Emmer says Omar should be jailed and deported if she lied to gain citizenship
Tom EmmerHouse majority whip and U.S. representative from Minnesota, interviewed by Fox News Digital
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told Fox News Digital that Rep. Ilhan Omar should serve prison time and leave the country if it is proven that she lied to gain citizenship. He argued that the federal investigation is not political.
“I would say, first, she should probably serve time in the gray bar motel and then get the hell out of here. She should go back to where she came from” … “If it's determined that she lied to gain citizenship, then, absolutely, she should go back to the front of the line.”
Interview
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
Interview
About this source
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer's interview with Fox News Digital about the federal investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Emmer told Fox News Digital that "there have been rumors for years" about Omar.
After the quotation
Emmer said the judge who approved the search warrant "had to determine that there was probable cause that a federal crime has been committed" and said that maybe "someone is finally going to hold Ilhan Omar accountable." Omar has called the investigation an attempt to target political enemies.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Emmer calls for prison and deportation if the allegations are proven, and he argues that the search warrant shows a judge found probable cause and that the investigation is not political. That defends the investigation and the accusation it pursues. The closest competing label is mixed or conditional, because he ties the punishment to proof; it loses because his defense of the investigation itself is unconditional.
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- Ilhan Omar
More from this case
Read the full caseOmar says her name "has always been Ilhan Omar"
“Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar.”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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The Dispute Index. "Emmer says Omar should be jailed and deported if she lied to gain citizenship". First published: 2026-10-21. Last updated: 2026-10-21. https://disputeindex.com/events/6411-house-majority-whip-tom-emmer-told-fox-news