Obama-era FBI probe found evidence US congresswoman Ilhan Omar entered a 'sham marriage' with her suspected brother, officials say
The Obama-era inquiry, carried out by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security in 2016, uncovered evidence supporting claims that Ahmed Nur Said Elmi — Omar's then-husband and a British citizen — may have been her brother; prosecutors concluded the case went nowhere because any offence had likely expired under the five-year statute of limitations. A separate Trump first-term review in 2019 reached a different conclusion, with three former immigration officials saying the evidence did not establish wrongdoing. Omar has repeatedly dismissed the brother allegations as a racist conspiracy theory, and a current federal investigation is now examining whether she participated in a coordinated family scheme to commit immigration fraud.
Nearly 40 House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, refused to sign a letter demanding the probe be stopped.
Prosecutors, in a filing signed by US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, are seeking to keep Omar's search warrant sealed to protect the ongoing criminal investigation.
A former immigration judge warns Omar could face both criminal charges AND separate civil denaturalization proceedings if convicted.