could potentially help resolve a factual question, but its significance would depend on what investigators are trying to establish and how any results fit with the rest of the evidence.