Did Ilhan Omar marry her brother? Minnesota Democrat lawmaker could face deportation, DHS secretary says
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has claimed that Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota married her brother as part of an effort to bring him into the United States, and said she could face deportation if federal investigators establish that she committed immigration fraud.
Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar could face deportation, DHS says (Getty Images via AFP)Mullin made the allegation during an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Thursday. “We know that she married her brother to try to bring him to the United States,” Mullin said.
Mullin said the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation and suggested authorities could pursue deportation if they determine Omar obtained US immigration status through fraud.
Mullin said investigators were examining Omar’s family migration history and whether there was illegal activity connected to her arrival in the United States.
“There may be more to this, the whole family migration and possibly some illegal activity for them to come to the United States to begin with,” he said.
He also said that if investigators prove someone lied on an immigration application and establish that the person should not have been admitted to the US, there is no expiration date preventing authorities from taking action.
The Department of Homeland Security, however, has not independently confirmed the details of the allegation. A DHS spokesperson told JNS that the agency does not comment on specific ongoing investigations or potential future actions.
Omar has repeatedly denied that Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the man she legally married in 2009, was her brother.
The allegation has circulated for years and has never been conclusively established through publicly available evidence. Earlier reporting found discrepancies and unanswered questions surrounding Omar’s marriages, addresses and tax records, but those findings did not prove that Elmi was her biological brother.
Omar told MPR News in 2016 that suggestions Elmi was her brother were “absurd and offensive.”
Omar and Elmi legally married in February 2009, according to marriage records cited by the Minnesota Star Tribune. She later legally married Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2018 after her marriage to Elmi ended.
The long-running allegations have been examined by multiple news organizations and fact-checkers. Previous reviews found inconsistencies in the public record but did not establish that Elmi was Omar’s biological brother.
Mullin said deportation could be considered if the federal investigation establishes that Omar committed immigration fraud or should never have been admitted to the United States.
Omar became a naturalized US citizen in 2000, when she was 17. The legal consequences of any immigration fraud finding would depend on what investigators establish and what legal action the government ultimately takes.
Marriage fraud is a federal crime. Under US law, a person convicted of knowingly entering a marriage to evade immigration laws can face up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Asmi is a Senior Content Producer primarily covering stories related to NRIs, immigration, visas, citizenship and global mobility. She closely follows developments that affect Indians living, working and studying abroad, with a particular focus on translating complex policies and international developments into clear, accessible stories for readers. As part of the US Desk, Asmi also reports on a wide range of political, economic and social developments in the United States, exploring their relevance to Indian and global audiences. Her work spans breaking news, features, trends and explanatory stories, with an emphasis on accuracy, timely reporting and audience-focused storytelling. Asmi likes finding the human angle behind major developments and bringing context to stories that can often feel complicated or distant. She is especially interested in stories around immigration, life abroad, careers, education and the experiences of the Indian diaspora, while also exploring a wide range of topics that spark curiosity and conversation. Outside the newsroom, Asmi is an avid reader and loves travelling, discovering new places, experiencing different cultures and collecting stories along the way.Read More
