A senior Senate Republican said Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., could have violated multiple laws if allegations that she married her brother to gain entry to the United States were ever substantiated.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, weighed in Friday after President Donald Trump repeated the claim at a Pennsylvania rally earlier this week while promoting his affordability agenda. The allegation has circulated for years and has been denied by Omar; it has not been proven.
In a post on X responding to a White House social media account that asserted, “Yes, [Omar] married her brother,” Cruz argued that such conduct—if true—could trigger criminal liability under several statutes.
“If this is true, then Omar faces criminal liability under three different statutes,” Cruz wrote.
Cruz pointed first to federal marriage fraud, which makes it a felony to knowingly enter into a marriage to evade immigration laws and can carry penalties including prison time, fines and deportation.
Omar was born in Somalia and came to the United States in 1995 after her family was granted asylum. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000. Omar, who is Muslim, has been married legally three times, including a religious marriage in 2002, a legal marriage in 2009, and a later marriage to political aide Tim Mynett in 2020.
Cruz also pointed to Minnesota’s incest law, which he said could apply if the allegation involved a close familial relationship. He further argued that tax issues could arise in a scenario where joint tax returns were filed without a valid marriage.
Trump, speaking at the rally, again brought up the claim—calling it evidence that Omar should not be in the country—despite the lack of substantiation and Omar’s repeated denials. Omar has rejected the allegation in the past.
