DHS slams Ilhan Omar over her ‘disgusting and false’ claim ICE racially profiled her son

WASHINGTON, DC: The Department of Homeland Security fired back at Rep Ilhan Omar on Tuesday, December 16, after she accused ICE of pulling over her son last week in a targeted operation against Somali residents.

For context, Omar told WCCO in Minneapolis that her son had been harassed, and claimed the agency was 'racially profiling' Somalis and others 'they think are undocumented.'

DHS denies pulling over Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's son

According to the Official X page of the Department of Homeland Security, the agency denied pulling over Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's son.

The post stated, "ICE has absolutely ZERO record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son."

It criticized Omar for demonizing ICE, saying, "With no evidence, it is shameful that Congresswoman Omar would level accusations to demonize ICE as part of a PR stunt."

DHS, run by Kristi Neom, added, "Allegations that ICE engages in ‘racial profiling’ are disgusting, reckless and categorically false."

The agency defended its actions, saying, "What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the US—NOT their skin color, race, or ethnicity."

DHS also clarified its procedures, stating, "Under the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, DHS law enforcement uses 'reasonable suspicion' to make arrests."

Ilhan Omar says immigration agents asked her son to prove his citizenship

Rep Ilhan Omar reported that federal immigration agents pulled over her son in Minnesota and asked him to prove his US citizenship on Sunday, December 14.

In an interview with 'WCCO Sunday Morning,' Omar said the incident happened on Saturday after her son visited a Target store. She reported, "Yesterday, after he made a stop at Target, he did get pulled over by [US Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents, and once he was able to produce his passport ID, they did let him go."

Omar said the traffic stop was not the only incident. She claimed that ICE agents had previously entered a mosque where her son and others were praying, though they left without incident. These experiences have increased her concerns for her son's safety. 

"I had to remind him just how worried I am, because all of these areas that they are talking about are areas where he could possibly find himself in and they are racially profiling, they are looking for young men who look Somali that they think are undocumented," she said.

On Friday, December 12, Omar sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons. She accused federal agents of 'blatant racial profiling' and 'an egregious level of unnecessary force' during operations in Minnesota.

"It is clear to me that this surge came in direct response to Trump's racist comments about Somali people, and about me in particular," she wrote.