Key facts
- Tom Homan said denaturalization and deportation could happen if evidence shows Omar lied during naturalization.
- The federal government is investigating Omar's citizenship status.
- Omar's attorneys stated there is no legitimate basis for any suggestion of citizenship law violations.
- The investigation was launched weeks before the November midterm elections.
Tom Homan, who served as Donald Trump's "border czar," stated on Fox News that Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar could "of course" be denaturalized and deported if evidence shows she lied during the naturalization process. Homan's comments mark the first time a top Trump administration official has explicitly mentioned denaturalization and deportation in connection with Omar. The remarks come after federal agents searched Omar's home on October 12 as part of an investigation into whether she or her family violated laws when obtaining her citizenship. This investigation was launched weeks before the November midterm elections, in which Omar is a candidate. Omar's attorneys have accused the US justice department of potentially influencing an election and asserted that there is no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status. The investigation follows unsubstantiated accusations by rightwing figures supporting Trump that Omar obtained her citizenship fraudulently. Omar has stated that Trump has targeted her with baseless lies and smear campaigns for years, calling the current investigation an escalation of political intimidation.