Lawyers representing US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar have challenged the legality of a federal search of her Washington residence, accusing authorities of violating court instructions and demanding the return of confiscated belongings.
According to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, the Minnesota Democrat’s legal team sent a letter to federal prosecutors late Friday arguing that the operation was “neither justified nor lawful.”
The search was conducted early Monday by agents from Homeland Security Investigations under a warrant authorised by a federal judge.
The investigation reportedly examines, among other matters, the circumstances surrounding Omar’s acquisition of US citizenship after emigrating from Somalia decades ago.
Rejecting any suggestion of wrongdoing, her attorneys stated:
“There is no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status.”
The legal team alleged that federal agents failed to comply with several conditions imposed by the judge who approved the search.
According to the letter, authorities were required to notify the US House general counsel before executing the warrant but allegedly failed to do so.
The lawyers also claimed that neither Omar nor her legal representatives received a copy of the warrant beforehand, despite instructions from the court.
They further alleged that agents prevented the congresswoman from contacting her attorneys for more than an hour after the operation began.
Omar’s legal team has demanded the immediate return of seized property and access to recordings made during the search.
The US Justice Department disputed the accusations, insisting that investigators had followed the law and complied with the court’s directions.
A department spokeswoman described the lawyers’ letter as “riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies. Our attorneys and law enforcement partners complied with all court orders and legal obligations, as they always do.”
Earlier in the week, Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington, defended the operation during an interview with Fox News.
“That judge would not have signed that warrant unless there was probable cause,” Pirro said.
Omar’s lawyers also questioned the use of grand jury subpoenas issued in Washington and Minnesota, alleging that prosecutors were misusing the investigative process.
In their letter, they argued:
“This vindictive, retributive, and politically motivated criminal investigation into one of the president’s chief congressional critics violates Representative Omar’s constitutional rights and threatens the separation of powers.”
The operation took place approximately three weeks before November’s US midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking a fifth term in Congress.
Her attorneys accused the Justice Department of disregarding its longstanding practice of avoiding overt investigative actions involving political candidates within 60 days of an election.
The department has denied breaching any such policy.
The letter stated:
“This search—which arose from a years-old, tired conspiracy theory concerning conduct stretching back decades—violated longstanding Justice Department policy concerning interference in elections.”
Omar has faced repeated criticism from President Donald Trump and conservative political figures, alongside investigations led by Republican lawmakers.
The dispute now centres on whether federal investigators complied with the search warrant and applicable legal procedures, with Omar’s attorneys alleging political interference and the Justice Department rejecting those claims.
No criminal wrongdoing by Omar has been established in the reported proceedings.