Multiple outlets report that the Trump administration is investigating Representative Ilhan Omar’s U.S. citizenship and may pursue denaturalization. The Wall Street Journal says federal authorities are examining how Omar received citizenship after arriving from Somalia as a child, including questions related to information provided in her citizenship application by her late father. One report adds that Omar’s Washington, D.C., home was searched earlier this month, and agents seized items including her cellphone, notebooks, computers, and passport. Subpoenas have also been issued to relatives and others.
Alongside these reports, TIME explains the legal framework for stripping citizenship. Denaturalization generally requires the U.S. Department of Justice to bring a federal court case and prove that a person materially lied or committed fraud to obtain citizenship. Experts cited by TIME note that the process is rare and legally difficult, often leading to prolonged court proceedings. Across outlets, the central dispute is whether any alleged misstatement on Omar’s application—such as her age entry timing relative to her father’s paperwork—would meet the threshold for citizenship revocation.
