President Donald Trump has reignited allegations of identity fraud and called on Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to resign from Congress after the Minnesota politician was identified by another name in a court filing.
A Justice Department filing Wednesday refers to Omar as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, aka Ilhan Abdullahi Omar,” where “alias” is an abbreviation for “alias.”
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Documents submitted by the government do not prove that Omar committed fraud.
In response to claims that Ilhan Omar is not her real name, the congresswoman posted on X: “So let me be clear: My name will always be Ilhan Omar.”
The controversy began in the wake of a federal investigation into Omar’s immigration history and the Oct. 12 raid of her Washington, D.C., home.
Omar said she planned to leave her home, citing safety concerns.
This is how it all unfolds.
October 12: Federal agents search Omar’s home
Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., residence based on a “judicially authorized search warrant” as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The case is reportedly related to allegations that Omar or her late father provided false information on immigration documents when the family fled Somalia in 1995 as a child and came to the United States. Omar has denied any wrongdoing and described the raid as political blackmail.
October 15: Request for unsealing of court records
Judicial Watch and the New York Times, along with 14 other news organizations, filed a petition in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking access to sealed records related to the search warrants. Judicial Watch said it was seeking the release of the warrant, supporting affidavits and an inventory of seized materials.
October 21: Omar identified by alias in Justice Department filing
In a motion asking for additional time to respond to records requests, the Justice Department referred to the lawmaker as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, also known as Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.”
The application does not explain the relationship between the names. Instead, prosecutors asked the court to delay action until the search warrant was fully executed. The government said it would submit a status report within 30 days of the completion of the search.
October 22nd: Alleged name made public, President Trump demands resignation
Citing court filings, Fox News Digital reported that anonymous sources said Omar’s birth name was Ilhan Nur Said Elmi. The article sparked new speculation about her name and long-standing rumors about her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. Some claim he is Omar’s brother, a claim she has repeatedly denied.
As the name controversy unfolded, President Trump publicly escalated his attacks on Omar and called for her resignation. He submitted another name listed in the court filing as evidence of fraud, even though there was no such fact in the filing and she had not been charged with a criminal offense.
October 23: Rep. Omar responds.
“The congresswoman’s name has always been Ilhan Omar. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false,” Omar’s spokesperson told Al Jazeera in a statement.
Omar also denied the allegations in a post on X, accusing President Trump of promoting conspiracy theories through the Justice Department.
“Every time there’s bad news, this eerie feeling extends to one name: my name. So let’s be clear: My name will always be Ilhan Omar,” she added, before directing President Trump to focus on “what your vice president’s real name is.”
Muslim American candidate faces attack over name
In an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes, Omar claimed the attack was aimed at forcing her out of Congress, saying her critics believe that someone with her background and beliefs “shouldn’t be in Congress” or in a position to influence U.S. law.
“I have a legal right to serve in Congress, and I am honored to do so,” she said.
The harsh criticism of Omar’s name comes amid a growing wave of attacks against Muslim American politicians, including Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Thursday, the Michigan voter questioned why El-Sayed did not use his “real name” when he seemed to refer to it by his full name.
“Abdul is barely visible. He doesn’t even say his real name. Like, why can’t he say his real name?” the voter said. When asked if she knew the full name of El-Sayed’s Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, she replied, “Mohamed is not his middle name.”
El-Sayed, whose full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, has faced attacks on his Arab heritage and Islamic faith during his Senate campaign. President Trump mocked his name and called him a “jihadist.” President Trump said at the rally that he could call El-Sayed “Muhammad,” adding that he could call him “whatever he wants.”
