Vice President JD Vance stated on Tuesday that the United States Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar for possible immigration fraud.
The case concerns old allegations that Omar married her own brother in order to secure him residency in the United States. The claims have circulated for eight to ten years, including in Somali online forums, but have previously not resulted in a formal criminal case.
Could lose citizenship
Vance, who leads the administration’s working group for combating fraud, said that the circumstances of the case “seem fishy”, and that the DOJ will examine any possible criminal offences. Omar rejects the allegations as baseless and racist.
The case comes in addition to earlier questions surrounding Omar’s finances and possible links to welfare fraud in Minnesota. No charges have yet been brought.
Immigration fraud may entail severe punishment, including imprisonment, fines and, in the worst case, denaturalisation (loss of citizenship) and deportation. A conviction could trigger exclusion from Congress. The Democrats will probably defend her and describe it as a politically motivated witch-hunt.