Federal investigators reportedly uncovered some evidence of a possible fraudulent marriage involving Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during Barack Obama’s presidency, but prosecutors allowed the case to end without charges because of a legal deadline.
The New York Times disclosed Thursday that prosecutors declined to move forward in 2016 after determining that the suspected conduct fell beyond the five-year statute of limitations.
That decision followed an inquiry by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security into whether Omar’s marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi had been arranged to secure immigration benefits for him.
Current and former officials told the newspaper that investigators had developed some evidence supporting the allegation, although the reporting did not establish that a fraudulent marriage occurred.
The disclosure arrives as Omar faces renewed federal scrutiny, including an October 12 search of her Washington, DC, home and subpoenas involving dozens of people, among them her relatives.
Whether Elmi was actually Omar’s brother, as some of her accusers have alleged, remains unresolved. Omar has repeatedly denied marrying a sibling, and no determination of that alleged relationship was established in the reporting.
Omar married Elmi in 2009, and the relationship legally ended in 2017. A marriage entered into fraudulently to obtain a green card violates federal law, while marriages between siblings are prohibited under state law. Neither alleged violation has been established in Omar’s case.
Investigators examining Omar’s immigration history three years after the initial inquiry reached conclusions that differed from the newly reported 2016 findings.
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During a 2019 review conducted under President Donald Trump’s first administration, investigators identified no problems with Omar’s naturalization, three former immigration officials told The Washington Post.
The officials also indicated that the available information was insufficient to establish wrongdoing.
Questions about Omar’s former marriage, her age and records associated with her father’s immigration history were among the matters examined during that review.
The latest federal inquiry has returned to paperwork involving Omar’s late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, particularly whether information about his daughter was inaccurately recorded or omitted when he applied for immigration benefits.
One question concerns Omar’s age. She became a US citizen in 2000, when she was reportedly 17.
Investigators carried out the October 12 search of her residence and issued subpoenas to dozens of individuals, including family members, as they pursued questions about her immigration history.
Sources separately told the New York Post that federal prosecutors intended to use DNA evidence in an attempt to establish the allegation that Elmi was Omar’s brother.
The existence and significance of any such evidence have not been established in the reporting, and the Times indicated that prosecutors might still face obstacles involving the statute of limitations.
Omar rejected the investigation’s premise in a statement published on X following the search of her home.
“For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns,” she wrote on October 12. “This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.”
Trump has repeatedly challenged the congresswoman’s explanations of her past marriage, including during an October 22 appearance before supporters in Iowa.
“She didn’t know whether or not she married her brother. She wasn’t sure,” the president told the crowd.
He called her answer “one of the worst answers I think I’ve ever heard,” referring to comments Omar had made during an interview with MS NOW host Chris Hayes.
In that conversation, Omar denied marrying her brother “to [her] knowledge,” a qualification Trump seized upon while questioning her account.
The president also demanded Omar’s resignation and accused her of assuming a false identity when she entered Congress.
He pointed to a Justice Department filing that identified her as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi,” using that reference to support his accusation without an established finding that she had been sworn in under a fraudulent name.
Former President Barack Obama has condemned the current investigation, despite the Times’ disclosure that federal agencies examined similar allegations during his own administration.
Obama questioned the use of federal investigative powers against an elected official who has criticized the president, describing the October 12 search as “appalling.”
“Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone,” Obama wrote on X.
He accused the administration of pursuing allegations concerning events from two decades earlier and treating Omar’s political opposition as grounds for investigative pressure.
“Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same,” Obama warned.
Concern about the investigation’s timing has also prompted congressional action ahead of Omar’s reelection contest in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
With voters preparing to cast ballots in approximately one week, 175 House Democrats accused federal officials of risking interference in the election through investigative activity involving the congresswoman.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) organized the letter addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Attorney General Todd Blanche.
The lawmakers argued that publicity surrounding the search could influence voters whether or not investigators had sufficient grounds to obtain a warrant.
They also questioned the decision to search Omar’s home over records her father allegedly completed when she was a minor.
The letter invoked Justice Department guidance discouraging investigative steps involving candidates close to elections when postponement would not jeopardize a criminal case.
Democrats demanded that the administration refrain from additional actions that could influence the outcome of Omar’s race.
Ilhan Omar and Hasan Piker want you to believe they are victims. pic.twitter.com/kFqUNI2bZ1
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) October 27, 2026
Omar, meanwhile, appeared unfazed when streamer Hasan Piker briefly questioned her ahead of an event about how she was handling the federal investigation.
“I’m good,” she answered. Piker also asked whether she remained strong and resilient despite the allegations. “Yeah,” Omar replied.
