The head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has denied Minnesota lawmaker Ilhan Omar’s claim that agents pulled her son over on Saturday and demanded that he prove his citizenship.
During an interview with WCCO on Sunday, Omar, 43, claimed that ICE agents pulled over her son after he “made a stop at Target.” She said the agents later “let him go” once he was “able to produce his passport ID.”
But in an interview with Fox News Digital on Tuesday, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons claimed that an incident of such nature never occurred.
“ICE has absolutely zero record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son,” Lyons claimed. “It speaks volumes that Congresswoman Omar is leveling this accusation with absolutely zero proof.”
Lyons also said that Omar’s comments were a “ridiculous effort” to put federal law enforcement in a bad light. He also claimed that 43-year-old’s claim is one of the reasons why there’s an increase in ICE staff being targeted with threats.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) similarly denied Omar’s claim that ICE agents pulled her son over.
“ICE has absolutely ZERO record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son,” the wrote on X. “With no evidence, it is shameful that Congresswoman Omar would level accusations to demonize ICE as part of a PR stunt.”
The statement added: “Allegations that ICE engages in ‘racial profiling’ are disgusting, reckless and categorically FALSE. What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the U.S.—NOT their skin color, race, or ethnicity. Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, DHS law enforcement uses ‘reasonable suspicion’ to make arrests.”
READ ALSO: Minnesota’s Somali community shocked as Trump intensifies his hostility
Despite the push back, Omar’s spokesperson, Jacklyn Rogers, told Fox News Digital that the congresswoman was adamant with her claim about her son being pulled over by ICE agents.
“The congresswoman’s son and others were pulled over by ICE, racially profiled, and forced to prove their citizenship with a passport,” Rogers said.
“ICE has long operated as a rogue agency beyond reform. It’s no surprise that an agency known for disappearing people also can’t keep its records straight. ICE now claims it has records of all the stops, and our office would welcome the opportunity to review them.”
Omar’s recent comments came after ICE agents intensified their operations in the Twin Cities, primarily targeting Somali immigrants illegally staying in the country, CBS News reported. President Donald Trump has also previously described Omar as “garbage” and stated that he doesn’t want Somalis “in our country.”
Omar also sent a letter to Lyons and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security secretary, Kristi Noem, where she registered her displeasure with the behavior of federal agents in the Twin Cities. She accused them of “blatant racial profiling” and using “an egregious level of unnecessary force.”
“It is clear to me that this surge came in direct response to Trump’s racist comments about Somali people, and about me in particular,” she claimed.
Per data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States.
