WASHINGTON — US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she plans to move out of her Washington home after federal agents searched the property, citing death threats and concerns for her family’s safety after the address became public.
The Minnesota Democrat made the announcement in an interview with MS NOW that aired Wednesday, saying she could no longer safely remain at the residence while her children continued to visit.
“Because our address has been public and with the death threats that I deal with, it’s no longer going to be feasible to be in that house and have my kids visiting off and on and have people track them,” Omar said.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations searched Omar’s Washington residence on October 12 under a court-authorised warrant as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.
The investigation reportedly concerns potential fraud involving immigration paperwork connected to Omar’s family. Federal authorities have disclosed few details about the case, and no charges against Omar related to the search have been announced.
Omar said the agents spent four to five hours searching the property and seized 17 items, including phones and notebooks, according to her account of the operation.
The congresswoman, who was born in Somalia and became a US citizen in 2000, has denied wrongdoing and described the investigation as politically motivated. Her office has also said she did nothing wrong.
President Donald Trump, a frequent critic of Omar, has denied having a role in the search.
The operation has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who questioned its timing less than a month before the November 3 midterm elections. Omar is seeking re-election to the House of Representatives.
Despite the security concerns, Omar said she would not be intimidated into leaving Congress and maintained that she had a legal right to serve.
The federal investigation remains ongoing, with authorities yet to publicly detail its full scope or announce charges against the congresswoman.
