Ilhan Omar says 'bizarre' pre-dawn raid on her home is forcing her to move out

Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she is being forced to move out of her Washington home after federal agents carried out a dramatic pre-dawn search of the property last week, an episode she called "bizarre."

Omar, the Democratic representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district, said in her first interview since the raid that roughly 15 to 25 Homeland Security agents arrived at her house at about 6 a.m. on 12 October, pounding on the doors as she and her husband rushed downstairs. After she asked to see a warrant, she said, agents presented one and spent around five hours moving from room to room, seizing more than a dozen items including cell phones and notebooks.

The congresswoman said the raid has likely exposed her address, and combined with the death threats she says she routinely receives, staying in the home is no longer feasible.

Federal officials have not said what crime Omar is accused of, describing the search as part of an ongoing investigation. More than a dozen subpoenas have also been issued to members of her family, and the probe follows repeated official questioning of her U.S. citizenship.

The search has drawn fierce criticism from fellow Democrats. Former President Barack Obama called the federal investigation "appalling," and Omar has suggested the raid was meant to intimidate her. President Donald Trump, a longtime critic of the congresswoman, has denied any involvement, saying the matter has "nothing to do with me."