House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, called for Rep. Ilhan Omar to be jailed and deported if a federal investigation confirms she or her father lied on immigration paperwork to secure her U.S. citizenship.
Emmer, the third-highest-ranking Republican in the House, told Fox News Digital that "rumors for years" have circulated about Omar's immigration history. "I would say first she should probably serve time in the gray bar motel and then get the hell out of here," Emmer said. "She should go back to where she came from" if the allegations are proven. If Omar lied to gain citizenship, "then absolutely, she should go back to the front of the line," he added.
Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, is under federal investigation over allegations that she or her father provided false information regarding her birth year on immigration documents. Her family fled Somalia in the late 1990s, and she obtained citizenship at that time.
Homeland Security Investigations agents raided Omar's Washington, D.C. home Monday morning, seizing her cellphone and other personal possessions. Omar responded on X: "I'm ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement."
Omar attributed the investigation to President Donald Trump. "For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation," she said. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, and other Democrats have criticized the probe as political persecution weeks before a critical election.
The investigation centers on Omar's age when her father became a U.S. citizen in 2000. Omar was believed to be 17 years old at the time. Under U.S. law, a minor automatically qualifies for citizenship when a parent naturalizes.
Recent allegations suggest Omar was actually 18 when her father naturalized. If so, she would have been required to go through the naturalization process herself rather than automatically receiving citizenship as a minor. Federal investigators have subpoenaed relatives as part of their inquiry.
