Ilhan Omar Has New Problem As Fed Probe Finds Damning Evidence

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., says he will push to expel Rep. Ilhan Omar from Congress if investigators establish that she committed immigration fraud, adding a potential congressional fight to the ongoing federal inquiry into the Minnesota Democrat.

Fine, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, made the comments after a Justice Department filing referred to Omar as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.” The filing has prompted questions about her identity, but it does not explain the wording or establish that she committed fraud.

“I absolutely will demand expulsion immediately,” Fine told Fox News, discussing what he would do if investigators determine Omar was not eligible to serve. He also said he had contacted the Justice Department for more information and planned to introduce an expulsion resolution if the investigation produces evidence that she broke the law.

The Constitution requires a House member to have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years. It also requires a two-thirds vote of the House to expel a sitting member—a high bar that means Republicans could not remove Omar with their votes alone under the chamber’s current composition.

Fine’s pledge follows the October 12 search of Omar’s Washington, D.C., residence by Homeland Security Investigations agents acting under a court-authorized warrant. Authorities are examining possible false statements in immigration paperwork connected to Omar and her family, according to reports. The warrant and its supporting affidavit have not been made public.

Federal authorities have also issued grand jury subpoenas to relatives and seized Omar’s cellphone, according to reporting cited by Fox News. The separate court filing using the name Elmi has added attention to questions about her past, but no public evidence has established that Omar used a fraudulent identity or obtained citizenship unlawfully.

Omar denies wrongdoing and says the investigation is politically motivated. She has also faced longstanding allegations concerning her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom critics have claimed was her brother. Omar has repeatedly denied that allegation, and no court has found that the marriage involved immigration fraud.

Fine has previously said Omar should be denaturalized and deported if immigration fraud is substantiated. His latest comments make clear that he is also considering action in Congress, though any expulsion effort would depend on evidence and a two-thirds House vote.

For now, Omar has not been charged with a crime and remains a sitting member of Congress. Fine’s proposal is contingent on findings that have not yet been made public, while the Justice Department investigation continues.