WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Republican member of Congress is weighing an unusual step, forcing a House vote to expel Rep. Ilhan Omar (D, Minn.) while pointing to long-running claims about her immigration history and criticisms of her views on national security.

The talk comes as federal investigators keep widening their net around large fraud cases tied to Minnesota social service programmes, cases that have drawn heavy political attention and intense media coverage.

Rep. Randy Fine (R, Fla.), a strong supporter of Israel known for blunt remarks, told reporters in mid-December that he is “actively considering” filing an expulsion resolution against Omar. He pointed to allegations, which remain unproven and which Omar has repeatedly denied, that she married her brother to help with immigration. He also accused her of sympathising with extremist violence.

Fine said he would not use the issue as a fundraising hook. He said that if he moves forward, he will put it in writing and push it on the House floor rather than through partisan messaging.

Expelling a House member takes a two-thirds majority, which is a steep hurdle. The House has used expulsion only a handful of times in US history, most often during the Civil War period over loyalty.

Observers say Fine would need major bipartisan backing for the effort to go anywhere in today’s divided Congress. Omar brushed off the threat, saying, “I don’t think anybody takes that man seriously.” Her office did not respond to further requests for comment.

Omar and the Minnesota Somali Corruption

Fine’s remarks landed as Republicans renewed attacks on Omar and on Minnesota’s Somali community, following repeated comments from President Trump. Trump has insulted Somali residents in the state and has claimed Omar should be deported, while repeating old accusations about immigration fraud.

The claims trace back to reporting and commentary that surfaced years ago about Omar’s marriage history, including a short marriage to a man some conservatives alleged was her brother. Omar has described those allegations as “absurd and offensive,” and no charges have been brought.

The latest push also follows earlier GOP attempts that did not succeed. In September 2025, Rep. Nancy Mace (R, S.C.) filed a resolution to censure Omar and strip her of committee roles over comments aimed at conservative activist Charlie Kirk shortly after his assassination. The House set that measure aside in a close vote.

Omar also lost her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2023, after critics said past remarks about Israel were antisemitic.

Minnesota fraud investigations keep expanding

The expulsion talk has spread at the same time as major developments in Minnesota, where federal prosecutors are pursuing what they have described as large-scale fraud involving public funds.

Several investigations focus on schemes that authorities say add up to nearly $1 billion. The best-known is the Feeding Our Future case, in which a non-profit organisation allegedly took more than $250 million that was meant to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dozens of people have been convicted. Prosecutors say some defendants spent money on luxury cars, property abroad, and transfers overseas.

Many of those charged are of Somali background, reflecting Minnesota’s large Somali diaspora, the biggest in the United States. Other active probes involve autism services and housing programmes, and prosecutors have suggested total losses could pass $1 billion.

Omar has called the fraud “reprehensible” and has said Somali residents are victims too, since the programmes often served their neighbourhoods. Critics have highlighted limited links around her orbit. Some people later convicted donated to her campaigns, and those donations were returned. A former campaign worker also pleaded guilty in a related scheme.

Omar has pointed to her own past actions, including a 2022 letter to federal officials urging an investigation into suspected misuse of funds.

The US Treasury Department is also reviewing whether any stolen money ended up abroad. Some allegations have hinted at possible ties to Somali militant groups, although federal sources have said there is no evidence of that so far.

Political backlash and impact on the community

Republicans, including Trump, have tied the fraud cases to broader attacks on immigration policy and have accused Democratic Governor Tim Walz of weak oversight. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R, Ky.) has opened a federal review of how the state handled the programmes.

Omar and community leaders say the rhetoric fuels stigma and can raise the risk of threats against Somali-Americans. Omar has criticised Trump’s language and said it targets people who are US citizens and long-term residents.

Immigration enforcement has also picked up in the Twin Cities area, with ICE operations aimed at undocumented people. Omar has said her US-born son was briefly stopped, and she described it as retaliation.

Expulsion is rare. The most recent case was in 2002, when a member was removed over ethics violations. If Fine files a resolution, it would raise the stakes in a Congress already locked in fights over committee seats, public statements, and partisan discipline.

