Democrats, civil rights groups criticize raid on Omar’s home

(The Center Square) – Civil rights groups and Democrats are condemning the federal raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C., home.

Homeland Security Investigations executed a warrant at the Minnesota Democrat’s home early Monday morning, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A spokesperson for Omar’s office called the raid an “outrageous abuse of power” and accused President Donald Trump of escalating his longstanding criticism of the congresswoman into unwarranted federal action.

“For a decade, Donald Trump has relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back,” said Jacklyn Rogers, communications director for Omar’s office. “Now, those attacks have escalated to a pointless federal raid.”

“The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong,” Rogers added. “No president should be able to use the power of the federal government to intimidate his political enemies.”

Reports of the raid by federal law enforcement first broke around 8 a.m. The U.S. Department of Justice later confirmed the raid in a statement to The Center Square.

“Today in the Washington, D.C, area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice,” said a spokesperson. “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”