Rep. Ilhan Omar denies Vice President Vance’s claim that the Justice Department is investigating her
Ilhan OmarU.S. representative for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, answering Fox News Digital reporters’ questions
Rep. Ilhan Omar answers questions about a Justice Department immigration-fraud claim, in Fox News Digital video, May 21, 2026.
Excerpt from 0:00 to 0:37 of the Fox News video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: Fox News. Excerpt used for news reporting and commentary
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: 00:00-00:35 (reporters' questions and Omar's answers on the Justice Department claim).)
Asked by reporters about Vice President JD Vance’s claim that the Justice Department is investigating her, Rep. Ilhan Omar said “that is not something that is happening.” Asked whether she thinks they will find anything, she said “absolutely not,” that “I don’t think they are using any resources,” and that “they’re just saying stupid shit.” Asked whether she had been told she is the subject of an investigation, she said “no, because there’s nothing to investigate.” Fox prints her first answer as “That man is delusional.”
“That is not something that is happening. That man is delusional.” … “Absolutely not. I don’t think they are using any resources. They’re just saying stupid shit.” … “No, because there’s nothing to investigate.”
Original video
Reporting
Reporting
Other statements by Ilhan Omar in this case
- Rep. Ilhan Omar says DHS has not formally reached out to her about an investigation and that she does not “really worry about it”Later: Condemned
- Omar's spokesperson calls the citizenship push "an authoritarian move to silence an opponent"Later: Condemned
- Omar says her name "has always been Ilhan Omar"Later: Condemned
Where this statement fits
Should Trump administration officials publicly accuse Rep. Ilhan Omar of immigration fraud?
Since at least 2016 there have been unproven claims that Rep. Ilhan Omar’s 2009 husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, is her brother. Senior Trump administration officials have repeated the claim publicly. This record begins with Vice President JD Vance’s March 27, 2026 statement that “we actually think that Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud,” and includes President Donald Trump’s May 1 statement, “I believe she married her brother.” On September 10, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a podcast interview, “we know that she married her brother to try to bring him in the United States,” and that an investigation was ongoing. On September 13, border czar Tom Homan declined to give specifics of an “ongoing criminal investigation” but said “no one’s above the law.” Omar has denied the claim: on September 16 she told a reporter “Absolutely not” and that she is not under investigation, and on September 18 Fox News Digital reported her saying DHS had not contacted her. Fox reported that there has been no public evidence available to confirm an open investigation into her.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Fox News Digital's video of Rep. Ilhan Omar answering reporters' questions about Vice President JD Vance's claim that the Justice Department is investigating her, published May 21, 2026; Fox does not say when it was recorded. Her first answer, which Fox prints as "That man is delusional," is hard to make out on the recording. Fox prints her profanity as "s---."
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Watch the clip from this source at the top of the page.
Reporting
About this source
Fox News Digital’s report of Omar’s response. It says Vance’s claim concerned both her immigration history and her financial disclosures, and quotes her denial and her remark that “they’re just saying stupid s---.”
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
CBS News Minnesota reports Vice President Vance’s May 19, 2026 remarks at a White House press conference that the Justice Department is “looking at” allegations involving Omar “right now,” and that he did not want to “prejudge an investigation.”
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
CBS News Minnesota reported that on May 19 Vance said at a White House press conference, “that’s something that the Department of Justice is looking at right now.” The first reporter’s question asks Omar for a response to Vance saying the Justice Department is investigating her for potentially violating immigration law.
After the quotation
Fox reported that Vance’s claim concerned both her immigration history and her financial disclosures. The rest of the video, about House Republicans’ interest in her and her husband’s net worth, is outside this case.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Omar rejects the claim that the Justice Department is investigating her, says “they’re just saying stupid shit,” and says there is “nothing to investigate.” That denounces the claim that an investigation exists; in this exchange she does not address the marriage allegation itself. The closest competing label is “Challenged the characterization”, because she disputes the claim that an investigation exists; it loses because she also derides the claim and says nothing will be found.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- JD Vance
More from this case
Read the full caseNew York Times editorial board says the Omar investigation aims to silence a critic
The New York Times
“is a chilling example of the federal government using its immense power to silence a critic”Read statement
Trump says Omar "has openly admitted to FRAUD" and must resign
“Therefore, because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must IMMEDIATELY resign from Congress. Please inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives, James Michael Johnson, that the Dumocrat Party has just conceded her seat. Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, her real name, has openly admitted to FRAUD, and she will not be legally allowed to be a Member of this August Body from this point forth.”Read statement
Trump says Omar "could also go to jail" and calls her "a disgrace to our country"
“Well, she could be. She could also go to jail,” … “You know, they keep talking about deportation. No, she could go to jail.” … “This is just my opinion,” … “She’s a disgrace to our country,”Read statement
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- Rep. Ilhan Omar denies Vice President Vance’s claim that the Justice Department is investigating her
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The Dispute Index. "Rep. Ilhan Omar denies Vice President Vance’s claim that the Justice Department is investigating her". First published: 2026-09-20. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1254-asked-by-reporters-about-vice-president-jd-vance