Obama condemns Justice Department investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar

Barack Obama publicly denounced the Justice Department's investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar as "appalling," posting his remarks six days after agents from Homeland Security Investigations entered her Washington, D.C., residence. The operation is described as a component of a larger criminal case examining the immigration paperwork of Omar's family members. Authorities are focusing on whether her father misrepresented her age during her naturalization process in 2000.

Omar has asserted that she lawfully became a U.S. citizen in 2000 after escaping Somalia in 1995. Obama suggested the federal action is a response to Omar's outspoken criticism of President Trump. The controversy highlights tensions between the administration and a law-making official who has faced multiple investigations.