Rep. Ilhan Omar is facing a renewed deportation threat after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin revived a long-running allegation involving one of her former marriages.
Mullin said the Department of Homeland Security is conducting an ongoing investigation into whether Omar married her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, as part of an immigration fraud scheme. He suggested that if investigators establish that Omar broke immigration laws, she could potentially face deportation.
The allegation is not new. Omar legally married Elmi in 2009 and later divorced him in 2017. She has repeatedly denied that Elmi was her brother and has called the claim false and offensive. There is no established public finding that the two were siblings.
Omar became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000. Under federal immigration law, marriage fraud can carry serious consequences, including criminal penalties and possible immigration consequences if authorities can prove wrongdoing.
Mullin stressed that the investigation is still underway and said any case brought against Omar would need to be based on evidence rather than politics. He argued that immigration violations can still be pursued even years after they allegedly occurred if investigators can prove that false information was used to obtain immigration status.
The renewed attention comes as Omar remains a prominent and often controversial figure in Congress. The marriage allegation has resurfaced several times over the years, including during previous political battles, but Omar has consistently rejected it.
For now, there has been no announcement that Omar will actually be deported, and the investigation has not produced a public finding establishing the allegation as fact. The outcome will depend on what federal investigators can prove and whether any formal action is ultimately taken.