Ilhan Omar moves out of Washington home over safety concerns after search, citing public address and death threats

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has moved out of her Washington, D.C., residence because of safety concerns after federal agents searched the home last week. Speaking to Ms. Now on Wednesday, Omar said her address is public and she receives death threats, making it “no longer feasible” to live there.

The Justice Department described the search warrant as judicially authorized and said the search was part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. NBC News reported that potential charges may involve conspiracy and making false statements in immigration paperwork.

Omar was born in Somalia and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000. She has long been targeted by right-wing conspiracy theories about her status, which she has repeatedly denounced as “disgusting lies,” and has frequently faced verbal attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The search comes amid a broader pattern of threats and violence against elected officials. In Australia, independent MP Helen Haines lost both legs last week after being deliberately struck by a car outside her electorate office in what police called a targeted attack. The incident was cited as an example of the rise in online extremism, abuse and intimidation directed at lawmakers.

Experts and institutional reports, including data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project, say local and national officials face persistent and evolving threats. Researchers point to severe political polarization, unchecked online abuse and vitriolic social-media rhetoric, saying these have increasingly blurred the line between digital harassment and physical violence and created a high-risk environment for public figures worldwide.