Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said federal agents executed multiple search warrants on the same day they
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington home.
asserted
they → say → home
While appearing on a podcast Friday, Mullin described the ongoing investigation as a "strong case" while suggesting cases of coordinated immigration fraud could be prosecuted under federal racketeering laws.
uncertain
cases → appear → laws
In an interview with Andrew Kolvet, who hosts the "Charlie Kirk Show," Mullin volunteered that multiple warrants had been served on Monday, adding that a judge had authorized the enforcement action and that investigators expected to present their case to a grand jury.
asserted
investigators → host → jury
Omar has not been charged with a crime.
asserted
Omar → charge → crime
She has called the investigation politically motivated.
asserted
She → call → investigation
"She wasn't – or it wasn't the only place we served the warrant," Mullin said, referencing the D.C. residence of the Minnesota congresswoman.
asserted
Mullin → serve → congresswoman
"We had a judge sign it, and we expect to be able to take the case to a grand jury," Mullin said, revealing new details about the scope of the operation.
asserted
Mullin → have → operation
"But I will tell you, we wouldn't move forward, and President Trump didn't want to move forward either, unless we knew that it couldn't be politically driven.
asserted
it → tell → you
Now they want to try making it political driven.
asserted
it → want → ?
This individual wants to try making it about themselves.
asserted
it → want → themselves
This was about enforcing once again our nation's laws, and it's a strong case."
asserted
it → enforce → laws
President Trump previously stated he didn't know anything about the investigation, which is being handled by DHS' Homeland Security Investigations division and the Justice Department.
asserted
which → state → division
Asked about the Omar probe on Monday, Mr. Trump told reporters: "I think she's a terrible person, but that's really up to the DOJ."
asserted
that → ask → DOJ
Mullin's remarks came amid a federal investigation into possible fraud involving immigration documents submitted by Omar's family decades ago.
asserted
remarks → come → family
The documents in question date back to Omar's childhood, involving paperwork completed by her late father when she was a child,
.
asserted
she → date → father
Multiple as part of the investigation, and the lawmaker's personal cellphone was taken by DHS, sources told CBS News.
asserted
sources → take → News
During the interview, Kolvet also asked Mullin about a hypothetical scenario involving a former foreign warlord who entered the United States as a refugee with his daughter.
asserted
who → ask → daughter
Mullin did not establish that the circumstances applied to Omar's family.
asserted
circumstances → establish → family
But the DHS secretary did use the hypothetical to suggest that those who submit fraudulent immigration documents and enable others to enter the country under the same purported scheme could very well be prosecuted under U.S. law.
uncertain
who → use → law
Such conduct, he said, could potentially constitute a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, a federal law used to prosecute organized criminal enterprises.
uncertain
he → say → enterprises
"If someone … fills out their paperwork illegally, and they claim that they are this person and this is their background, and then underneath that individual, a lot of other people come in.
uncertain
lot → fill → people
And I'm just saying hypothetically across a whole bunch of cases that's out there, then that can be considered a RICO case, right?" the DHS secretary offered.
asserted
secretary → say → cases
"Because there was conspiracy to deceive the American government, and therefore everything else that came in with it could then be looked at [part of] the same case."
uncertain
that → be → case
Mullin suggested that a racketeering prosecution could allow investigators to examine conduct extending back decades, arguing that statutes of limitations generally would not apply to such cases.
uncertain
statutes → suggest → cases
Under federal law, criminal RICO prosecutions are generally subject to a five-year statute of limitations, although in certain cases prosecutors can incorporate older acts into a timely prosecution involving an ongoing criminal enterprise or conspiracy.
asserted
prosecutors → incorporate → enterprise
In Grunewald v. United States, the Supreme Court held in 1957 that prosecutors cannot indefinitely extend a conspiracy simply because perpetrators covered it up after it ended.
asserted
it → hold → it
Mullin did not explicitly indicate that prosecutors were pursuing RICO charges against Omar.
asserted
prosecutors → indicate → Omar
But his remarks did suggest investigators are considering whether alleged immigration violations could be examined as part of a broader conspiracy rather than simply as isolated offenses.
uncertain
violations → suggest → offenses
He said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents had worked closely with the Justice Department to build out the case.
asserted
agents → say → case
It is unusual for federal officials to speak openly about ongoing criminal investigations beyond confirming that a court-authorized search was conducted, in part due to due process protections and grand jury secrecy rules.
asserted
search → speak → protections
CBS News has reached out to Omar's attorney for comment.
asserted
News → reach → comment
Earlier this week, Omar — a staunch Trump critic who has drawn the president's ire for years —
and said she "will not be silenced.
asserted
she → draw → years
""Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement," she wrote on X.
asserted
she → ""make → X.
"For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns.
asserted
Trump → target → lies
The Aporia
