The key facts
- Ilhan Omar said she will not be intimidated and will continue campaigning ahead of the November 3 elections
- Trump suggested Omar could face not only deportation but also prison
- Federal agents previously seized her laptops, phones, records and passport as part of a review of her citizenship application data
Congresswoman's statement
US House member from Minnesota and the Democratic Party Ilhan Omar vowed to resist attempts by President Donald Trump's administration to 'intimidate' her and other figures ahead of the midterm elections. In a video address on Tuesday, after thanking supporters, she said: 'We will not be intimidated. We will not be silent. We will not be frightened.' According to her, administration officials are 'afraid' as the vote approaches.
Campaign plans
Omar said that public solidarity provides an important impetus for 'fighting Trump and his administration,' and pledged to actively participate in the campaign together with voters ahead of the November 3 elections, seeking a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate and accountability from the executive branch.
Trump's remarks and the investigation
Her statement followed Trump's comments on Tuesday, in which he suggested Omar could face imprisonment, not just deportation, in connection with a federal immigration-related investigation. Earlier this month, federal agents searched her home as part of a probe into alleged false information in government documents and a possible conspiracy, seizing laptops, mobile phones, records and her passport. Investigators are examining whether Omar or her late father provided inaccurate age information when she obtained citizenship in 2000.
Omar's position
Omar, who in 2019 became the country's first congresswoman of Somali origin, firmly rejected the allegations. She explained that she arrived in the United States in 1995 at the age of 12 and received citizenship at 17.
