Homan says Ilhan Omar could be stripped of naturalization, deported if immigration fraud is proven
U.S. border official says Congresswoman Ilhan Omar could be stripped of citizenship if investigation finds fraud
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director Tom Homan told a radio show that Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, “could be denaturalized” and deported if investigators find that she lied during her naturalization process. Homan made the remarks on “The Big Weekend Show” on Saturday, following a raid on Omar’s Washington, D.C. home earlier in the week.
Homan, who oversees federal immigration enforcement, said the law applies to everyone, “no one is above the law.” He added that if evidence proved that Omar committed immigration fraud, the Department of Justice has the authority to revoke citizenship. “If she violated the law, then she’ll be held accountable,” he said.
The investigation stems from allegations that Omar or her father provided false information about her age on immigration paperwork when her family fled Somalia in the late 1990s. Her father became a U.S. citizen in 2000. At that time, Omar was believed to have been 17, which would have automatically qualified her for citizenship as a minor. However, investigators are questioning whether she was actually 18 and would have had to go through the naturalization process herself.
The FBI and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit are said to be leading the inquiry. Homan declined to discuss the specifics of the investigation, saying the evidence would determine the outcome. “I’ve been told they have a strong case, and we’ll let the evidence lead where it leads,” he said.
Federal agents entered Omar’s home in the pre‑dawn hours of the earlier raid and seized her cellphone, among other items. The raid was conducted by HSI, the agency that handles investigations of alleged immigration fraud and related crimes.
Omar’s office has not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The investigation has drawn sharp political reactions. Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, have called the probe political persecution of a critic of former President Donald Trump. Former President Barack Obama also issued a statement accusing the Trump administration of “appalling targeting” of Omar. The raid and the investigation come as the country approaches a crucial election, heightening partisan tensions.
Homan said he was not discussing potential allegations beyond immigration fraud, and that such questions would fall to the FBI. “That’s a question for the FBI,” he said.
The Department of Justice’s procedures for denaturalization are rarely used. The last U.S. citizen to be stripped of citizenship for fraud was in 1993. Whether the evidence against Omar will be sufficient to trigger that process remains unclear.