Tom Homan Says He Sought Immigration Files in Renewed Controversy Over Allegations Surrounding Rep. Ilhan Omar

A long-running political controversy resurfaced this week after former Trump administration immigration official Tom Homan told Newsmax that he had requested access to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s immigration records in connection with unproven allegations that have circulated for years in conservative media and political circles.

Homan, who served as acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and later as a senior adviser on border policy, said during an interview Monday that he was following up on claims first raised publicly in 2016 and repeatedly amplified by political commentators. The Minnesota Democrat has consistently denied the allegations, and no federal agency has ever announced findings to substantiate them.

Still, the comments by Homan — made during a conversation with Newsmax host Rob Schmitt — generated fresh headlines and reignited a partisan debate that periodically returns to the national stage.

A Controversy That Has Lingered for Years

The underlying allegation, which originated on fringe blogs before being picked up by several tabloid outlets, claims that Omar married a relative for immigration purposes more than a decade ago. In the years since, no conclusive public evidence has emerged to validate the accusations. Numerous mainstream publications have examined the claim and noted the difficulty of verifying records due to the destruction of documents during Somalia’s civil war and the complexity of refugees’ family structures.

Omar has repeatedly called the story “ridiculous and false,” often criticizing the way it resurfaces whenever she is engaged in a high-profile policy dispute. Her office has described the allegation as part of a pattern of racist and Islamophobic attacks directed at her since her election in 2018.

The renewed discussion came after former President Donald Trump raised the issue during remarks in the Oval Office last week — the latest instance in which the former president has repeated unverified allegations targeting political rivals.

Homan: “We’re running that down this week”

During the Newsmax interview, Schmitt asked Homan whether there was an active investigation into the allegation. Homan responded by recounting a recent conversation with what he described as a veteran Homeland Security fraud investigator.

“Pulling the records, now pulling the files and we’re looking at it,” Homan said.
“This fraud investigator… said there’s no doubt he reviewed the file. So I’m running that down this week.”

Homan did not specify which agencies or officials had authorized the file review or whether such a review was formally part of a government inquiry. It was also unclear whether he currently has any official authority to access classified or personal immigration records.

Members of Congress generally enjoy strict privacy protections regarding government files unless a formal legal or oversight process is invoked. The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment publicly on Homan’s statements.

Not the First Time the Topic Has Been Raised

Homan’s willingness to comment directly represents a shift from earlier appearances. In 2023 and 2024 interviews, he declined to confirm whether any investigation existed, often referencing privacy laws governing immigration documents.

A clip resurfacing this week from activist Laura Loomer’s program shows Homan smiling when asked about the rumor but refusing to provide details. His posture appears to have shifted since then — prompting speculation among commentators about whether a new line of inquiry is underway or whether his remarks simply reflect personal interest rather than an official process.

Observers noted that federal statutes of limitations apply to certain immigration offenses, complicating any hypothetical enforcement action on events alleged to have occurred nearly two decades ago.

Omar Not Questioned on the Claim During CBS Interview

The political salience of the controversy increased after Omar appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday to discuss foreign policy issues but was not asked about the allegation or Trump’s comments. Some conservative commentators criticized the omission, while others argued that mainstream outlets have avoided discussing the claim because it remains unverified and sensitive.

Progressive organizations have framed the controversy as part of a larger pattern of scrutiny Omar faces as the first Somali-American member of Congress and one of only two Muslim women ever elected to the House. They argue that the allegations reflect targeted harassment rather than legitimate oversight.

Media Reports and Unresolved Questions

One of the most widely cited articles on the topic came from the British tabloid Daily Mail in 2020, which presented on-record statements from a man claiming personal knowledge of Omar’s family history. The reporting has been met with skepticism from mainstream fact-checking organizations, which caution that the claims have not been independently corroborated.

Major U.S. outlets — including The New York Times, Associated Press, and Star Tribune — have examined available public records and interviewed community members. Their reporting acknowledges inconsistencies in name spellings, multiple marriages, and the difficulty of tracing family ties among refugees displaced by the Somali civil war, but none have reached firm conclusions supporting the allegation.

Omar’s office has typically declined to respond in detail to such articles, stating that they perpetuate misinformation and invade family privacy.

Political Stakes and the Question of Oversight

The resurfacing of the allegation raises complicated questions about how — and whether — Congress should investigate claims targeting sitting members. Historically, ethics inquiries involving personal immigration histories are rare, and experts note that any formal investigation would require bipartisan agreement and legal justification.

Opponents of renewed scrutiny call the allegation a “conspiracy theory,” arguing that elevating it for political gain risks legitimizing unverified claims. Supporters argue that lawmakers should be held to the same standards of transparency as other public officials.

Legal analysts point out that accessing or disclosing immigration files without proper authorization would itself be unlawful, and that any official inquiry would require strict procedural safeguards.

A Flashpoint in an Election Year

With escalating polarization and a presidential election approaching, controversies involving congressional figures are likely to become increasingly amplified. Omar remains a prominent voice on foreign policy, civil rights, and humanitarian issues — making her a frequent target for political opponents and a symbol for progressive supporters.

The resurfacing of the allegations, combined with Homan’s new comments, ensures the issue will remain part of the political conversation. Whether any official findings will emerge remains uncertain.

For now, the claim continues to exist in a space between political speculation, unresolved public records, and the complex human narratives of refugee migration.

A Cycle Likely to Repeat

As one political historian noted:

“Unverified allegations against public figures are a recurring feature of modern politics.
What changes is how quickly they spread and how often they return.”

The latest chapter in the controversy surrounding Rep. Ilhan Omar appears unlikely to be the last — but for now, the central question remains unanswered:

Is there an official investigation, or only political noise?

Only federal authorities can answer — and so far, none have.