Ilhan Omar Seeks Cash to Fight Trump After DC Home Raid as President Says She Could Face Jail

US Representative Ilhan Omar has appealed for campaign donations after a federal search of her Washington, DC home. President Donald Trump said she could face jail if allegations against her were true.

In a video posted on Tuesday night, 20 October, the Minnesota Democrat thanked supporters for sending $5 (£3.75), $10 (£7.50) and $20 (£15). It was her first video since federal agents searched her home on Monday, 12 October, as part of an ongoing investigation.

'Please continue to support us. It's going to be a very expensive and challenging time,' Omar said. She did not directly address the investigation in the clip.

Trump Says Omar 'Could Go to Jail'

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said Omar could face jail if the allegations against her were true. 'Well, she could be. She could also go to jail,' he said. 'You know, they keep talking about deportation. No, she could go to jail.'

'This is just my opinion,' Trump continued, calling Omar 'a very dishonest person' who 'hates our country'. On the day of the search, he told reporters he had 'nothing to do' with it and that it was 'really up to the DOJ', the Associated Press reported.

What Investigators Are Examining

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), part of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), carried out the search. A magistrate judge approved it, according to the Associated Press. The scope of the investigation has not been officially set out.

CNN reported, citing sources, that investigators are examining whether Omar's father lied about her age when she gained US citizenship in 2000. Omar has not been charged, and the Justice Department has not revealed any evidence against her. Border czar Tom Homan has said she could be denaturalised if the allegations were proven.

Denaturalisation, criminal prosecution and deportation are separate legal processes. Immigration lawyer Peter Loblack told CNN that contested denaturalisation cases typically take one to three years in district court, not including appeals. Boston College law professor Daniel Kanstroom described citizenship as 'a kind of a safe harbor' that is hard for the government to take away.

Omar Accuses Trump of Political Intimidation

Omar said donations 'go a long way as we fight Trump and his administration for trying to intimidate me and so many people right before the midterm elections'. 'We're not going to be intimidated. We're not going to be silenced. We're not going to be scared,' she added.

On the day of the search, she called it 'an outrageous abuse of power' and said she had 'done nothing wrong'. Her attorneys later told the Justice Department the search was 'neither justified nor lawful' and demanded the return of seized property. A Justice Department spokesperson said their letter was 'riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies'.

What the Appeal Did Not Say

The video did not name a fundraising target or say how the money would be spent. It also did not say whether donations would cover legal costs. Fox News reported that it was unclear where Omar was filming.

Omar said she would return to the campaign trail and help Democrats 'win the House, win the Senate'. Fox News reported that she is scheduled to appear at a live event in Minneapolis on Monday, 26 October.

The midterm elections take place on 3 November. Omar is on the ballot, and her lawyers say the search came weeks before voting.