Washington: US authorities conducted a predawn Monday raid on the Washington-area home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar as part of an ongoing investigation, the Justice Department said.
The raid followed a criminal fraud investigation into the Somali-born lawmaker's immigration paperwork, which was filled out by her late father when she was a child, Fox News Digital reported, citing unidentified sources.
The search was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents, said the two people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity. More details about the investigation were not immediately clear.
"Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal investigation," a Department of Justice spokesperson said in an email.
“This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation,” the department said.
A representative for Omar did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The raid came a little more than three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, when President Donald Trump's Republicans will be trying to defend their thin majorities in the US Congress.
Omar has been a frequent target of political insults from Trump, who has cast the Somali American community as a threat to Minnesota in a burst of anti-Somali and anti-Muslim rhetoric..
Omar, 44, represents Minnesota's 5th District, including Minneapolis. She was first elected to the House in 2018 and has been known as a member of what's called The Squad of female lawmakers known for their progressive views and pointed opposition to the Republican president.
(With agency inputs from Reuters and AP via PTI)