As the new session nears, it is unclear whether the effort will move beyond talk. Even with shifting power in Washington, the two-thirds vote requirement makes it difficult for any one party to remove a sitting member without broad support.

Omar, elected in 2018 as one of the first Muslim women in Congress, has built a national profile through progressive positions on foreign policy and refugee issues. Supporters see the attacks on her as rooted in prejudice. Critics argue that they are a response to her statements and conduct.

With federal fraud probes still growing, and immigration politics still heated, Minnesota’s Somali community and its most high-profile elected official are again at the centre of a national fight.

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Omar Faces Renewed Firestorm Over Resurfaced Video

Ilhan Omar Defends Pushing Legislation Tied to Minnesota Fraud

MINNEAPOLIS — Representative Ilhan Omar is facing a fresh wave of criticism after 2024 campaign videos began circulating online again. These clips are gaining attention just as federal investigators reveal more details about a massive fraud crisis within Minnesota social service programs.

The timing has prompted critics to question whether Omar’s focus lies with her constituents or foreign interests. Figures like Elon Musk have weighed in, suggesting her previous comments border on treason.

The videos in question come from a January 2024 event in Minneapolis. Omar spoke to a Somali-American audience in their native language, and the translated captions have sparked a massive debate. In one clip, Omar says that the U.S. government will follow the lead of Somali-Americans. She also reassures her audience that Somalia will stay safe as long as she holds a seat in Congress.

Controversy Over Omar’s Campaign Speeches

Another segment shows her promising to protect Somalia’s territorial goals from within the American political system. These remarks specifically seem to address a dispute between Ethiopia and the region of Somaliland. Opponents argue that she is using her office to help a foreign nation instead of focusing on the United States.

The backlash grew after Donald Trump mentioned the clips during a December 2025 campaign stop in Pennsylvania. He used the stage to mock Omar and claim she puts Somalia first. Elon Musk shared the video with his millions of followers on X, calling the statements treasonous. Local leaders, including Representative Tom Emmer, joined the chorus of voices demanding her resignation or an official investigation.

Omar maintains that the translations are inaccurate and slanted. Some local linguists have supported her side, claiming she was actually talking about civic participation and supporting Somali unity within the bounds of U.S. policy. Despite these explanations, the political pressure continues to mount.

Massive Fraud Scandal Hits Minnesota Taxpayers

The renewed focus on Ilhan Omar coincides with a billion-dollar fraud scandal hitting Minnesota’s social services. Federal prosecutors believe different schemes have stolen between $1 billion and $9 billion from taxpayers. The most famous case, known as “Feeding Our Future,” involved people taking $300 million by claiming they fed thousands of children who didn’t exist.

Authorities are now looking into other areas like housing help and autism therapy. By late 2025, more than 78 people had been charged, most of them from the Somali diaspora community.

Prosecutors have already won 59 convictions. Investigators are tracking stolen money used for luxury items and transfers to Kenya. Some officials are even looking for possible links to extremist groups like al-Shabaab.

Donald Trump has used these crimes to paint Minnesota as a center for money laundering. He ended Temporary Protected Status for many Somali refugees because of the fraud. Some local critics believe that officials under Governor Tim Walz failed to stop the theft because they were afraid of being called racist.

Omar represents the district with the highest Somali-American population and has spoken out against the thieves. She says the community members are victims too, since they lost out on real services. She also noted that she gave back donations from people tied to the fraud years ago.

Questions on Clan Interests and Representation

Other video segments show Omar talking about Somali clan politics. Critics view this as proof that she is lobbying based on old ethnic ties. This has raised questions about her loyalty, as she was born in Somalia and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. Her supporters point out that many ethnic groups in the U.S. lobby for their home countries, and her views match official U.S. support for Somali sovereignty.

The mix of old videos and new fraud cases has fueled a heated debate over immigration. Trump’s allies are pushing to kick Omar out of Congress, and the involvement of billionaires like Musk shows how much the political stakes have risen.

Omar defended herself on CBS, calling the attacks xenophobic and hurtful. She told reporters that her community members are proud Americans and warned that harsh political talk could lead to violence.

