Ilhan Omar resurfaces for first time since federal raid in tearful cash grab
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) resurfaced with a tearful fundraising plea after days out of the public eye.Though she posted messages to social media, the Somali refugee had not been seen in public since federal agents raided her D.C. home on Oct. 12. With questions about her location swirling, Omar cut a campaign promo on TikTok while riding around what appears to be Minneapolis. 'It's going to be a very expensive and challenging time.'In the one-minute video posted Tuesday, Omar thanks "everyone who sent $5, $10, $20," and accuses the Trump administration of "trying to intimidate me and so many people.""We know that they're running scared," Omar says with tears in her eyes. "We’re not going to be intimidated. We’re not going to be silenced. We’re not going to be scared.” As the video ends, Omar reiterates her appeal for financial support.“Thank you so much again, and please continue to support us," Omar says. "It is going to be a very expensive and challenging time.”The clip ends with an "Ilhan for Congress" logo.RELATED: Fraud, fraud, and more fraud: How Maine became a Somali scammer's paradise Brandon Bell/Getty Images Eleven on the River, a condominium tower on the Minneapolis riverfront, appears to stand in the background as Omar cruises around what may be Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside area.That district hosts both the Somali Community Outreach and Consultancy as well as the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota. Omar served as the confederation's director from at least 2013 to 2017. Omar is scheduled to appear in Minneapolis with Hasan Piker on Monday. Homeland Security Investigations agents searched Omar's D.C.-area residence under a warrant signed by a federal judge, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Officers seized her phone, the AP reported, and potentially also confiscated her personal passport.Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed in September that Omar married her brother to help him secure legal status in the U.S. Days later, border czar Tom Homan confirmed that Omar was the subject of an HSI criminal probe and said she could be denaturalized and deported if fraud is proven.President Donald Trump went further. "She could also go to jail," he said Tuesday. Omar has not yet been charged. Her office called the raid an abuse of power aimed at the president's political enemies and said she has done nothing wrong. Her attorneys claim there is no legitimate basis to suggest she violated any citizenship law. Investigators, however, may be reviewing Omar's naturalization paperwork.In response to Omar's attorneys' letter accusing HSI of violating the terms of the search warrant, the DOJ told Blaze News: "That letter is riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies. Our attorneys and law enforcement partners complied with all court orders and legal obligations, as they always do."Critics have alleged for years that Omar married her brother to game the immigration system. She has denied it, but investigators are reportedly in possession of DNA evidence that may verify the claim.Pirro said her office is also investigating allegations of financial misconduct. Omar amended a 2024 financial disclosure form in April, citing an accounting error.The allegations against Omar and her brother may have previously driven her to violate state campaign finance laws. The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board found in 2019 that Omar violated state rules by routing $1,500 through her lawyer to an accounting firm to pull tax returns rebutting claims she wed her brother. She was ordered to repay $3,469.23 and pay a $500 civil penalty.Afterward, Omar promised to comply with the findings of the board and stated: "I’m glad this process is complete and that the Campaign Finance Board has come to a resolution on this matter."It's far from Omar's only suspect financial maneuver.Her campaign previously paid about $2.92 million to E Street Group, a consulting firm co-owned by her husband Tim Mynett. The FEC voted 6-0 in 2021 to find no reason to believe the payments converted campaign funds to personal use.Omar's office and the HSI did not respond to requests for comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!