Rep. Nancy Mace Moves To Subpoena Ilhan Omar And Alleged Brother/Husband In Minnesota Fraud Probe; Motion Blocked By Both Parties

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 8, 2026) - Yesterday, Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) moved to subpoena immigration records related to Representative Ilhan Omar and her brother/husband during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing titled "Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I."

The hearing examined the massive theft and misuse of taxpayer dollars connected to a Somali-linked fraud network which flourished under Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's leadership.

Rep. Mace's motion sought immigration records necessary to determine whether federal laws were violated in connection with the immigration of Omar and her brother/husband. The motion was tabled by both Democrats and Republicans on the Committee.

"Democrats and Republicans teamed up to kill our motion to subpoena the records," said Rep. Mace. "Washington did what it always does, protect its own. The American people are sick of backroom deals and selective accountability."

Public reporting has raised serious allegations Rep. Omar entered into a legal marriage in 2009 with a man she had privately identified as her brother, allegedly for the purpose of securing lawful immigration status. Reports further state she previously entered a religious marriage in 2002 which was not legally dissolved until years later.

"If these allegations are true, they raise grave concerns involving potential marriage fraud, immigration fraud, and violations of federal and state law," Mace continued. "No one, no matter how politically protected, should be above the law."

During the hearing, Rep. Mace pressed witnesses on:

• Whether Somali immigrants convicted of large-scale fraud should be denaturalized and deported
• When Minnesota officials became aware of the fraud
• Whether state leaders obstructed investigations or failed to recover stolen funds
• Whether federal authorities coordinated on denaturalization or deportation tied to fraud convictions

Witness testimony confirmed millions in fraudulently obtained funds were routed overseas, including to Al-Shabaab, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization affiliated with al-Qaeda.

"Democrats on this Committee would rather shout at witnesses than confront the truth," said Mace."Minnesota fraud is Democrat fraud. And the refusal to subpoena basic records looks less like oversight and more like a cover-up."

The Oversight Committee's investigation into Minnesota fraud remains ongoing.

See the Congresswoman's full remarks, here:

MACE: She's going to be a great host on MSNBC.

PRESSLEY: This is my time.

COMER: I wouldn't want to jump in front of Ms. Mace if I were you Ms. Pressley.

MACE: I reclaim my time. This is my time.

COMER: I wouldn't want to interrupt Ms Mace. It's her time. Chair recognizes Ms. Mace.

MACE:Mr. Chairman, she's still out of order. What do we have to do to get this woman in order. Her time has expired.

COMER: Chair recognizes Ms. Mace.

MACE:You're going to be great on TV. You're really good. No, baby. You're not. No, baby, you're not. You are not in order. You're out of order. Goodbye. You're done. Mr Chairman, is my time up.

COMER: Chair recognizes Ms Mace. Are we good here?

MACE: Mr. Chairman, thank you.

As I listen to the witnesses answer questions today, I'm struck by the truly breathtaking amount of fraud.

The scope and scale perpetrated against the American people by Somalians in Minnesota. Screeching Democrats, like you just heard at our witnesses. Democrats on this committee don't want to talk about Minnesota fraud, because Minnesota fraud is Democrat fraud.

You're going to make a great host on MSNBC. You're going to be great. And this is a cover up. I mean, the very definition of cover up. And so while we're still trying to understand the scale of the fraud, it appears that the amount of fraud we are talking about could exceed the size of GDP in Somalia, the size of its economy is what we're talking about. So let that sink in. The amount of fraud we're talking about.

My first question is to Mr. Ballou this afternoon. Should Somalians in Minnesota be required to speak English, yes or no? Should they be required to speak English if they're American citizens?

BALLOU: I think that question is really inappropriate.

MACE:It's not inappropriate. This is the United States of America. Do you speak English? Should Americans speak English? Citizens speak English, yes or no? Is English the official language of the United States?

Mr. Chairman. I'm being interrupted again by another. I would like to reclaim my time, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I'd like to reclaim.

That seems to be a popular theme today.

