Ilhan Omar Faces Calls for Deportation After Charlie Kirk Remarks

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), already one of Congress’ most polarizing figures, is under fire once again—this time for comments about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk that have sparked calls for her removal from office and even the revocation of her U.S. citizenship.

Omar, who immigrated from Somalia and became a U.S. citizen in 2000, reposted a video accusing Kirk of denying “the genocide happening in Palestine” and spreading “racist dog whistles.” While she later said in an interview with broadcaster Mehdi Hasan that she was “mortified” by Kirk’s assassination and expressed sympathy for his widow and children, Omar quickly pivoted to attacking his views on gun rights and race relations—particularly in the wake of George Floyd’s death in her district of Minneapolis.

Republicans blasted Omar for downplaying Kirk’s murder and using the tragedy to score political points. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) immediately introduced a resolution to censure Omar and strip her of committee assignments. That effort fell short by a single vote—214–213—after four Republicans joined Democrats in tabling the motion.

Following the failed censure, Mace escalated her response, writing on social media:

“We would love to see you deported back to Somalia next.”

The comment ignited a firestorm online, with critics renewing longstanding allegations that Omar engaged in immigration fraud, including claims she once married her own brother.

Adding fuel to the controversy is renewed scrutiny of Omar’s late father, Nur Omar Mohamed. Somali and Kenyan sources described him as a colonel in the brutal regime of dictator Siad Barre, whose government carried out mass atrocities against rival ethnic groups. While outlets like Snopes and Politifact attempted to downplay the connection in 2019 by labeling Nur a mere “teacher trainer,” regional reports suggest he may have worked in propaganda for the regime.

Critics argue that if her father misrepresented his background to U.S. authorities during refugee resettlement, Omar’s own immigration and naturalization could be tainted. Legal experts note that proven fraud can lead to denaturalization and deportation, though such cases are rare.

President Donald J. Trump weighed in Thursday night, blasting Omar and amplifying accusations that she married her brother for immigration purposes:

“What SCUM we have in our Country, telling us what to do,” Trump wrote online, also blasting Somalia’s failed governance.

Omar dismissed the firestorm by declaring: “You cannot deport an American citizen,” and accused her critics of racism and political opportunism.

Meanwhile, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) renewed its call for an FBI probe, citing evidence that Omar married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in 2009 to obtain immigration benefits. Records show that Omar continued her relationship with her first husband, Ahmed Hirsi, during the marriage to Elmi, and even filed joint tax returns with Hirsi while still legally wed to Elmi.

In 2015, Judicial Watch publicized photos of Omar with Elmi in London, contradicting her sworn statements in divorce filings. A British tabloid later claimed DNA evidence existed tying Omar and Elmi as siblings—though this has not yet been officially verified.

The Omar controversy comes amid a tense political climate following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The Trump administration has designated Antifa a domestic terror group, suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for mocking conservatives, and launched a congressional probe—led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas)—into what Republicans describe as “a coordinated network of leftists attacking us.”

For Omar, however, the scandal is far from over. With watchdog groups pressing for investigations and Republican lawmakers vowing to revisit censure, the question of whether she will face consequences for her controversial past is again front and center.