Ilhan Omar’s Sister Interviewed As Citizenship Probe Deepens

Federal investigators interviewed Sahra Noor, the sister of Rep. Ilhan Omar, just days after agents raided the congresswoman’s home in Washington, D.C. This interview happened last week, marking a major step in a probe that now questions whether Omar’s citizenship was obtained legally. The investigation is no longer just about rumors; it has moved to active evidence gathering involving DNA and family records.

Fox News Digital reported that three sources familiar with the case confirmed Noor spoke voluntarily with authorities following the October 12 search of the residence Omar shares with her husband. A book event at the University of Minnesota scheduled for Thursday of last week was intended for Noor to promote her new memoir, “Salt in the Snow: A Somali Immigrant Story”. A representative for the sponsoring bookstore told reporters that Noor canceled the appearance due to a “family emergency.”

The DNA Evidence and Passport Seizure

The scope of the probe has widened significantly beyond simple document review. The New York Post reported that federal agents have obtained DNA samples to test allegations that Omar married her brother in 2009 to help him secure a green card. Sources say this DNA evidence is critical to proving the claim, which Omar has denied since 2016. In 2019, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, her ex-husband, withdrew his application for a marriage-based green card after officials requested more details about their relationship.

During the raid , Homeland Security Investigations seized Omar’s personal phone, computer, and her personal passport. RedState reported that while her official congressional passport remains with her office, agents are not worried about her fleeing the country since her husband and family are in the United States. The investigation is being run by the Minnesota US Attorney’s Office, while DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro oversees a separate probe into the couple’s finances.

Over the weekend, Border Czar Tom Homan stated that the federal government has built “a strong case” that could lead to the denaturalization of Omar if the allegations are proven. She has lived in the U.S. since her family emigrated from Somalia in 1995, but the probe now focuses on whether her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, misrepresented facts to naturalize her as a child. Legal experts observe that the statute of limitations is longer for providing false information on immigration paperwork than for marriage fraud.

A Legal Question of Citizenship Status

The legal battle hinges on a technical distinction that many people overlook. Omar became a citizen at age 17 through her father under a law that grants automatic citizenship to unmarried children when a parent naturalizes. The Daily Wire explains that on this specific route, no court order admits the child; citizenship attaches by operation of law if the conditions are met. If the government proves the father’s naturalization was based on fraud, the child’s status could be voided.

As the Third Circuit Court explained in a 2024 ruling cited by The Daily Wire, “A certificate does not confer citizenship.” It only documents a status already acquired under the law. This means canceling the certificate alone cannot undo lawful citizenship, but proving the statutory requirements were never met would mean she never became a citizen at all. More than a dozen people, including relatives, have been subpoenaed in the case as the grand jury sits in Minnesota.

Although her husband has been seen walking their dog and speaking with aides outside their home, Omar has not been seen publicly since the raid. On social media, she reacted to the search by calling it an “outrageous abuse of power” and an escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement. Her attorneys have demanded the return of some seized property, but the investigation continues with more subpoenas expected. The Justice Department has declined to comment on the specific details of the ongoing probe.