Ilhan Omar Says Son Briefly Held By ICE, Released After Verification

By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter

United States, 15 December 2025 – US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said that her son was stopped by officers from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency but was released after showing his passport identification—an incident she described as reflecting the growing targeting of the Somali community in the United States.

Ilhan Omar spoke about the incident on Sunday during an interview with WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota), saying her son had been stopped a day earlier.

“Yesterday… my son was stopped by ICE agents,” Ilhan Omar said.

“Once he presented his passport ID, he was allowed to go.”

She added that her son always carries his identification, due to concerns that a similar incident could happen again.

The Minnesota Democratic lawmaker accused ICE of engaging in racial and ethnic profiling, saying:

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“They are targeting young people who look Somali, assuming they are undocumented,” Omar said.

ICE has not yet commented on the incident.

The episode comes amid recent harsh remarks by US President Donald Trump against Somalis and Ilhan Omar, in which he said that Somalis “contribute nothing” to the United States and that he does not want them living in the country.

Trump had earlier threatened to deploy ICE officers to Minnesota, a move he has since carried out. As a result, there is widespread fear across the United States, particularly among immigrant communities, that people without legal status are being specifically targeted

The incident involving Ilhan Omar’s son has once again highlighted the intensifying debate over immigration, undocumented migrants, and the situation of Somalis living in the United States.

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