DHS says there's 'no evidence' Ilhan Omar's son was pulled over and asked to provide proof of citizenship

The Department of Homeland Security shot down claims made by Rep. Ilhan Omar that her son was stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and asked to prove his citizenship, saying the agency has no record of such an encounter and accusing the Minnesota Democrat of spreading false allegations.

In a public statement, DHS said ICE “has absolutely ZERO record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son.” The agency said the accusation was made without evidence and called it “shameful,” arguing it was designed to demonize federal law enforcement.

“With no evidence, it is shameful that Congresswoman Omar would level accusations to demonize ICE as part of a PR stunt,” DHS said.

The agency also rejected Omar’s allegations of racial profiling calling them “disgusting, reckless and categorically FALSE.” DHS said immigration enforcement is based on legal status, not race or ethnicity, and that officers operate under the Fourth Amendment using reasonable suspicion.

The response followed comments Omar made during an interview with CBS Minnesota affiliate WCCO Sunday Morning, where she claimed her son was stopped by ICE after leaving a Target store.

“After he made a stop at Target, he did get pulled over by ICE agents, and once he was able to produce his passport ID, they did let him go,” Omar said.

Omar further alleged that ICE engages in racial profiling and claimed her family had previous encounters with immigration agents, including an incident where ICE entered a mosque while her son and others were praying.

“They are looking for young men who look Somali that they think are undocumented,” she said.

DHS rejected those claims outright, emphasizing that skin color or ethnicity does not factor into enforcement decisions. The agency said accusations of profiling undermine law enforcement and misrepresent how ICE operates.

The White House also responded, backing ICE’s conduct. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson said agents act with the “utmost professionalism” and criticized lawmakers who target officers rather than criminals.

“Anyone pointing the finger at law enforcement officers instead of the criminals are simply doing the bidding of criminal illegal aliens,” Jackson said in a statement.