40 House Democrats skipped letter backing Omar as DOJ probe widens before Nov. 3

Forty House Democrats did not sign an Oct. 26 letter condemning the federal investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, according to a Newsweek comparison of the signers with the House Democratic roster ¹. The letter was led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state and signed by 175 members of Congress ¹.

The letter urged Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin not to take further action that could affect the Nov. 3 election ¹. It criticized the search of Omar's Washington, D.C., home ¹.

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This weaponization of law enforcement to harass a sitting Member of Congress 22 days before an election is unprecedented and unacceptable

Who did not sign

Newsweek said the Democrats not listed as signers include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Steny Hoyer, Josh Gottheimer, Henry Cuellar and Jared Golden ¹. Newsweek said it had asked those offices for comment and was awaiting responses ¹.

Newsweek also noted that not appearing on the letter does not establish that a member supports the investigation or disagrees with its criticism ¹. A missing name could mean many things.

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What the investigation involves

Federal agents searched Omar's home on Oct. 12, and a source told Newsweek that investigators obtained a DNA sample ¹. The Justice Department said in a court filing Tuesday that the warrant was only partially carried out and that the probe extends to other, unidentified people ¹. Prosecutors said they expected it to be fully executed "in short order" ¹.

The New York Times, citing current and former officials, reported Thursday that investigators are examining whether Omar's 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi was meant to help him get a green card ¹. The Times reported that a 2016 federal look at the marriage found some evidence suggesting fraud, but stalled over the five-year statute of limitations ¹. Omar has denied wrongdoing related to immigration fraud ¹.

No court has found that Omar committed immigration fraud, and no charges against her have been publicly announced ¹. Blanche signed off on the warrant, and court filings say he confirmed its timing was not meant to affect any election ¹.

Omar's office has called the search an "outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement" ². Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, has said that if a crime was committed, it will be prosecuted ².

What happens next

Omar faces Republican John Nagel, a retired Minnesota State Patrol lieutenant, on Tuesday ¹.

That matters because the letter's main point is timing. Justice Department practice has generally been to avoid such steps close to an election, as WJLA noted ². The split among Democrats shows how differently members weigh that argument days before the midterms. This is analysis, not a finding about any member's motives.

The Record

1. Oct 12, 2026Federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington home ¹.
2. Oct 26, 2026175 members of Congress signed a letter led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal condemning the probe ¹.
3. Oct 27, 2026The Justice Department told a court the Omar warrant was only partially executed ¹.

Sources

1. Newsweek, “List of Democrats Who Did Not Sign Letter Against Ilhan Omar Investigation” (2026-10-29). newsweek.com/list-democrats-did-not-sign-letter-against-ilha
2. WJLA, “Investigation into Ilhan Omar intensifies after home searched, subpoenas issued” (2026-10-15). wjla.com/news/nation-world/investigation-into-ilhan-omar-int

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