I. What the Trump Administration Has Claimed
1. Comments From Trump and Allies
In late 2025, former President Donald Trump revived an old allegation at political rallies and in public statements — claiming that Omar “married her brother to get into the U.S.” and asserting this made her residence or citizenship illegitimate. These accusations have been part of Trump’s broader criticisms of immigration policy and Somali‑American communities, but they are not matched by publicly released legal filings or evidence.
2. Statements by Border Czar Tom Homan
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, told conservative media outlets that officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were reviewing immigration records related to Omar’s historical marriage documents to determine whether immigration fraud occurred. He said DHS was “pulling records” and looking into visa‑fraud concerns, particularly as part of a larger review of Somali‑American immigration cases.
3. Republican Lawmakers’ Comments
Some Republican members of Congress — including **Senator **Ted Cruz — have publicly suggested that if the allegations were true, marrying a sibling to obtain immigration benefits could expose Omar to federal marriage‑fraud charges, fines, imprisonment, and possible deportation. Cruz also raised state incest law concerns and alleged possible tax filing violations if joint returns were filed improperly.
II. What the Evidence Actually Shows
1. Omar’s Immigration History
Independent reporting and historical records show that Omar and her family were granted asylum in the United States in 1995 when she was a child. She later became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000, at age 17 — well before her controversial second marriage.
2. Timeline of Marriages
Here’s what reputable sources have established about Omar’s marital history — but not about whether a brother was involved:
In 2002, Omar had a religious marriage to Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi (later legally married in 2018).
In 2009, she legally married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British citizen. They divorced in 2017.
There is no verifiable public evidence that Elmi is her biological brother. Major fact‑checking outlets, including PolitiFact and Snopes, have described the claim that Elmi is Omar’s brother as unfounded, unverified, and widely circulated misinformation.
3. No Official Charges or Public Investigations
As of early 2026, no federal indictment, criminal charge, indictment, or Department of Justice announcement publicly accuses Omar of marriage fraud or immigration fraud. Although Trump supporters and conservative media have repeatedly stated that DHS or FBI is “investigating,” there is no official record of a formal federal investigation that has led to legal action. Independent monitoring markets and media analysis suggest that the probability of such proof emerging is considered extremely low.
III. What Independent Media and Fact‑Checkers Say
1. Repeated Debunking
Multiple credible outlets have reviewed the claim and found no evidence to support that Omar:
married a biological brother
used such a marriage to obtain immigration status
committed immigration fraud
Articles from Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and fact‑checking organizations have labeled these allegations as baseless, defamatory rumors or misinformation circulating since her first campaigns in 2018.
2. Origin of the Allegation
The rumor dates back to at least 2016 and originated from anonymous social media posts and ideologically driven blogs. Some reporting notes that Minnesota public records showed unusual social‑media captions and overlapping addresses, which fueled speculation, but did not establish a sibling relationship.
3. Credibility Assessments
Independent analysts and fact‑checkers emphasize that absence of evidence is not evidence of a conspiracy — the current public record lacks verifiable documentation tying Omar’s 2009 marriage to a sibling relationship or fraudulent intent.
IV. Legal and Political Context
1. Immigration and Marriage Fraud Laws
Under U.S. law, marriage fraud — knowingly entering into a marriage for immigration benefits — is a federal crime with serious penalties (up to imprisonment and fines). However, such a charge requires proof beyond political assertion. There is currently no public certificate of indictment against Omar for these offenses.
2. Incest and Tax Allegations
Republican critics have suggested potential violations of state incest and federal tax laws tied to marital paperwork, but no official legal proceedings have been filed in those areas either. This part of the argument remains political rhetoric rather than documented criminal investigation.
3. Political Motivations
Experts and many media analysts view the resurfacing of this allegation as part of a broader partisan strategy to discredit Omar and other progressive lawmakers in the context of national debates over immigration, border security, and Somali‑American community issues.
V. Omar’s Response
Omar has repeatedly denied the allegation, calling it “baseless rumors” and “offensive” and has challenged critics to present verifiable evidence. She has defended her immigration record and naturalization, pointing out that her asylum status and citizenship were conferred legitimately years before the contested marriage took place.
VI. How to Understand the Situation
In summary:
The allegation that Omar married a brother to enter the U.S. remains unproven and widely debunked by independent fact‑checkers.
Claims of a federal investigation stem mainly from statements by political allies of Donald Trump and have not led to publicly documented actions, charges, or official findings.
No credible evidence has been produced showing that Omar is in the United States illegally or that she committed immigration or marriage fraud.
The issue continues to be a politically charged narrative in U.S. politics rather than an established legal matter.
VII. Conclusion
While some Trump administration‑aligned figures have claimed that a federal investigation is underway into whether Ilhan Omar engaged in marriage fraud by marrying her brother to secure U.S. entry, all credible public evidence indicates the allegation remains unproven, politically motivated, and consistently debunked by independent journalists and fact‑checkers. No public legal action, indictments, or official disclosures support claims of wrongdoing.