Conservative commentator Stephen Crowder is once again putting Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in the headlines, repeating explosive claims that she once married her brother to help him immigrate to the United States.
“Here’s a fun fact—you married your brother!” Crowder declared in a recent video, pointing to documents he says back up the allegation. His comments reignited a controversy Omar has long rejected as nothing more than a political smear.
Crowder, well-known for challenging the political left, argued that Omar’s 2009 marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi raises troubling questions. “Marital records don’t lie,” he told viewers.
Omar, however, has consistently denied the accusations. Back in 2019 she called them “absolutely false and offensive,” dismissing the rumors as politically motivated attacks.
Still, conservatives like Crowder remain skeptical. “If Elmi wasn’t her brother, why all the secrecy around the records?” he asked, pointing to gaps in public disclosures.
Omar’s marriage to Elmi ended in divorce in 2017, but critics argue the union was never legitimate. “The evidence just keeps piling up,” Crowder said. “And every time, the mainstream media looks the other way.”
For Omar, the allegations represent more than political attacks—they are, she says, rooted in racism and Islamophobia. “It’s disgusting to spread lies about immigrants like this,” she told the Star Tribune in 2019.
Yet critics counter that Omar has avoided giving straightforward answers. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) echoed that concern in 2019, saying: “If she didn’t do this, why not just provide proof? And if she did, the public deserves to know.”
Supporters argue the rumors are nothing but conspiracy theories meant to discredit one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Omar herself has called them “smears,” insisting her critics are motivated by identity politics.
Crowder pushes back on that defense. “This isn’t about race or religion,” he said. “It’s about possible immigration fraud.”
The disputed evidence comes from marriage records and school documents linking Omar and Elmi. Critics claim these point to a family relationship, while defenders argue that Somali naming customs are often misunderstood.
Crowder remains unconvinced: “When paperwork doesn’t match up and timelines don’t add up, the burden of proof is on her.”
Omar’s spokesman has repeatedly said the story has been debunked. “There’s no truth to it at all,” he told the Star Tribune. But Crowder isn’t satisfied: “If it’s really debunked, where’s the proof? Where are the documents?”
The controversy first gained traction in 2016 when blogger Scott Johnson of Power Line raised questions about Omar’s records. Crowder cited Johnson’s reporting in his latest video, saying: “These aren’t just wild rumors—this is based on actual documents. Why won’t she come clean?”
Some voters in Minnesota remain uneasy. “If she lied on immigration forms, that’s serious,” one told Fox News back in 2019.
Crowder insists this is about accountability, not personal attacks. “If a sitting congresswoman committed immigration fraud, the American people deserve answers,” he said.
Despite Omar’s repeated denials, conservative voices show no signs of dropping the issue. As Crowder put it: “We’re not letting this go.”
