Deleted Father’s Day post fuels fresh scrutiny of Ilhan Omar’s past marriage

A deleted social media post by US Representative Ilhan Omar has reignited controversy over longstanding allegations that she married her brother, claims the Minnesota Democrat has repeatedly denied.

According to the New York Post, Omar’s 2013 Father’s Day tweet referred to her father as “Nur Said”, while other records identify him as “Nur Omar Mohamed”.

The report noted that the name resembles that of her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom she married in 2009. Critics have alleged the marriage was intended to facilitate immigration benefits, an accusation Omar denies.

The controversy has resurfaced amid a federal investigation into possible irregularities in immigration and naturalisation documents. Federal agents reportedly searched Omar’s Washington, DC, home on October 12.

However, similarities between names do not establish a family relationship, and the allegations have not been proven.

Omar’s spokesperson has described the brother-marriage claim as a “baseless, disgusting conspiracy theory”. The congresswoman maintains that her legal name is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar and denies wrongdoing.