Somali-born Ilhan Omar turns federal raid into desperate cash grab after Trump admin opened probe into childhood records

Ilhan Omar has appealed to her supporters to donate money to her campaign as she fights the Trump administration over an investigation into her immigration papers.

Omar’s home was raided by Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of ICE, on Tuesday, amid an ongoing probe by the Justice Department.

The Somali-born congresswoman’s campaign today sent out an email that turned the raid into a fundraising pitch, urging supporters to help her prepare for whatever comes next, with donations starting at just $10.

‘We have an obligation to fight back against this ludicrous, partisan investigation, and show that we will not let Trump’s abuse of power go unchecked,’ the email read.

‘We have to be ready for anything that comes our way, and every dollar we can raise goes a long way. Thank you.’ 

Omar moved to the US from Somalia as a child refugee before becoming a naturalized American citizen.

Federal investigators are said to be examining paperwork dating back to her childhood that was completed by her late father.

Trump branded Omar ‘a disaster’ at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, just hours after federal agents raided the Minnesota Democrat’s home.

He insisted he had nothing to do with the FBI search, telling reporters he had always considered Omar ‘totally crooked personally’ and arguing that the investigation was a matter for the Justice Department.

Trump has repeatedly accused Omar of marrying her brother to obtain US citizenship, an allegation the congresswoman has denied and that has never been substantiated.

The president revived the claim at rallies last December and in May, continuing a years-long feud with Omar, who’s referred to him as a ‘murderer.’

Omar’s campaign has raised $5.83 million for the 2026 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records from January 1, 2025, through July 22. 

The Daily Mail reached out to Omar’s campaign for an estimate of funds donated since the FBI raid. 

The search on Omar’s home sparked a furious backlash from Democrats who accused the Trump administration of weaponizing federal law enforcement against one of its most outspoken critics less than a month before the midterm elections.

Omar responded by accusing the administration of escalating its campaign against her.

‘For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced,’ she wrote on X.

On Monday night, her supporters gathered at an event in Minneapolis dubbed, ‘Stand with Ilhan,’ thrown by the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

While she seeks financial support from her voters, her Democratic colleagues are rallying behind her.

AOC came to Omar’s defense, denouncing the FBI search and accusing the administration of repeatedly targeting her fellow Democrat.

She said the raid represented an unacceptable abuse of power and pledged her support for Omar in a post on X.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was targeted by a DOJ investigation into alleged obstruction of federal immigration enforcement, accused Trump of abusing his power to go after political opponents weeks before the election.

Representative Ro Khanna called the raid ‘simply chilling’, accusing the Trump administration of targeting political opponents and Muslim Americans.

House Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries and Peter Aguilar condemned the operation and demanded answers from the Justice and Homeland Security departments, questioning why federal agents searched the congresswoman’s home so close to an election.

Authorities have yet to publicly detail the full scope of the investigation.