Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) delivered an unusual response Wednesday when directly questioned about longstanding allegations that she married her biological brother, telling MS NOW host Chris Hayes that she was not related to her former husband, at least to her knowledge.
The Minnesota Democrat addressed the controversy during her first television interview since federal agents searched her Washington, D.C., residence on October 12 as part of an investigation into alleged immigration fraud.
Hayes asked Omar whether there was any truth to claims that her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, was actually her brother.
“Not to my knowledge,” Omar responded.
The answer immediately drew attention because Omar has repeatedly and categorically denied the allegations since they first circulated during her early political career.
Omar went on to describe the claims as “insane,” arguing that they originated on a Somali blog before spreading through conservative political circles.
She suggested that individuals promoting the accusation had relied on questionable accounts from people claiming she previously introduced Elmi as her brother.
The congresswoman rejected those accounts and maintained that the allegations were baseless.
Omar married Elmi, a British citizen, in 2009 before the couple separated in 2011. Their divorce was finalized in 2017.
The allegation that their marriage was intended to help Elmi obtain immigration benefits has remained a recurring controversy, although no publicly disclosed evidence has established that the two are biological siblings.
The issue has resurfaced following the federal search of Omar’s residence, during which Homeland Security Investigations agents reportedly seized her cellphone, personal computers and passport.
Investigators are examining allegations involving immigration paperwork submitted when Omar’s family arrived in the United States from Somalia in 1995.
The investigation reportedly includes questions about her recorded birth date and the circumstances surrounding her acquisition of American citizenship through her father’s naturalization in 2000, per the New York Post.
More than a dozen grand jury subpoenas have reportedly been issued, including requests involving members of Omar’s family.
The inquiry is being handled through the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A separate federal investigation involving Omar’s financial disclosures and business interests associated with her husband, Tim Mynett, is being conducted in Washington, D.C.
Omar addressed those financial questions during Wednesday’s interview, disputing the suggestion that her household possesses millions of dollars in wealth.
Previous congressional disclosures placed the combined value of certain business interests associated with Mynett as high as $30 million before those figures were substantially revised.
The congresswoman maintained that she lives modestly and does not have the financial resources suggested by the earlier paperwork.
“I have a Toyota Camry that’s from 2016. It’s our only car,” Omar told Hayes.
She added that she rents residences in both Washington and Minneapolis.
Omar described herself as working class and said she continues living “paycheck to paycheck.”
The interview also revealed that she intends to leave the Washington residence searched by federal investigators.
Omar explained that the property’s address had become widely known following the raid, creating security concerns for her family.
“I can’t continue to live there, so we have to figure out where to move to,” she said.
She cited previous death threats and concerns about her children visiting a residence whose location had received considerable public attention.
Meanwhile, Omar has accused President Donald Trump of using federal law enforcement to intimidate her before the November 3 midterm elections.
In a separate social media video, she urged supporters to contribute to her reelection campaign and accused Trump of being politically motivated.
Trump has suggested Omar could face imprisonment if investigators establish that she committed immigration fraud.
“She could go to jail,” the president said Tuesday while discussing the investigation.
Omar has denied wrongdoing and maintained that she lawfully became an American citizen at age 17 through her father’s naturalization.
Despite the renewed scrutiny and Wednesday’s interview, federal authorities have not publicly announced criminal charges against the congresswoman.
Her statement concerning Elmi does not establish the allegation that they are siblings, and the underlying claims remain unproven.
