The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday denied that immigration agents pulled over and questioned the son of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, after the congresswoman said the 20-year-old was asked to prove his citizenship during a traffic stop.
“ICE has absolutely ZERO record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son. With no evidence, it is shameful that Congresswoman Omar would level accusations to demonize ICE as part of a PR stunt,” DHS said in a post on X.
Speaking to a local television station Sunday, Omar said her son was stopped “after he made a trip to Target … and once he was able to produce his passport ID, they did let him go.”
Omar’s office did not respond to a request for comment in response to DHS’s claims.
The Minnesota Democrat is Congress’ first and only Somali representative, and has been a frequent target of President Donald Trump in recent weeks as he launches a larger targeted campaign against Somalis living in Minnesota.
Earlier this month, Trump referred to Somalia as “garbage” and announced the end of Temporary Protected Status for Somali immigrants living in Minnesota. In announcing the decision, administration officials cited a massive federal fraud case involving some Somalis in Minnesota accused of stealing from a COVID-era government assistance program.
Last month Trump told Omar in a post on Truth Social to “go back” to Somalia, and in subsequent weeks repeated the unsubstantiated claim that the congresswoman married her brother.
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