NRT briefing
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s staff got her birthdate changed officially after being elected to Congress: records
Based on reporting by New York Post.
The Brief
Records reviewed by the New York Post show that Rep. Ilhan Omar's congressional staff had her birthdate changed in the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library from Oct. 4, 1981, to 1982 in May 2019, shortly after a viral video from a political opponent accused her of misrepresenting her age.
The library director confirmed the change in emails, noting that Omar's staff were also working to correct the date on Wikipedia and other sources.
Omar has long claimed she received derivative citizenship through her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, who she says naturalized in 2000. In a 2018 interview, she said she became a citizen before turning 18. Critics, including 2022 primary opponent AJ Kern, contend that if Omar is actually older than claimed, she could not have legally derived citizenship as a minor. Kern has filed complaints and a lawsuit, which was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
Omar and her office have denied allegations of immigration fraud, calling them baseless. The Post reports that federal investigators have been probing whether Omar made false statements on immigration forms. The change in birthdate has fueled speculation about what agents sought during a recent raid on her Washington, D.C., home.