Tom Homan, the border czar for the Trump administration, stated Sunday that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) could face denaturalization and deportation if allegations of immigration fraud against her are proven. Homan’s comments followed a federal law enforcement raid on the congresswoman’s Washington, D.C., home on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.
The federal investigation focuses on allegations that Omar committed fraud during her immigration process. Omar, who was born in Somalia and later became a U.S. citizen, has been the subject of similar claims by political opponents for several years. Homan described the case against her as "strong" during an appearance on Fox News, though he did not provide specific evidence to support the claim.
In his remarks, Homan noted that while denaturalization is a "long, tedious process," it is a legal option if an individual is found to have lied during the naturalization proceedings. When asked if the investigation extended beyond immigration matters, Homan declined to comment, stating that such inquiries should be directed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Rep. Omar responded to the raid and the investigation in a statement posted to X. She characterized the federal actions as an "attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement." Omar stated that she has been the target of "baseless lies and smear campaigns" by President Trump for a decade and described the recent events as political intimidation.
If the government successfully pursues denaturalization, Omar would lose her legal status as a U.S. citizen. This would likely result in her removal from Congress, as the U.S. Constitution requires members of the House of Representatives to be citizens for at least seven years. The scale of this specific action involves one sitting member of Congress, but Homan noted that the government has used this process for others in the past. The day-to-day impact for Omar would include legal proceedings and the potential loss of her passport and federal benefits, though Homan cautioned that the legal process is lengthy.
The use of federal raids against a sitting member of the opposition party sets a precedent regarding the intersection of law enforcement and political activity. The effects could include increased scrutiny of immigration records for other naturalized public officials. What happens next depends on the evidence gathered by the FBI during the Oct. 12 raid. While Homan suggested the possibility of deportation, no formal charges or denaturalization filings have been reported yet.