Rep. Ilhan Omar Intensifies Criticism of Federal Immigration Enforcement
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota sharply escalated her criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations on Monday, accusing federal agents of treating Minneapolis as an occupying force and again calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation or impeachment.
In remarks to constituents in Minneapolis, Omar repeatedly described the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal officers in the city as an inappropriate use of government authority, saying the situation has created fear among local residents. Omar said Minneapolis is “currently under occupation” and cited concerns about schools, hospitals and daily life as evidence of what she called harmful federal intervention.
“We do not exaggerate when we say we have schools where two-thirds of the students are afraid to go to school,” Omar said. “We do not exaggerate when we say we have people who are afraid to go to the hospital because our hospitals have occupying paramilitary forces.”
Omar referenced two recent fatalities during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis — the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — and argued those incidents underscored the need for new leadership at DHS. In her remarks, she blamed senior White House advisers for shaping the administration’s immigration policies.
“When we say it is time for Kristi Noem to go, we mean it now,” Omar added. “And there needs to be accountability for the architect of the terror we are facing in Minneapolis and so many other cities, which is Stephen Miller.”
Omar’s comments follow an appearance on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, where she reiterated those positions and broadened her critique to include senior administration officials. In that interview, she said Noem should resign or face impeachment, echoing earlier statements from House Democratic leadership. Omar also repeated criticism of Miller, a senior White House adviser on immigration policy, calling him a “copycat of the Nazis” and suggesting he should be prosecuted.
Her remarks also tied national Republican rhetoric on immigration to broader social tensions, asserting that aggressive enforcement language has “created anger” that can lead to confrontations with Somali immigrants and other community members in Minnesota.
Omar’s public criticism comes amid the ongoing federal immigration operation known as Operation Metro Surge. Federal agents have been deployed to Minneapolis to apprehend illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, drawing protests and heightened scrutiny from local officials and advocacy groups.
Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), have called for increased oversight of DHS and ICE policies as part of broader negotiations over long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Jeffries has publicly stated that Noem should be impeached if she does not resign, and Schumer has called for additional conditions on immigration enforcement in appropriations legislation.
In response to increased political pressure, DHS has taken steps to increase transparency in its operations. Earlier this week, Secretary Kristi Noem announced that body-worn cameras will be issued to all federal immigration enforcement officers deployed in Minneapolis as an immediate measure, with plans to expand the program nationwide as funding becomes available. “Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis,” Noem wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Federal officials have said that some Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers present during the Jan. 24 shooting of Pretti were already equipped with body cameras, though full footage has not been released. Officials have not yet clarified whether ICE officers were wearing cameras during the earlier fatal encounter involving Good.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz responded to Noem’s announcement by saying body cameras should have been in place prior to the deaths of Pretti and Good, who were tragically killed while interfering with ICE law enforcement operations.
House fails to adopt Iran war powers resolution
The House on Thursday failed to adopt a war powers resolution that attempted to curtail President Donald Trump's military actions in Iran.
It failed by a vote of 212-219. Republican Reps. Thomas Massie and Warren Davidson bucked GOP leaders by voting in favor; four Democrats voted against the resolution: Reps. Henry Cuellar, Jared Golden, Greg Landsman and Juan Vargas.
The resolution, which only expresses the sentiment of Congress, called on the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces in hostilities against Iran or any part of the Iranian government or military unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force is enacted.
The measure was non-binding and not subject to the president's signature or veto.
Speaker Mike Johnson argued Wednesday that the United States is "not at war" but only engaged in a "defensive operation" in Iran.
“We're not at war right now,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol. “We're in -- four days into a very specific, clear mission and operation."
Later on Wednesday, Trump contradicted Johnson, repeatedly referring to the conflict in Iran as a "war" hours after Johnson said it wasn't.
Sitting next to Johnson during a roundtable on energy prices, Trump said "we're doing very well on -- on the war front, to put it mildly."
A U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) launches from an undisclosed location in support Operation Epic Fury.
US Army
Johnson had said that the "passage of a war powers resolution right now would be a terrible, dangerous idea."
"It would empower our enemies. It would kneecap our own forces, and it would take the ability of the U.S. military and the commander in chief away from completing this critical mission to keep everybody safe," he said Wednesday.
On Wednesday Senate Democrats failed to meet a 51-vote threshold on an alternate Iran war powers resolution sponsored by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Sen. Rand Paul. The resolution failed behind a 47-53 tally.
Ilhan Omar Guest Arrested After Demonstrating During Trump’s SOTU
One of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s invited guests was arrested Tuesday night after demonstrating during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, according to U.S. Capitol Police. Aliya M. Rahman, 43, of Minneapolis, was taken into custody after she stood and refused repeated orders to sit down in the House gallery.
“All State of the Union tickets clearly explain that demonstrating is prohibited,” Capitol Police said in a statement. “At approximately 10:07 p.m., a person in the House Gallery started demonstrating during tonight’s State of the Union Address. The guest was told to sit down, but refused to obey our lawful orders,” The New York Times
reported.
“It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional Buildings, so 43-year-old Aliya M. Rahman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was arrested for D.C. Code §10-503.16 — Unlawful Conduct, Disruption of Congress,” the statement added.
Rahman was later issued a citation release, which police described as routine.
Omar, D-Minn., invited Rahman as one of four guests attending the address. The Minnesota Democrat has been critical of Trump’s immigration enforcement policies and previously described Rahman as someone seeking accountability for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Rahman made headlines in January after being detained by ICE officers in Minneapolis. Federal officials said she ignored repeated commands to move her vehicle away from an active enforcement scene and interfered with agents. Authorities said she was arrested after refusing to comply and engaging in obstructive conduct.
Rahman and her attorney have disputed that account.
In a statement to Newsweek following Tuesday’s arrest, her attorney, Alexa Van Brunt, said Rahman was targeted.
“Aliya Rahman was targeted at the State of the Union last night,” Van Brunt said. “After standing up in silence during the speech, Aliya was quickly taken away and arrested for ‘unlawful conduct’ and released just before 4 a.m. today. There is nothing unlawful about standing in silence and this is a blatant abuse of power. She was not disruptive or disrespectful. She was not holding a sign, making gestures, or wearing protest gear. She was simply standing in silence.”
Capitol Police said demonstrating of any kind is prohibited inside the chamber during a joint session of Congress.
Rahman previously told MS Now that attending the address felt necessary.
“I almost don’t feel like it was a choice,” she said. “I’m just so painfully aware that what happened to me is a very common experience in this country, except for the part where I got out and I got to come back to my community.”
“Honestly, the emotional toll of it is the reason that I think it’s still important to come be in front of people who are happy this happened to me or think I deserve worse,” she added.
The arrest came as Trump used the address to emphasize border security and immigration enforcement.
Rep. Omar responded to the arrest.
“My guest, Aliya Rahman, stood up silently in the gallery during the president’s speech for a short period of time, part of which other guests were also standing. For that, she was forcibly removed, despite warning officers about her injured shoulders and ultimately charged with ‘Unlawful Conduct,’” she said in a press release on her official website.
“Reports indicate she was aggressively handled until someone intervened to secure medical attention. She was taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment and later booked at the United States Capitol Police headquarters, the representative said.
“The heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy. I am calling for a full explanation of why this arrest occurred, she said.
