The Liberty Daily 
(The Daily Caller)—Federal authorities during former President Barack Obama’s administration reportedly found evidence that Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar entered into a fraudulent marriage, The New York Times reported Thursday.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found some evidence in 2016 that Omar’s marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, her alleged brother, was a sham to help him obtain a green card, former and current officials told the Times. The case stalled after prosecutors determined it fell outside of the five-year statute of limitations.
Omar married Said Elmi in 2009 and their marriage ended in 2017. Marrying anyone for the purpose of obtaining a green card is illegal under federal law, while marrying a sibling is illegal under state law. It is unclear whether the man Omar married was her brother.
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Omar told MS NOW’s Chris Hayes that she did not marry her brother “to [her] knowledge.” The congresswoman previously denied allegations that she married her brother, telling Minnesota Public Radio in 2016 that any insinuations are “absurd and offensive.”
It is unclear whether federal prosecutors could skirt the statute of limitations and charge Omar, according to the Times.
The FBI raided Omar’s home on Oct. 12 and subpoenaed dozens of individuals, including Omar’s relatives, to investigate her immigration status. The investigation will look into whether Omar’s late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, lied or omitted information in immigration forms before becoming a U.S. citizen, including his daughter’s age.
Omar obtained U.S. citizenship in 2000 when she was allegedly 17 years old.
Federal prosecutors plan to use DNA evidence to prove Omar married her brother, sources told The New York Post.
Omar accused the administration of politically targeting her with “baseless lies and smear campaigns.”
“I’m ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced,” Omar said in an Oct. 12 statement on X.
Manhattan Institute senior fellow Ilya Shapiro previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation that legislation Omar previously passed would remain legally binding, although legislation that passed by a one-vote margin would likely face legal challenges. The de facto officer doctrine preserves the validity of official acts performed by a person who occupied the office at the time, even if they were later found ineligible to serve.
