Former President Barack Obama publicly criticized a federal raid on the home of Rep. Ilhan Omar this past Sunday. The Department of Homeland Security conducted the search on October 12 as part of an immigration fraud probe, according to the Washington Examiner. Obama stated that the government cannot target people just for their political views or speech.
It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say. But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
To understand why this is so appalling, it’s important to know the facts. Congresswoman Omar came to this country with her father when she was 12 years old. Five years later, her father became a naturalized citizen. If Ilhan had been 18 at the time, she would have had to apply for citizenship separately. But because she was 17, she became a naturalized citizen automatically.
Congresswoman Omar went on to graduate from college, work as a community organizer, become the first Somali-American legislator elected to public office in the U.S., and win a seat in Congress. There, she has been one of the Trump Administration’s fiercest critics, which has led the president to repeatedly single her out as someone who he believes does not belong in this country.
Now the Administration is actively trying to deport Congresswoman Omar, seemingly based solely on the unsubstantiated theory that she was actually 18 when her father was naturalized, and therefore is not a citizen. Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone — all to try and uncover a nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago that will somehow make their case.
Think about that. The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president. And it’s not the first time this has happened. Under President Trump, the Justice Department has repeatedly gone after those he considers his political enemies — from the Attorney General of New York, to the former head of the FBI, to members of the Federal Reserve.
In those cases, the prosecutions either stalled or were dismissed for having no basis in law, and the same is likely to happen in this case. But not before Congresswoman Omar’s life has been turned upside down, her legal bills have piled up, and she’s been forced to spend time fighting unsubstantiated charges instead of serving the people of Minnesota.
The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views. Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 18, 2026
Homeland Security Investigations agents raided Omar's residence after the Justice Department authorized a warrant. The investigation centers on her immigration paperwork and a claim she arrived at age 12, not 18, when her father naturalized, per the Washington Examiner. Obama called the raid an effort to find a "nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago."
Obama took to the social media platform X to voice his strong opposition to the federal actions. He wrote that "the full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president," according to NBC News. He argued this was a transparent attempt to intimidate a critic of the current administration.
Say, didn't this guy bug Trump Tower?
— Bill Glahn (@billglahn) October 18, 2026
The former president detailed Omar's history, noting she came to the U.S. with her father at age 12. He stated that "five years later, her father became a naturalized citizen" and she became one automatically because she was a minor, per Breitbart. Obama emphasized that federal agents seized her phone and records to build a case on old data.
Conservatives quickly responded to Obama's post, which was viewed over 5 million times. Many pointed to political targeting that occurred during his own time in office, including IRS scrutiny of Tea Party groups, as reported by Fox News. Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino mocked the former president's comments on social media.
BARACK OBAMA IS SUDDENLY VERY WORRIED ABOUT WEAPONIZED GOVERNMENT.
A federal judge found probable cause for the warrant in the Omar probe, and Obama calls it political targeting.
This is the same guy whose IRS went after Tea Party groups. Spare me the lecture, Barack.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) October 18, 2026
Bongino wrote that Obama lecturing on democracy was like "being lectured by a screaming five-year-old about self-control," according to Fox News. He told the former president to "sit down" and noted that everyone knows who he really is. Critics argued that Obama ignored the Justice Department's history under his watch.
A source familiar with the investigation told NBC News that possible charges include conspiracy and making false statements. The Justice Department has not yet revealed any public evidence against the congresswoman regarding her citizenship status. The raid was termed by Omar herself as an effort to aim at political foes and turn federal law enforcement into a weapon.
No one investigated more perceived “enemies” of the administration than Obama did. Of course, if you support Abdul El Sayed, you’d support Ilhan Omar. Obama was the original booster of the Muslim Brotherhood (and the regime in Iran) in US politics. We continue to deal with those repercussions. https://t.co/DMw5olBs4u
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) October 18, 2026
Obama claimed the administration is "actively trying to deport Congresswoman Omar" based on an unsubstantiated theory about her age, per Breitbart. Under President Trump, he cautioned that the Justice Department has frequently pursued individuals it deems political adversaries. The investigation remains active, and no further charges have been formally announced yet.