“The investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar is a large case involving multiple people that has been presented to the Department of Justice, which is leading the investigations.” — Markwayne Mullin. Our verdict: Unverified.
Markwayne Mullin, the Secretary of Homeland Security, made the claim in remarks reported by the New York Post on 31 October 2026.
Our verdict
Unverified
We could not confirm or refute this claim. Independent reporting backs the idea that the investigation involves multiple people, but the specific assertions that the case was presented to the Department of Justice and that the DOJ is leading it rest only on Markwayne Mullin's own statements, with no independent confirmation of a formal referral or lead-agency role.
Know something that settles it? Send us evidenceWhat we found
The claim has several parts. The part about the investigation involving multiple people is supported by independent reporting, including an NBC News report on 14 October 2026 and an MPR News report on 28 October 2026, which describe subpoenas to family members and other individuals. The statements themselves are also well documented: the New York Post, CBS Austin and ABC News 4 all reported on 31 October 2026 that Mullin said the case was large, involved multiple people, had been presented to the DOJ, and that the DOJ was leading the investigation. However, the two central parts of the claim — that the case was formally presented to the DOJ and that the DOJ is leading the investigation — could not be confirmed by any source independent of Mullin. Other reporting, including an MPR News piece and a letter from Representative Pramila Jayapal's office, confirms that the DOJ is involved: it secured a search warrant, handled court documents and took part in a search. But that is not the same as showing a formal referral from the Department of Homeland Security to the DOJ, or that the DOJ is the lead agency rather than a partner such as Homeland Security Investigations. Because those elements cannot be verified from public evidence, our verdict is unverifiable.
The evidence
3 of 6 sources support the claim; none contradict it.
- Background
The New York Post reported that Markwayne Mullin said the investigation into Representative Ilhan Omar is a large case involving multiple people, has been presented to the Department of Justice, and that the DOJ is leading the investigations. [1]
- Background
NBC News reported that federal authorities seized Representative Omar's phone and subpoenaed family members as part of an immigration status probe, supporting the claim that the investigation involves multiple people. [2]
- Supports the claim
MPR News reported that the DOJ is involved in the investigation and that federal authorities have subpoenaed multiple individuals, including Representative Omar's relatives. [3]
- Supports the claim
A letter from Representative Pramila Jayapal's office states that the Department of Justice secured a search warrant for Representative Omar's home as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. [4]
- Supports the claim
Stanford Law School reported that federal agents conducted a search of Representative Omar's home under a court-approved warrant. [5]
- Background
CBS Austin reported that Markwayne Mullin said DHS presented a 'large case' involving multiple people to the DOJ and that the DOJ is leading the investigation. [6]
What we could not confirm
- Whether the Department of Homeland Security formally presented or referred the case to the Department of Justice.
- Whether the Department of Justice is the lead agency in the investigation, rather than a partner such as Homeland Security Investigations.
- The contents of sealed court documents, internal DOJ and DHS communications, and any non-public referral memoranda.
How we checked
We reviewed publicly available news reports, official statements and a congressional letter about the investigation into Representative Ilhan Omar, looking for independent confirmation of a formal referral to the Department of Justice and of the DOJ's role as lead agency. We could not access sealed court documents or internal government communications. We reviewed 9 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]nypost.com · Ilhan Omar case is ‘large’ and targeting multiple people, reveals DHS Secretary · October 31, 2026
- [2]nbcnews.com · Feds seized Rep. Ilhan Omar’s phone, subpoenaed family members in immigration status probe · October 14, 2026
- [3]mprnews.org · DOJ declines to release search warrant in Ilhan Omar investigation · October 28, 2026
- [4]jayapal.house.gov · October 26, 2026 The Honorable Todd W. Blanche ... · October 26, 2026
- [5]law.stanford.edu · When Federal Agents Came to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Door | Stanford Law School · October 29, 2026
- [6]cbsaustin.com · DHS says it sent DOJ a 'large case' in probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar after home search · October 31, 2026
- [7]Photo: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Help us check this claim
We could not find enough public evidence to confirm or refute this claim. If you know of an official record, dataset, transcript or report that settles it, send us the link. We review every submission and update this fact check when the evidence changes the picture.
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