Attorneys for Rep. Ilhan Omar demand return of property seized in Washington home search

Attorneys for Rep. Ilhan Omar have requested the immediate return of property seized by federal agents during a search of her Washington, D.C. residence earlier this week, according to reports from WTOP and the Associated Press.

The legal team argues that the search, which stems from an immigration fraud investigation concerning Omar's citizenship status, was "neither justified nor lawful," as reported by news-gazette.com and other outlets. They describe the probe as politically motivated and lacking any legitimate basis, emphasizing that Omar has not violated laws regarding her citizenship.

The search occurred just weeks before midterm elections in which Omar is a candidate, drawing criticism from Democrats who note that the Justice Department has historically sought to avoid public investigative actions involving candidates within 60 days of an election. Federal authorities also seized Omar's phone and have issued grand jury subpoenas to some of her relatives, according to a person briefed on the probe cited by the Associated Press.

The Justice Department responded by stating that the letter from Omar's attorneys contains false allegations and inaccuracies, affirming that all actions complied with court orders and legal obligations.