Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar said federal immigration agents pulled over her son on Saturday and asked him to prove his citizenship.
Omar said her son had stopped at a Target store when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stopped him. Once he showed his passport, the agents allowed him to leave, she said. She noted that her son always carries his passport for identification.
The congresswoman also said ICE previously entered a mosque where her son and others were praying, but left without incident. She expressed concern about racial profiling, saying that young men who appear Somali are often targeted, even if they are U.S. citizens.
Earlier this month, federal agents increased enforcement in the Twin Cities, focusing on undocumented Somali immigrants. Omar has linked the heightened presence to comments by former President Trump criticizing Somali immigrants and her personally.
On Friday, Omar sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, accusing federal agents of racial profiling and using excessive force. She emphasized that Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., with over 90% of Somali Americans being citizens.
Omar herself was born in Somalia, moved to the U.S. as a child, and became a naturalized citizen in 2000.