A recent Washington Post report has revealed that Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the former husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar, withdrew his petition to remove conditions on his U.S. residency after immigration officials raised concerns about the legitimacy of their marriage. The disclosure, made in the context of ongoing federal investigations into Omar’s background, has added new evidence to longstanding allegations of marriage fraud involving the congresswoman.
The development intensifies scrutiny over whether Omar’s marriage to Elmi was legitimate, as federal authorities reportedly revisit issues previously examined during the Trump administration.
Omar, a Democratic member of Congress, has faced persistent allegations from conservative journalists and critics that her 2009 marriage to Elmi was a sham, possibly to facilitate immigration benefits. The Washington Post report, while primarily focused on challenging the basis for current probes, notes that Elmi filed a petition to have his marriage-based green card converted from conditional to permanent status. According to the Post, U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) requested additional documentation due to doubts about the marriage’s validity, prompting Elmi to withdraw his application.
Details of the Residency Petition
Under federal law, individuals who receive a marriage-based green card must file an I-751 petition to remove conditions on their residency within a specific timeframe, typically with their spouse. The I-751 form and its instructions require petitioners to provide evidence that the marriage was entered in good faith, including joint financial records, proof of shared residence, and affidavits. Both spouses must sign the petition under penalty of perjury unless exceptions such as divorce or death apply.
Elmi and Omar did not legally divorce until 2017, several years after Elmi reportedly left the United States. The timeline suggests that if Elmi applied to remove residency conditions, Omar would likely have been required to participate in the process. The Post’s account indicates that Elmi abandoned his petition after USCIS questioned the marriage, but does not specify what evidence triggered the agency’s concerns.
Federal Investigation and Document Requests
The Washington Post’s reporting aligns with records from a Minnesota ethics probe into Omar’s conduct as a state legislator, which found she had improperly spent $3,400 in campaign funds, including payments to immigration lawyers. During this period, Omar’s legal team submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to USCIS seeking documents related to her marriage and immigration filings, including the I-751 and I-130 forms.
In a 2018 deposition, one of Omar’s attorneys said the team was reviewing her immigration file to determine if any documents could harm her campaign. Omar herself stated in a deposition that she possessed more documentation than her lawyers had obtained from authorities, referencing her father’s storage of family records. Her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, has since died, and federal officials are reportedly examining whether any misrepresentations were made in the family’s refugee documentation.
"I have much more than what … [her lawyer] would have gotten from them [immigration authorities]."
— Ilhan Omar, U.S. Representative
Federal agents have reportedly seized Omar’s electronic devices and passport in a recent raid on her Washington, D.C. residence. Reports suggest that the current investigation could lead to attempts to denaturalize and deport Omar over immigration-related offenses, though the alleged sham marriage may fall outside relevant statutes of limitation.
Ongoing Allegations and Response
Allegations about the legitimacy of Omar’s marriage to Elmi have circulated for years, with critics citing social media posts, residence records, and the lack of documentary evidence as reasons for suspicion. Conservative journalists and outlets have led much of the reporting on the case. Omar has previously denied wrongdoing and, according to her legal team’s statements in the ethics probe, was advised that she had nothing to worry about regarding deportation.
The Washington Post’s recent disclosure has renewed calls from critics for further investigation, but the congresswoman and her supporters have not publicly addressed the latest claims. The Post’s report did not include comment from Omar or her legal representatives.
