Right-wing Rep. Nancy Mace moved Wednesday to escalate long-debunked accusations against Rep. Ilhan Omar, urging the House Oversight Committee to subpoena Omar’s immigration records and those of her brother.
During a committee hearing focused on benefit fraud in Minnesota, Mace verbally called for the subpoenas, reviving an unproven conspiracy theory that Omar may have married her brother to secure U.S. citizenship. Omar has repeatedly and forcefully denied the claim, calling it a racist smear.
“We just moved to subpoena Rep. Ilhan Omar and her brother/husband’s immigration records in the Oversight Committee,” Mace wrote on X shortly after the hearing. She went on to allege, without evidence, that Omar committed federal marriage fraud, calling for harsh penalties including denaturalization and deportation. “Marrying a sibling is illegal in every state,” Mace added. “We intend to get to the bottom of it.”
Mace concluded her post with a blunt demand: “END THE FRAUD. DENATURALIZE AND DEPORT ILHAN OMAR.”
The allegations Mace cited are not new. They have circulated in far-right media spaces for years and have been repeatedly debunked. Omar has consistently rejected the claims, previously describing them as “disgusting lies” rooted in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant bigotry.
The move drew immediate backlash from critics who accused Mace of abusing her role on the Oversight Committee to amplify conspiracy theories for political gain. Mace, who is running for governor of South Carolina, has increasingly leaned into high-profile culture war clashes as she eyes a statewide primary.
Omar, a member of the progressive “Squad,” has long been a target of right-wing attacks, particularly those questioning her loyalty, citizenship, and personal life. Democrats and civil rights groups have warned that such rhetoric places Muslim lawmakers at heightened risk of harassment and violence.
As of Wednesday, there was no indication that the Oversight Committee would advance Mace’s subpoena request. Omar’s office has not suggested any change to her long-standing denial of the allegations.
