Rep. Ilhan Omar’s phone seized and relatives subpoenaed in criminal probe, AP source says

Federal investigators have seized Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s phone and issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including some involving her relatives, as part of an investigation into possible fraud involving her family’s immigration paperwork. Federal agents also searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on October 12, just three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, when she is seeking reelection in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed that multiple investigations are underway, including a separate examination of Omar’s financial disclosures. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has also suggested investigators are examining potential immigration-related offenses. The timing has generated considerable political controversy. Democrats accuse the Trump administration of using federal law enforcement to intimidate political opponents. Omar called the investigation another escalation in President Trump’s longstanding campaign against her, declaring that she would not be silenced. The Associated Press notes that the Justice Department has historically sought to avoid public investigative actions involving candidates within 60 days of an election, making the timing particularly noteworthy. The central issue: Federal investigators are pursuing potentially serious allegations, but the scope of the investigation remains unclear, and the article reports no criminal charges against Omar. The case raises questions about both accountability under the law and the potential political misuse of federal investigative powers. Reporting credited to Alanna Durkin Richer of The Associated Press.