As more trials begin and deportations increase in the Twin Cities, the local Somali community faces a difficult future. This situation highlights the deep divisions in the country regarding how immigrants assimilate and where their loyalties lie. With more arrests expected, the pressure on Omar and her district will likely grow.

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Ilhan Omar Defends Pushing Legislation Tied to Minnesota Fraud

MINNESOTA – A wide federal investigation into suspected fraud across Minnesota social services has hit a new peak. Whistleblowers inside state agencies, mayors from across Minnesota, and members of Congress are now tied into the same growing story.

Governor Tim Walz sits at the centre of it, with his administration under heavy fire for weak oversight that critics say let huge sums of public money slip away from federal child nutrition and Medicaid programmes.

The issue first made national news through the Feeding Our Future case, which alleges more than $250 million was stolen from pandemic meal funding. Since then, the focus has spread. Federal prosecutors now say fraud across state-run programmes could top $9 billion since 2018. Walz and state officials reject that number, calling it inflated and driven by politics.

The current crisis traces back to 2020, when emergency pandemic rules and looser checks reportedly opened the door to abuse. Prosecutors say the nonprofit Feeding Our Future and connected sites claimed to serve millions of meals.

Indictments allege that only a small share of those meals were actually provided, while the group and partners collected the reimbursements. More than 90 people have been charged, and dozens have been convicted. U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson called it “industrial-scale fraud.”

Federal and state reviews have also widened to 14 Medicaid programmes, including autism services and housing stabilisation. Investigators say they are seeing repeat patterns, such as false claims and suspect billing.

Whistleblowers in the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) claim their warnings were brushed aside, and they also allege evidence may have been destroyed to hide what was happening.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) opened a formal inquiry earlier this month. He says the Walz administration failed to act on early signs and hit back at staff who raised concerns. Comer said whistleblowers have stepped forward, and he plans to take sworn evidence from state workers.

Nearly 100 Minnesota Mayors Demand Answers

Local leaders have now taken a public stand. This week, 98 Minnesota mayors signed a letter pressing Walz and state lawmakers for answers and action. Crosslake Mayor Jackson Purfeerst led the effort. The letter points to “fraud, unchecked spending, and inconsistent fiscal management” in St. Paul. It warns that the damage is filtering down to towns and cities across the state.

The mayors also flagged a state surplus of $18 billion that has disappeared, with deficits now projected. They say residents are being squeezed through higher property taxes to cover unfunded mandates and missing revenue. The letter says families, pensioners, firms, and workers end up paying the price. It also points to weaker economic rankings and net out-migration.

South St. Paul Mayor Jimmy Francis said constituents feel “scared” about benefit freezes and a lack of clear answers. He framed it as a practical issue, not a party one. The letter urges tighter spending and tougher fraud controls, warning some communities could be “taxed out of Minnesota”.

Tim Walz Faces Deepening Pressure

Governor Walz has defended his record while admitting fraud happened “on my watch”. He says he is working to stop it and prevent repeats. His administration has appointed a fraud prevention director, ordered outside audits, and paused programmes seen as high risk.

Tim Walz has pushed back hard on the $9 billion estimate, saying it lacks support and is being used for political gain. He points instead to confirmed fraud in the tens of millions USA Today reports.

Critics, including Republicans and some whistleblowers, say the state moved too slowly even after warning signs appeared as far back as 2019. Federal steps have increased in recent weeks. The Small Business Administration stopped $5.5 million in funding to Minnesota. Meanwhile, proposed legislation called the “WALZ Act” would require investigations when programme costs jump sharply, according to Fox News.

Claims that some money may have reached overseas terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab have raised the stakes further. Walz says he supports investigations into any such allegations.

As more voices join in, from DHS insiders to mayors, the scandal is testing trust in public benefit systems. Walz is expected to seek a third term in 2026, and the political fallout could be significant. Local leaders say strained budgets could affect services people rely on, including public safety and road repairs, while federal scrutiny looks set to deepen.

One anonymous DHS source described the situation as “a cascade of systemic failures”, reflecting the frustration voiced by whistleblowers and critics alike. For now, many Minnesotans say they want clear answers, and they want them soon, as the investigation keeps expanding.

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