Can thay deport Omar if she is an American citizen
Executive summary
Ilhan Omar is a naturalized U.S. citizen who became a citizen in 2000 and therefore cannot be removed from the United States through ordinary deportation proceedings unless her citizenship is first revoked through denaturalization in federal court [1] [2]. Denaturalization requires the Department of Justice to prove in court that she willfully misrepresented or concealed a material fact during the naturalization process — a high, fact-specific legal standard that experts say makes political demands for deportation legally unrealistic [3] [4].
1. Legal baseline: naturalized citizens aren’t deportable the way noncitizens are
U.S. law treats naturalized citizens differently from noncitizens: once naturalized, a person is a U.S. citizen and cannot be deported for statements or political activity alone. Calls to “deport” a sitting member of Congress like Ilhan Omar are therefore not supported by routine immigration enforcement; instead, the government would have to pursue denaturalization first, a civil action in federal court [4] [2].
2. Denaturalization: the narrow path authorities would need to take
Denaturalization isn’t automatic or informal. The Department of Justice must bring a federal lawsuit and prove by clear, convincing evidence that the person willfully lied or concealed a material fact during the naturalization process and that the misrepresentation was essential to obtaining citizenship. Reporting explains that this is a high evidentiary bar and a lengthy, fact-driven process [3] [2].
3. What proponents of removal are alleging — and what sources say about evidence
Many of the public calls to remove Omar focus on allegations of marriage or immigration fraud tied to her early asylum and naturalization years; these claims have been amplified by political opponents and social-media posts [3] [5]. News outlets and legal experts quoted in reporting stress that allegations on social media do not equate to the “unrefutable” proof the DOJ would need in court, and that experts regard deportation talk as legally baseless without successful denaturalization [3] [4].
4. Political context: rhetoric, enforcement and its consequences
Political leaders have publicly urged denaturalization and deportation — including state and federal Republicans — and President Trump has used inflammatory language about Somali immigrants and named Omar in rhetoric about sending people “back” [6] [7]. Reporting on stepped-up enforcement in Somali communities notes risks that aggressive operations could lead to wrongful detentions and that most Somalis in Minnesota are citizens or legal residents, a point opponents of the enforcement say could lead to due-process violations [7].
5. Expert and media assessments: why calls are viewed as unrealistic
Legal analysts and outlets argue that deportation of a U.S. citizen as a punitive political act is “not in the cards” and would be unprecedented without proof of fraud or other disqualifying conduct during naturalization [4]. Multiple outlets summarize that while denaturalization is legally possible in theory, it is difficult in practice and normally reserved for clear cases of fraud backed by strong evidence [3] [2].
6. Community impact and broader implications
Reporting highlights that attacks on a high‑profile Somali American like Omar resonate beyond one person: they feed broader tensions about immigration, race and political speech, and raise fears in Minnesota’s large Somali community about discrimination or mistaken enforcement [7] [5]. Critics of the rhetoric warn that targeting an elected representative politically and legally can chill civic participation and inflame social division [7].
7. What reporting does not establish
Available sources do not provide court findings, DOJ filings, or any definitive adjudication proving that Omar committed fraud in her naturalization, nor do they report a completed denaturalization process against her [3] [5]. They document allegations, political calls for revocation, and expert skepticism about the feasibility of deporting a naturalized citizen [3] [4].
Summary judgment: The law makes deporting a naturalized U.S. citizen like Ilhan Omar contingent on successful denaturalization in federal court, which requires highproof of willful misrepresentation; media and legal experts cited in current reporting say such a route is legally difficult and politically charged, and existing coverage records allegations but not any court-verified fraud or completed denaturalization [2] [4] [3].