Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota on Monday afternoon called the federal agents’ search of her Washington, D.C. home an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.” The Somali-born lawmaker has previously been subjected to insults by President Donald Trump.
“For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation,” said Omar in a social media post. “I will not be silenced.”
The U.S. Congress is currently not in session and it is unclear if Omar was home at the time of the search.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told TIME: “Today in the Washington, D.C, area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.” No further details were provided.
According to Reuters, a person familiar with the investigation said it is related to alleged immigration fraud and part of the probe concerns the Somali-born lawmaker's immigration paperwork that was filled out by her late father when she was a child. TIME has been unable to independently verify this.
TIME has reached out to the White House and Omar’s office for further information.
While the reason behind the criminal investigation remains unclear, it is not the first time Omar’s immigration records have become a focal point. Earlier this year, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina unsuccessfully filed a subpoena of her records.
Last month, White House border tsar Tom Homan told Fox News that Omar was the subject of an "ongoing criminal investigation," but declined to offer specific details.
Democrats condemn raid on Omar’s home
The raid was carried out just over three weeks before the midterm elections, in which the Republicans will grapple to maintain control of the House and Senate.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz led Democrats in denouncing the raid, saying “Americans see this for what it is—President Trump is abusing his power to go after political opponents weeks before an election.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries referred to the raid as “deeply disturbing” and argued that it raises “serious questions about the continued corrupt weaponization of the federal government” against Trump’s adversaries.
"Now, less than 30 days until the midterm election, his violent mass deportation machine has descended upon the home of a duly elected Member of Congress and her family," he said in a statement, which was co-signed by House minority whip Rep. Katherine Clark and Rep. Pete Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
Omar has accused Trump of having a “weird” obsession with her
Trump has long targeted Omar and her birthplace Somalia during his anti-immigration speeches and remarks.
Last December, while delivering an address in Pennsylvania, Trump referenced Omar during an ant-immigration tirade, claiming she does “nothing but b-tch” and arguing she comes from a county considered to be “the worst” in the world. “We ought to get her the hell out,” the President said, pausing as members of the crowd chanted “send her back.”
Omar responded by saying Trump’s “obsession” with her is “beyond weird.”
“Since he has no economic policies to tout, he’s resorting to regurgitating bigoted lies instead,” said Omar via social media, reacting to a clip of the President’s speech. “He continues to be a national embarrassment.”
In January, Omar was approached by a man with a syringe during a Town Hall meeting in Minneapolis. The man sprayed her with a substance before being restrained by on-site security. Lab analysis later determined the liquid contained acetic acid and identified it as a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. Last month, a 56-year-old man named Anthony James Kazmierczak was sentenced to 14 months in prison for the assault.
Shortly after the Town Hall incident, Omar called out Trump’s use of “hateful rhetoric” against her and suggested he had made her a target.
“What the facts have shown, since I’ve gotten into elected office, is that every time the President of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am at today, having to pay for security, having the government to think about providing me security, if Donald Trump wasn’t in office and if he wasn’t so obsessed with me."