4 minPolitics
Ilhan Omar Insists Her Name Is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar Amid Federal Probe
Rep. Ilhan Omar told Fox News Digital her real name is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, disputing a federal filing and sources who say she is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, as an immigration fraud investigation continues.
Rep. Ilhan Omar told Fox News Digital that her « real name » is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, pushing back on reports that federal authorities are using a different name for her in an ongoing immigration fraud investigation. The Minnesota Democrat made the remark when a reporter confronted her at the Karmel Mall of Somalia in Minnesota, as she walked into the Karmel Masjid inside the mall for Friday prayers.
The dispute centers on a Wednesday filing by federal prosecutors in D.C. federal court, which referred to the congresswoman as « Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar. » Fox News Digital first reported the filing. Two people familiar with the investigation, including a law enforcement source, said her real name is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi. That surname matches that of her ex-husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom reports have alleged is her brother. One source told Fox News Digital that the name used in the filing reflected evidence compiled so far in the probe, and another source disputed Omar's account, saying, « That's not her real name. »
Omar's spokesperson later denied the reports, calling claims that her name is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi « completely false, » and denied that she was once married to her brother, describing those allegations as a « disgusting conspiracy theory. » The spokesperson also criticized Fox News in the response. Omar's account of her name has not been independently verified by the outlet beyond her own statement and the conflicting accounts of the sources.
The naming question has become part of a broader federal inquiry. Homeland Security Investigations raided Omar's residence in Washington, D.C., earlier this month as part of a probe into whether she or her father committed immigration fraud when they became naturalized citizens. Federal authorities have since issued subpoenas to members of Omar's family and seized her cellphone, according to the reporting.
On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro filed a motion seeking to keep the federal search warrant for the congresswoman's home sealed. Several media outlets had requested that it be unsealed. The motion states that the federal government has not yet finished executing the search warrant and that it should not be unsealed at this time. The filing begins by referring to « Congresswoman Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, » in describing the materials before the court.
A former Minnesota federal immigration judge said that if it were proven in court that the congresswoman was not using her real name, every form she had ever filled out could be subject to investigation. That observation underscores why the question of her legal name carries weight beyond personal identity. The reporting has not established that Omar has been charged with any wrongdoing, and the investigation's findings remain unannounced in the sources available. Omar has maintained her position publicly, reiterating in her comments to Fox News Digital that her name is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.
5
