Obama Slams Trump Over Ilhan Omar Citizenship Probe, Warns of Political Intimidation
GOOBJOOG NEWS | WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Barack Obama has accused the Trump administration of using federal law enforcement to intimidate Somali-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, warning that efforts to challenge her citizenship could set a dangerous precedent for American democracy.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Obama condemned the federal investigation into Omar’s immigration history, arguing that the Minnesota Democrat was being targeted because of her outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump.
The intervention follows an October 12 search of Omar’s Washington, D.C., home by federal agents investigating allegations involving immigration documents dating back more than two decades.
Obama described the investigation as an abuse of government authority and questioned the basis for efforts that could potentially lead to Omar losing her American citizenship.
“It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say,” Obama wrote.
He accused the administration of violating that principle in its treatment of Omar, one of Trump’s most prominent political critics.
The former president defended Omar’s citizenship history, explaining that she arrived in the United States with her father at the age of 12 and acquired citizenship when her father became a naturalized American five years later.
According to Obama, Omar was 17 at the time, making her eligible to acquire citizenship through her father under the applicable legal requirements.
The investigation reportedly centres on whether Omar was already 18 when her father became a citizen, a distinction that could affect the legal basis of her citizenship.
Obama dismissed the allegation as unsubstantiated and accused federal authorities of searching for evidence to support a politically motivated case.
Federal investigators searched Omar’s residence and seized personal records and electronic devices, including her phone, as part of the investigation.
The Justice Department has confirmed that the search was conducted under a court-authorized warrant, while Trump has denied personally directing the investigation.
The controversy has intensified following comments by White House border adviser Tom Homan, who acknowledged that denaturalization and deportation could be possible if investigators established fraud in the citizenship process.
However, no court has determined that Omar obtained her citizenship unlawfully.
Obama warned that the investigation reflected a broader pattern of federal action against individuals regarded as political opponents by the Trump administration.
He cited previous legal disputes involving New York’s attorney general, a former FBI director and Federal Reserve officials, arguing that the use of government investigative powers against political critics threatened democratic institutions.
Omar, who became the first Somali-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 2018, has repeatedly rejected allegations concerning her immigration history and accused the administration of attempting to silence her.
Her case has attracted particular attention among Somali-American communities, especially in Minnesota, home to one of the largest Somali diaspora populations in the United States.
The investigation also comes weeks before the November 3 congressional elections, raising questions among Democrats about the timing of federal investigative actions involving a candidate seeking re-election.
Obama warned that allowing political intimidation to become an accepted practice could expose future political opponents to similar treatment, regardless of which party controls the White House.
His intervention adds a prominent voice to growing criticism of the investigation, placing renewed attention on the independence of federal law enforcement and the constitutional protections afforded to American citizens.