DHS chief says Ilhan Omar inquiry is a ‘large case’ involving more than one person

The United States Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, said on Friday that the federal investigation involving Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar is a “large case” that goes beyond one person. Speaking to Fox News, he said Homeland Security investigators had handed the case to the Justice Department, which is now leading it. “This isn’t just a case that’s targeting one individual,” he said.

The inquiry became public on Monday, 12 October, when federal agents searched Omar’s Washington home under a judge-authorised warrant, seizing her phone, passport, computers and documents. Agents also searched her sister Sahra Noor’s home that day. The Associated Press reported that more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas were issued, including to some of Omar’s relatives, and a Minnesota grand jury is gathering evidence.

Investigators are examining possible fraud in immigration documents connected to Omar’s family going back decades, including her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British citizen critics have long claimed is her brother, and whether false statements were made. These are allegations under investigation, not findings; no charge has been announced. Federal agents examined the same marriage in 2016 and brought no charges.

Omar, who represents Minnesota in Congress, has denied wrongdoing and called the search political intimidation. Her lawyers want the seized items returned. Prosecutors asked a judge on Wednesday, 28 October, to keep the warrant application sealed and say no charging decision has been made.

Why it matters

The case involves a sitting member of Congress days before the midterm elections on Tuesday, 3 November, making its timing politically charged. Mullin rejected claims of political targeting, saying: “We’re enforcing our nation’s laws… We’re not weaponizing.” Attorney General Todd Blanche has said the search was not timed to affect the election.

The stakes are high because prosecutors are reported to be weighing a rare denaturalisation claim, which needs proof of wilful fraud. More than 170 House Democrats have asked the Justice Department to drop the inquiry. Omar is seeking re-election.

What happens next

The Minnesota grand jury will keep reviewing evidence while prosecutors decide whether to bring charges and against whom. Watch for rulings on the sealed warrant material and the return of Omar’s seized items.

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Sources

• https://wltreport.com/2026/10/31/dhs-chief-ilhan-omar-probe-large-case-multiple-people/ (WLT Report, 31 October 2026)
• https://particle.news/story/dhs-says-it-presented-a-large-case-on-ilhan-omar-to-the-justice-department (Particle, 31 October 2026)
• https://americantalk.live/ilhan-omar-case-is-large-and-targeting-multiple-people-reveals-dhs-secretary/ (American Talk, 31 October 2026)