- Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios, “We expect more of this kind of thing.”
Driving the news: Homeland Security Investigations “executed a judicially authorized search warrant” at Omar’s home as part of an ongoing immigration investigation, the Justice Department said in a statement.
- The DOJ did not detail the scope or purpose of the search warrant.
- Fox News reported that the investigation involved Omar’s immigration documents. She came to the United States in 1995 at the age of 12, a refugee from Somalia.
- Omar’s office and Democratic House leadership quickly denounced the action as an “abuse of power,” with an Omar spokesperson saying she “did nothing wrong.”
What we hear: “People are outraged. … (This is) what authoritarian tyrants want and dictators do it,” said the senior House Democrat, who spoke on condition of anonymity to relay his colleagues’ private conversations.
- Another House Democrat told Axios that “talk about the texts” was that “people are angry.”
Zoom out: Democrats say the raid is part of a broader pattern of Trump using federal resources to strengthen Republicans and target his political opponents.
- DHS was embroiled in controversy last week after a statement targeting Pennsylvania Democrat Janelle Stelson, which critics say violates federal laws restricting partisan activities of federal officials.
- Trump has also been criticized for using taxpayer money to run campaign-style television ads touting him and his administration in the run-up to the midterm elections.
What they say: “President Trump will continue to try to bully and intimidate Americans ahead of the midterm elections,” Balint said, adding, “We suspect he will do anything to stay in power and maintain control.”
- Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said that “of course there will be” more raids similar to the Omar raid, saying Trump is “the most petty and worst of human beings” and “can’t help it.”
- Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios, “This is some serious hateful bullshit. This administration is simply despicable. »
- Asked if he expected more, Huffman said, “Of course.”
The other side: A Republican in Congress praised the raid on Omar, who has long been the target of right-wing attacks over his immigration status.
- “If fraud is proven, she should be denaturalized and deported,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wrote in an article on
- The White House, DOJ and DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
What to watch: Home Democratic leaders are already announcing their intention to include this point in their control program if they regain the majority.
- “We will take full responsibility for rogue abuses of power by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his deputies said in a statement.
- House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in a statement, “We will demand transparency and accountability for who authorized this abusive search and who carried it out.”
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