US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has accused President Donald Trump’s administration of using a federal search of her Washington residence to intimidate voters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Omar, a Democratic lawmaker, made the allegation during an interview with US broadcaster MSNOW. She argued that the operation could discourage people from participating in the electoral process.
“I think, ultimately, their goal is to intimidate and, like, scare people from wanting to participate and vote,” she said.
Omar added that strong turnout at early voting locations showed that voters remained willing to participate despite the controversy.
Omar Questions Motive Behind Early-Morning Search
Omar said the search took place at about 6 a.m. and involved federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to her account, agents surrounded the residence and repeatedly knocked on both entrances, leaving her startled after she had slept for only about two hours.
She said she reviewed the search warrant to check that the agents were acting within the scope of their legal authority.
Omar also alleged that political pressure from people connected to the Trump administration influenced the operation. She suggested the search was intended to satisfy allies who had called for action against her.
The report did not independently establish her claims about the operation’s political motive.
Congresswoman Says Agents Seized 17 Items
Omar said investigators took 17 items from her residence, including her husband’s notebooks, a camera dating to the 1960s and three mobile phones.
She described most of the seized devices as outdated personal items.
The congresswoman also raised concerns about her family’s safety after her home address became public. She said persistent death threats had made it increasingly difficult for her family to remain in the residence.
Omar warned that people could potentially monitor her children’s movements, adding to her security concerns.
Trump Raises Possibility of Imprisonment
The dispute comes after Trump suggested on Tuesday that Omar could face imprisonment rather than deportation in connection with a federal immigration inquiry.
Omar denied wrongdoing and explained that she arrived in the United States in 1995, when she was 12 years old. She became a naturalised US citizen at 17.
She entered the House of Representatives in 2019, becoming the first Somali-American woman to serve in the US Congress.
The allegations surrounding the search and its stated purpose remain attributed to Omar.