Women have a right to speak in this committee. Conservative women have the right to speak here and not be interrupted by my male colleagues.

I would like to reclaim my time.

I think I lost like 10 seconds there.

COMER:Okay, we'll give you 10 seconds.

MACE:Okay. My next question is, should Somalians who committed fraud be denaturalized and deported Mr. Ballou?

BALLOU:Again, I'm not sure that's an appropriate question because the majority of Somalia.

MACE: So, if you commit fraud in this country and you are here from Somalia, you don't believe they should be denaturalized and deported?

How much fraud would it take for you to want to denaturalize and deport someone who committed fraud in this country? How much?

A billion? 9 billion? 19 billion. What would it take for you?

BALLOU: Most Somali Minnesotans are citizens.

MACE:Right? And the ones that committed fraud. The question was, if you understand English should be those who committed fraud, should they be denaturalized and deported? The Somalians who are here, the ones that can't speak English?

BALLOU:Yeah. So under U.S. law.

MACE:Okay. My next question for you is.

BALLOU:Can I please finish the question?

MACE:No, you can't because you're not answering the question. My next question is, this is yes or no, if you marry your brother and you commit immigration fraud, should you be denaturalized and deported? If you commit immigration fraud? Yes or no?

BALLOU:Again, that question seems really inappropriate.

MACE:You can't answer my question, so that's probably more inappropriate. Can you name one significant contribution to Minnesota from a Somali immigrant who can't speak English?

BALLOU:Absolutely, yes. But again, this is.

MACE: You didn't name one. Alright.

So my next questions are going to be for the Honorable Ms. Robbins. Good afternoon. Thank you all for being here today. I heard some discussion earlier about Al Shabaab and the discovery that you believe some of this money that was defrauded of the U.S. government went to Al Shabaab, is that correct? Did I hear that right?

ROBBINS:Yes. It's been proven.

MACE:How much money are we talking about?

ROBBINS:You know, we don't have an amount. So there's been specific cases where it's been charged where we have an amount. But then of the millions that go to Somali over the years and remittances, a portion of that we understand is taken as sort of a tax or a or, you know, corruption by Al Shabaab when it enters the country.

MACE: Can you explain to us who Al Shabaab is?

ROBBINS:It's a terrorist organization in Somalia.

MACE: And they're affiliated with Al Qaeda. Is that right?

ROBBINS:My understanding is they are.

MACE:I am on the DNI website where it tells me that since 2014, Al Shabaab has killed more U.S. citizens than any other Al Qaeda affiliate.

And as of 2025, Al Shabaab, this group is Al Qaeda's wealthiest component. Can you believe that?

ROBBINS: Yes.

MACE:And that American tax dollars through Minnesota, through governor Tim Walz, who shamefully had to resign from his reelection the other day? Thank you to the young YouTuber Nick Shirley. Um, this is the kind of thing that was happening in Minnesota. So I praise the Republicans who are here today from the Minnesota state legislature exposing this fraud. And then, Ms. Robbins, when do you think Tim Walz became aware of the fraud?

ROBBINS: I think he's been aware of it since the beginning. This was a huge issue in our state. In the year he ran for governor, and the OLA reports came out first, identifying the child care fraud in March and April of 2019, when he was in the first months of his term.

MACE:Was Keith Ellison in on it too? Knowledgeable? The catholic turned Muslim guy in Minnesota?

ROBBINS:Yes, they were all newly in office and this was very public knowledge in Minnesota.

MACE:What role do you think he, Tim Walz and Keith Ellison played there, his administration in delaying investigations into the fraud.

ROBBINS:So I've outlined several things where they stopped our ability to strengthen internal controls. And they also shut down the criminal investigations by the OIG and DHS.

MACE:Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. I do have two articles, Mr. Chairman, that I would like to ask unanimous, uh, this one on foxnews.com. Minnesota fraud probe will expand to other states and then, uh, on house.gov legislators blast, uh, DHS for revelations that it had contracts with.

Watch the Congresswoman's full remarks, here:

https://youtu.be/OJb1E2wq27U

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