What did Trump say about the investigation at Ilhan's house?

Washington (Caasimada Online) — The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated on Monday that he had no involvement in the investigation conducted by federal agents at the home of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in Washington, while also launching a verbal attack on the congresswoman and the country of Somalia, which he referred to as "a country that is not a country."

Trump, speaking to the media hours after federal agents searched Ilhan's home, said that government agencies are investigating congress members, but he is independent of that operation.

“I understand they are investigating her very thoroughly. I have always viewed her as someone who is totally corrupt, but that has nothing to do with me,” Trump said.

The President added that he sees Ilhan as a very bad person with many complaints, criticizing her for speaking out against the United States, despite her arriving in that country as a refugee.

“She came from a country that is not a country, and then she came here and complains about our Constitution,” he said.

Trump reiterated that he had no role in the investigation, stating that the matter is up to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“But that is up to the Department of Justice. I have nothing to do with it,” he said.

Trump's remarks came at a time when Ilhan Omar accused his administration of using security agencies to intimidate political opponents, as the investigation into her home has sparked strong anger within the Democratic Party, just three weeks before the U.S. midterm elections.

Members of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division, which falls under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), conducted a search at Ilhan Omar's home in Washington on Monday morning, carrying a court order.

The Department of Justice confirmed that the operation is part of an ongoing criminal investigation, but did not disclose details of the allegations or what specifically is being investigated.

A source familiar with the investigation told Reuters that the case is related to allegations of immigration fraud, including documents filled out by her deceased father when Ilhan was a child.

Ilhan responds strongly

Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress, described the investigation as politically motivated, accusing Trump of having long waged a campaign against her.

“I am doing well. Know that this is an attempt to target a political enemy, using federal law enforcement agencies,” she wrote on her X account.

“For ten years, Trump has targeted me with lies and baseless smear campaigns. This is the latest step in his ongoing political intimidation campaign. I will not be silenced,” she added.

Ilhan's office also described the investigation as an abuse of government power, insisting that lawmakers have committed no crime.

“There is no president who should be allowed to use the power of the federal government to intimidate political opponents,” it was stated in a statement from her office.

However, Trump's remarks denying involvement in the investigation come after months of senior officials from his administration publicly discussing investigations related to Ilhan's immigration history.

On Saturday, while speaking at a political rally in Tennessee, Trump again attacked Ilhan, noting that Vice President JD Vance and other officials from his administration are investigating her matters.

Vance had previously accused Ilhan of engaging in immigration-related corruption, although he did not present evidence to support that claim. Ilhan has repeatedly denied those allegations.

The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, also stated last month that an investigation is underway regarding Ilhan's family's immigration documents, warning that deportation could occur if it is proven that they entered the country illegally.

Ilhan arrived in the United States as a refugee in 1995 and became a citizen in 2000. In 2018, she won a seat in Congress for the first time, representing a district in Minnesota with a large Somali population.

The timing controversy of the investigation

The investigation into Ilhan's home has also raised questions about the timing of its execution, as midterm elections for Congress will take place in the U.S. on November 3.

The U.S. Department of Justice has long had a procedure to avoid investigative actions that could visibly impact political candidates, especially about 60 days before elections.

Although a court has approved the search of Ilhan's home, the department has still not clearly explained why it carried out the operation so close to the election.

Reuters reported that the Department of Justice consulted its public corruption section and acting Deputy Attorney General, Trent McCotter, before the investigation.

The Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, and other party officials described the investigation as highly concerning, stating it raised serious questions about the use of federal agencies against Trump’s opponents.

The governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, also accused Trump of using his power to target political opponents ahead of the elections.

This tension comes as the relationship between Trump and Ilhan has been contentious for years, with the president frequently launching verbal attacks on her Somali heritage, her refugee history, and her political positions.

The Trump administration is also facing criticism over investigations the Department of Justice has conducted into politicians and other officials who are highly critical of the president.

Trump has insisted that he did not order the investigation into Ilhan, while federal agencies have stated they acted under a court order.

So far, there have been no formal criminal charges filed against Ilhan Omar, and no evidence has been disclosed that the investigative agencies based their request for a search warrant on.