The Ilhan Omar Investigation

Editors’ Notes

It’s “October surprise” season (a term for scandals that tend to break right before the November elections). For many politicians seeking reelection Halloween is far less scary than the number of theories about them—true or not—that will swirl around the final stretch of their campaign.

This also creates a complicated environment for news consumers. Even if you suspect breaking news is politically motivated, it may not make the allegations untrue, and whether you believe allegations or not can sway your vote. Your discernment is crucial in deciding whether to fold fresh allegations into your understanding of candidates or dismiss them as a disinformation campaign.

News About Ilhan Omar

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home was raided by the Department of Homeland Security on Monday in relation to immigration paperwork filled out by her late father when she was a child. The New York Post (Right) noted that her birthdate changed from 1981 to 1982 in the public record shortly after she was elected to Congress. "That would mean she couldn't have legally become a US citizen in 2000," because she would not have been a minor, the journalist explained.

Several outlets highlighted the timing. The Washington Post (Lean Left) said, "it is extremely unusual for federal agents to take public investigative actions related to a member of Congress just weeks before an election.” The Wall Street Journal (Center) reported that the Trump administration “is aimed at building a case to strip her of her U.S. citizenship and ultimately deport her, according to U.S. officials and other people familiar with the probe.”

Read more:

• DHS Raids Ilhan Omar's Home Amid Ongoing Investigation
• Federal Raid on Ilhan Omar's Home Draws Questions Over Citizenship Claims and Timing

Analysis and Opinions about the Investigation

Voices on the left argued the DHS raid was politically motivated, aligning with Omar’s statement on the incident. The right argued there were valid questions about her past that should be explored.

A USA Today (Lean Left) piece said, “Trump has made it clear that he will use his position of power to go after anyone, whether it be journalists or politicians. As long as you’re standing in the way of what he wants, he will unleash a campaign of vengeance. Trump has said that although he’s ‘always found (Omar) to be totally crooked,’ he was not involved in the execution of the raid on her home.

It’s possible that this is true. It seems just as likely, though, that the Justice Department officials, as part of the Trump administration, is still acting in a way they know the president would want.”

A Western Journal (Right) opinion commented on Omar’s response to the raid, “Omar is not the most capable elected official intellectually, but nearly anyone on her staff could have noticed the closing statement and told her how bad it looks to spout off about not being silenced while disabling comments…Her post is a desperate attempt to become a martyr for the left. The mob loves any victim they can rally behind, and a non-white foreign-born official having her home raided makes for a great candidate.”

A piece in MS Now (Left) said, “The notion that raiding the home of a congresswoman was necessary or may have been motivated by a good faith attempt to uphold the law is laughable…Why is this happening in October, just a few weeks before Omar is up for re-election?…The goal is to render both progressive politics and politicians of color as alien and unwanted in America. Omar is the latest scapegoat. She won’t be the last.”

Rich Lowry (Right) argued in the New York Post Opinion (Right), “The Trump administration, which has repeatedly over-reached in pursuit of its political opponents, doesn’t necessarily deserve the benefit of the doubt, although questions have swirled around Omar’s background for years. She has always responded with angry, uninformative dismissals, even when the Minneapolis Star-Tribune — not exactly a right-wing news source — has made inquiries…If she’s being smeared, Omar should sit down with a neutral journalist and walk through the details of all this with as many documents as she can muster. That seems unlikely. But it’s a certainty that she’ll continue to excoriate the United States — whether it’s the country that welcomed her as a penniless refugee, or the one that tries to denaturalize her for alleged immigration fraud.”