Attorneys representing US Representative Ilhan Omar have formally requested the US Department of Justice to return items federal agents removed from her home during a recent search. The lawyers for the Minnesota Democrat asserted that the seizure was "neither justified nor lawful", according to a letter reported by the Associated Press on Friday.
The federal investigation into Omar was initiated weeks before the 3 November midterms, in which she is a candidate. Her attorneys wrote that there is "no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status", as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
A Justice Department spokesperson, Emily Covington, stated on Friday evening that the letter from Omar's defence team was "riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies". Covington added that their attorneys and law enforcement partners "complied with all court orders and legal obligations, as they always do".
The investigation was launched following years of unsubstantiated rumours promoted by Donald Trump and conservative media figures regarding Omar's immigration status. Omar has denied these allegations. Fox News, citing sources, reported that Monday's search was linked to a criminal fraud investigation concerning Omar's immigration paperwork, which her father completed when she was a child.