Former President Barack Obama accused the Trump administration of using a federal investigation to intimidate Rep. Ilhan Omar, warning the case could establish a precedent for targeting political critics.
Obama made the accusation in an Oct. 18 post on X, saying Omar was under scrutiny because she had criticized President Donald Trump. He warned that the use of federal power against people viewed as political opponents could extend beyond Omar’s case.
Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on Oct. 12. The Department of Justice (DOJ) told the Associated Press that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), executed a judicially authorized warrant as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. The department did not describe the probe’s scope or evidence.
The Associated Press, citing a person briefed on the investigation, reported that Omar’s phone was taken and that authorities issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, some involving relatives.
The Washington Post reported that investigators are examining questions about Omar’s birth date and her late father’s immigration history. The Post also reported, based on former officials, that HSI found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing when similar allegations were reviewed in 2019. Separately, the Post said a proposal to pursue a full investigation was later abandoned.
Omar’s lawyers asked the DOJ on Oct. 16 to return property taken in the search and alleged that investigators did not follow safeguards set by a judge. Justice Department spokeswoman Emily Covington said department lawyers and law enforcement partners followed the judge’s directives and applicable legal requirements.
Trump told reporters he had no role in the search and said the matter was up to the Justice Department. Omar’s congressional office denounced the search as an abuse of power and said presidents should not use federal authority to intimidate political opponents.
Omar is seeking reelection in November’s midterm elections.
