Dozens of House Democrats are keeping their distance from Rep. Ilhan Omar as the Minnesota “Squad” rep faces a federal investigation — even as party leaders rally behind her and demand that the Trump administration back off.
A letter led by Rep. Pramila Jaypal (D-Wash.) and signed by 175 House Democrats accused the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security of weaponizing law enforcement against Omar, whose Washington DC home was searched by federal agents earlier this month. Around 40 Democrats declined to sign the letter from the 214-member caucus.
“Congresswoman Omar is seeking reelection in Minnesota’s 5th congressional district in just one week. News of the search warrant, whether properly predicated or not, could affect voters’ decisions, which is exactly why federal law enforcement should not engage in such conduct when voters are casting their ballots. This type of interference strips Minnesotans of their right to a free and fair election guaranteed to them under the Constitution,” the letter states.
However, a number of House Democrats declined to sign the letter, a notable show of distance from Omar, who has frequently drawn controversy over her outspoken criticism of Israel and other positions on foreign policy.
Among the lawmakers who didn’t sign were Reps. Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen and Josh Gottheimer, who all represent a district in either New York or New Jersey, where political calculations could make embracing Omar a liability.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker of the House, also chose not to sign the letter even though current Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) did. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington Democrat who represents a competitive district, also was not on the letter.
Their absences suggest that while many Democrats are willing to defend Omar against what they characterize as a “politically motivated investigation,” others may be wary of tying themselves to the progressive just days before Election Day.
“This weaponization of law enforcement to harass a sitting Member of Congress 22 days before an election is unprecedented and unacceptable,” the letter read.
“DOJ has long followed a policy not to take investigative steps relating to a candidate this close to an election if delaying the action will not jeopardize a criminal investigation, a policy which Attorney General Blanche has previously invoked as far back as nine months before an election.”
Not signing the letter does not necessarily mean those lawmakers support the investigation, or believe Omar did anything wrong.
The probe centers on allegations that Omar or her late father misrepresented her birth year on immigration paperwork. Federal agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant at her DC home on Oct. 12, seizing multiple phones and notebooks.
Omar, who is one of the president’s most vocal critics, has dismissed the investigation as a political attack by Trump.
The letter’s signatories argued that the timing of the search — with Omar seeking reelection in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District — risked influencing voters shortly before they cast their ballots.
But the lack of unanimous support marks a potential shift for Omar, who has previously benefited from strong Democratic unity when Republicans sought to punish her.
In 2023, every House Democrat opposed removing Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee over her past comments about Israel. Republicans, however, ultimately succeeded in removing her from the panel.
More recently, the House narrowly rejected a Republican effort to censure Omar over remarks she made following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The resolution failed in a 214-213 vote in Sept. 2025.
The vote underscored the partisan divide over Omar, with Democrats pushing back against Republican efforts to discipline her.
The dozens of lawmakers who stayed off the letter highlights the political limit of Omar’s support — particularly for lawmakers who must appeal to voters beyond a progressive base.
The Post reached out to Suozzi, Gillen, Gottheimer, Pelosi and Perez’s office, but did not receive an immediate response.
