Obama blasts Omar probe after FBI search and subpoenas hit family
Why it matters: The clash intensifies scrutiny of a federal immigration case unfolding weeks before the midterm elections.
Former President Barack Obama defended Rep. Ilhan Omar after federal agents searched her Washington home and issued subpoenas to relatives as part of an immigration-related investigation. In a social media post on Oct. 18, Obama argued the Trump administration was using federal power to target a political opponent, while the White House rejected that claim and said the Justice Department was focused on law enforcement. Omar, a Minnesota Democrat born in Somalia, has denied wrongdoing. The inquiry centers on whether fraud or false statements were made in immigration paperwork decades ago, but previous reviews of her family’s history did not lead to charges.