Trump plan to deport member of Congress would require court approval to strip Ilhan Omar’s citizenship

Raid targets Omar’s citizenship

Homeland Security officers searched the Washington, DC, home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, on Monday. The investigation reportedly concerns immigration paperwork completed by her father when she was a minor.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday evening that investigators aim to revoke Omar’s citizenship, which would also threaten her ability to hold office, and deport her. Omar came to the United States as a refugee at age 12 and became a citizen at 17.

The inquiry is said to examine whether Omar or her family recorded her age inaccurately to make it easier for her to gain citizenship. The government cannot revoke citizenship on its own; it would need to ask a court.

A rare step with wider reach

The United States has rarely stripped naturalized citizens of their citizenship. But denaturalization has become a significant, less visible priority for Trump’s second administration. NBC News reported that, earlier this year, the Justice Department was targeting hundreds of people for possible denaturalization and had reportedly hoped to bring hundreds of new cases each month. That does not mean the government will succeed in revoking their citizenship.

Political stakes and legal norms

Trump has repeatedly clashed with Omar, a Somali American and outspoken critic of his administration. The raid also came within 60 days of an election, a period when the Justice Department usually avoids visible action in politically sensitive cases.

The reported aim of the investigation raises concerns about using the Justice Department to target political opponents. Even if the case goes no further than the raid, pursuing Omar’s citizenship with deportation as an end goal could deepen concerns about the security of citizenship rights.