Federal Probe Raises New Questions About Ilhan Omar’s Identity

Federal investigators examining Rep. Ilhan Omar’s background have raised questions about the Minnesota Democrat’s identity, with multiple sources telling Fox News Digital that “Ilhan Omar” is not her birth name.

According to two people familiar with the investigation, including a law enforcement source, Omar’s birth name is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, Fox News reported.

The revelation comes as investigators continue examining whether Omar or her father committed fraud connected to immigration paperwork.

The latest development emerged after U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro filed a motion Wednesday asking a federal court to keep a search warrant connected to Omar’s Washington, D.C., residence sealed.

Several media organizations had sought to have the warrant materials unsealed. Prosecutors argued that the government has not completed its execution of the warrant and that releasing the documents now would be premature.

The filing identifies the congresswoman as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.” A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that the use of the alias language reflects the investigators’ position that Omar is not her legal birth name.

Federal agents searched Omar’s residence during a pre-dawn operation on Oct. 12. Investigators reportedly obtained her DNA and seized her phone and passport as part of the inquiry.

Her sister, Sahra Noor, was also questioned by federal investigators last week, according to Fox News Digital.

Omar has previously acknowledged that she does not have a birth certificate. Her official House biography lists her date of birth as Oct. 14, 1982, and says she was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, before arriving in the United States with her family as refugees in 1995.

The questions surrounding her name could have broader implications if prosecutors establish that she used a false identity on official documents. Nathan Hansen, a former federal immigration judge in Minnesota, said such a finding could prompt scrutiny of records involving student aid, housing, public assistance, passports, driver's licenses and voting.

Hansen also said prosecutors could potentially consider fraud-related charges, including wire fraud, depending on the evidence and circumstances.

Omar has not been charged with a crime, and the allegations remain unproven.

The congresswoman has also faced longstanding allegations involving her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, including claims that he was her brother. Omar has repeatedly denied those allegations, most recently calling them “insane” in an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes.

Following the search of her home, Omar accused President Donald Trump and his administration of using federal law enforcement against her for political reasons. She said the raid represented an abuse of power and insisted that she had done nothing wrong.