Federal investigators uncovered evidence of possible marriage fraud involving Rep. Ilhan Omar during the Obama administration, but the case went nowhere after prosecutors determined the alleged crime was too old to pursue, according to a bombshell New York Times report.
Now, a decade later, the Minnesota Democrat is back under the microscope as federal authorities investigate whether she married a man suspected of being her brother to help him obtain a green card.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security investigated Omar’s 2009 marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in the summer of 2016, according to current and former officials who spoke with the Times.
Investigators found some evidence suggesting the marriage was fraudulent, but prosecutors ultimately concluded that the suspected felony fell outside the five-year statute of limitations, the report said.
That finding casts new light on allegations Omar has spent years dismissing as a right-wing conspiracy theory.
President Donald Trump revived the accusations last week, once again raising questions about the congresswoman’s immigration history.
Omar, who became an American citizen before marrying Elmi in 2009, divorced him in 2017.
The Times interviewed nine current and former officials familiar with the investigations, including six with knowledge of the original Obama-era inquiry.
The report did not establish whether Elmi is actually Omar’s brother, and it remains unclear what evidence federal investigators possess concerning their alleged family relationship.
However, federal law prohibits marriages entered into solely for the purpose of obtaining immigration benefits, regardless of whether the individuals are related.
POLL: Ilhan Omar Now Claims She’s Broke – Do You Believe Her?
The Trump administration has now reopened scrutiny of the marriage as part of a much broader investigation into Omar’s family and their arrival in the United States as refugees from Somalia.
The renewed investigation could carry serious consequences for the congresswoman.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has raised the possibility that a wider immigration fraud conspiracy case could ultimately lead to Omar’s deportation.
While the statute of limitations presents a major obstacle to prosecuting the alleged 2009 marriage fraud itself, investigators could potentially use evidence surrounding the marriage in a broader criminal case or civil proceeding.
The marriage allegation alone would not provide grounds to revoke Omar’s citizenship, according to the Times.
Federal authorities dramatically escalated their investigation Oct. 12, when agents raided Omar’s Washington, D.C., home.
The search thrust the controversy back into the national spotlight just weeks before the midterm elections, drawing furious objections from Democrats who accused the Trump administration of politically motivated prosecution.
Democrats have also questioned whether the raid ran afoul of longstanding Justice Department guidelines discouraging investigative actions that could influence an election.
Omar is seeking her fifth term in Congress in the Nov. 3 midterms.
For now, the Minnesota Democrat faces renewed federal scrutiny over allegations that have followed her for more than a decade, including a marriage that investigators examined during the Obama administration but never prosecuted.
POLL: Should Ilhan Omar Be Deported If Found Guilty Of Immigration Fraud?
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
