DOJ confirms search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in federal investigation

Federal authorities on Monday morning raided the Washington, D.C.-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, as part of a criminal fraud investigation into her immigration paperwork filled out by her father, Fox News reported, citing a person familiar with the situation.

Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, conducted the raid, Fox News reported. The Department of Justice later confirmed the raid after being asked about it by CNBC. The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment.

A person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the non-public investigation, told CNBC that the investigation into Omar is complex and has been going on for years.

Omar, 44, was born in Somalia and brought to the United States as a child. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000 at the age of 17. She was elected to Congress in November 2018 to represent Minnesota's 5th District, which includes all of Minneapolis.

She and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., became the first two Muslim women elected to Congress.

Omar has been a target of criticism by President Donald Trump, and heckled Trump during his State of the Union address to Congress on Feb. 24, which came on the heels of aggressive immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis by federal authorities.

The Department of Justice, in a statement to CNBC when asked about the raid, said, "Today in the Washington, D.C., area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice."

"This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal investigation," the statement said.

The raid comes less than a month before November's midterm elections. Omar is seeking another term as a representative for Minnesota's 5th District.

CNBC has requested comment from Omar's office.

The DOJ, for years, has had a policy regarding the announcement and initiation of federal investigations and prosecutions close to elections. The policy discourages beginning an investigation, taking investigative steps, bringing criminal charges, or making public statements for the purpose of affecting an election or to give a candidate an advantage or disadvantage.

A person familiar with the raid on Omar's home told CNBC on Monday that the DOJ does not consider that action to violate the policy because the raid was not meant to be public.

Republican John Nagel is running against Omar in a race the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates "solid Democrat." The general election is just over three weeks away on Nov. 3.