WASHINGTON, D.C. — This Monday morning, federal agents raided the home of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as part of a “criminal investigation.” The Justice Department confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant in the Washington, D.C., area with no further details.
In response, Not Above the Law coalition co-chairs Lisa Gilbert, Co-President of Public Citizen; Praveen Fernandes, Vice President of the Constitutional Accountability Center; Kelsey Herbert, Campaign Director at MoveOn; and Brett Edkins, Managing Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Stand Up America, released the following statement:
“Sending Homeland Security agents to search the home of a sitting member of Congress is a brazen abuse of power. For years, Trump has made Congresswoman Omar a target, fueling death threats with his dangerous and offensive rhetoric. Just last week, he attacked Somali Americans and told his supporters to ‘fight back.’ Now he’s turning the government’s enforcement machinery directly against Congresswoman Omar – and doing it weeks before an election only makes it more alarming.
“This is a play from the same autocratic playbook Trump has used against critic after critic: open an investigation, stage a show of force, and let suspicion do the damage. Many of these cases collapse in court after the reputational damage is done and the news cycle has passed. The Justice Department must immediately explain the basis for this warrant, and Congress must demand answers about why immigration enforcement agents are being deployed against one of its own members. Only a corrupt, authoritarian leader would weaponize the federal government against his political opponents. We stand with Congresswoman Omar.”
For questions about our work to hold Trump accountable or to request an interview with a Not Above the Law coalition leader, please email press@focalpointstrategygroup.com.