Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to rule out whether the Department of Justice could seek to intervene in states’ midterm election certification processes, saying there are extreme scenarios that could prompt federal action.

Speaking to reporters in Virginia on Thursday, Blanche said it was not his intention to "improperly interfere with elections," but declined to rule out federal involvement if a "doomsday scenario" were to happen.

"Of course there’s scenarios that we can all come up with hypothetically, you know, some doomsday scenario, for example, right?" he said. "So, I don’t think it’s proper to make any kind of conclusory statements about what’s going to happen in the future, because I have no idea what’s happening in the future."

Blanche said he could not say there were no circumstances under which the DOJ would get involved.

NEWSOM SPARS WITH TRUMP-APPOINTED PROSECUTOR OVER 20,000 SUSPECTED NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS

"Of course, I’m not going to say that," he said. "But am I planning my days around the election to be somewhere to not certify? Of course not, no, not at all."

The DOJ's role in elections is limited under the Constitution and federal law, allowing it primarily to safeguard civil rights and prosecute people who violate election law. Federal law does not specifically authorize the department to challenge ballots or delay a state's certification of election results.

Under the Constitution and federal law, U.S. elections are run by state and local officials rather than the federal government.

During a news conference in Norfolk, Blanche was questioned about the DOJ's litigation against states, seeking to force officials to turn over unredacted voter data and halt the counting of ballots cast by thousands of voters the federal government argues are likely noncitizens.

TRUMP ADMIN SUED OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL COLLECTION OF SENSITIVE VOTER DATA FROM 47 STATES

Blanche said the DOJ was "not trying to create chaos" but wanted to alert officials to potential problems.

"I’m not trying to not have an election certified. Of course not," Blanche said. "What we’re trying to do is guarantee to the American people that the only people that are voting are people that are eligible to vote."

In response to Blanche's comments, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Senate Democrats "have been preparing for this for months and will be ready" for whatever administration officials try.

"As Trump and his cronies attempt to steal this election, we are fighting them at every turn," Schumer posted on X. "Our elections must always belong to the voters — not Donald Trump."

The administration sued California election officials last week, arguing they failed to act quickly enough to review names the federal government identified as likely noncitizens. The DOJ asked a judge to block the state from counting mail-in ballots from those individuals unless their eligibility could be confirmed.

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The California secretary of state's office said it was given only 48 hours to review roughly 20,000 names.

The DOJ was also weighing additional election-related litigation against states, but a federal judge this week temporarily restricted certain election-related field operations and interviews in nine states through Election Day. The judge stayed the order until Friday evening to give the administration an opportunity to appeal.

Earlier this week, Democratic leaders and election groups filed a lawsuit against the administration, accusing it of "threats and intimidation" ahead of Election Day.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly said noncitizen voting poses a serious threat to election integrity, although documented instances of noncitizens casting ballots in federal elections have historically been rare.

A Utah man is facing several charges, including attempting to commit a hate crime, after he allegedly threatened to "blow up" a synagogue.

Skyler AJ Rose, 22, of Ogden, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday, on multiple federal charges, including possession of an unregistered destructive device, threatening to kill or injure people and destroy a building with an explosive, and attempting to commit a hate crime, among other offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah.

"There is no place for hate motivated violence—attempts or otherwise—in our communities. A place of worship should be a refuge of safety, not fear," U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah said in a statement. "Thanks to the dedicated work of the FBI and the outstanding efforts of our local police partners, these alleged threats were identified and stopped before anyone was harmed. Let these charges serve as a clear warning: if you attack or attempt to attack a place of worship, you will face the full force of the federal government."

On Dec. 23, 2025, Rose allegedly made multiple threatening posts on social media, according to court documents.

PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING ISIS ATTACK ARRESTED WITH RIFLE AND 190 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION: DOJ

"I wanna blow up a synagogue," one of the posts read, according to prosecutors.

An investigation was launched and authorities learned that the posts were made from an IP address tracing back to Rose's home. The FBI then contacted the Ogden City Police Department to assist, with a home visit where authorities said they confirmed the social media handle belonged to Rose.

Investigators executed a search warrant and recovered six improvised explosive pipe bombs and one inert device, explosive precursors and components that officials say could be used to construct further improvised explosive pipe bombs, a black Samsung cellphone and two rifles with accompanying magazines and ammunition, prosecutors said.

FLORIDA MAN INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PLOTTING MASS SHOOTING TARGETING JEWISH EMPLOYEES AT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION

A subsequent search of Rose’s cellphone revealed that Rose searched online for a synagogue near him in November 2025.

"Today’s indictment stops in its tracks an alleged plan to carry out a violent attack on a synagogue," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will take decisive action to protect American worshippers from violent threats, no matter where they occur."

Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI added that "no one should have to fear for their safety because of their faith."

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"Every person deserves to worship freely, without threats, intimidation, or fear," Bohls said. "The FBI takes every threat seriously. Thanks to the swift, seamless collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we were able to address the threat and protect lives from potential physical harm."

The investigation also allegedly revealed evidence of child sexual abuse material on Rose's cellphone, including hundreds of cached images and screenshots depicting child sexual abuse material, according to prosecutors. Rose was also indicted on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.

Rose's initial appearance is scheduled for Oct. 23 in federal court in Salt Lake City.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has launched an investigation into longtime Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News.

The probe stems from a criminal referral sent to the Justice Department by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, marking a legal escalation for the high-profile political figure.

Asked about the inquiry by reporters outside the White House, President Donald Trump said he wants his staff held accountable and that he had "heard something about it."

"All I know is I want my people to be honest," Trump said.

TRUMP'S NEW PRESS SECRETARY OUT OF A JOB JUST DAYS AFTER ROCKY DEBUT

"If they're not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted," Trump warned, adding that dishonesty amounts to "stealing from me as president."

"They are stealing from me. So, I want my people to be honest. And if they're not honest, I'll have my DOJ go and do whatever they have to do."

OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE AT CENTER OF TRUMP'S ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND CASE HIT WITH MISCONDUCT CLAIM

Adam Trigg, an attorney for Lewandowski, said his client has not been contacted by the Justice Department and denies any wrongdoing.

"Mr. Lewandowski has not been contacted by the Justice Department regarding any investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing when he was proudly serving his country in a voluntary capacity," Trigg said in a statement posted on Lewandowski's X account.

Lewandowski is a longtime political ally of Trump who previously served as an advisor to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

He also served as Trump's first campaign manager during the 2016 presidential race before being fired that June. 

'WORST OF THE WORST' JUDGES ARE SABOTAGING TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION AGENDA, TOP DHS OFFICIAL SAYS

Lewandowski stayed close to Trump, also serving as a senior advisor during his 2020 and 2024 campaigns. 

After The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice was reviewing allegations of corruption and personal financial gain involving Corey Lewandowski, he said on X that the report was "another example of the kind of anonymous-source, politically driven reporting that Americans have seen time and again." 

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Lewandowski added he was proud of his work as a volunteer in "advancing this administration's agenda and (remains) confident that the facts and not anonymous accusations will ultimately speak for themselves."

Two Minnesota federal judges who took the unusual step of publicly criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown to the New York Times are now fighting the administration’s efforts to disqualify them from cases involving immigration enforcement.

One of those judges, Patrick Schiltz, is overseeing the Justice Department’s effort to strip U. S. citizenship from Salah Osman Ahmed, a Somali-born man who pleaded guilty in 2009 to providing material support to terrorists after joining al- Shabaab. The other, John Tunheim, is presiding over the prosecution of a South African national accused of falsely claiming U. S. citizenship and illegally voting in the 2024 election. The Justice Department filed separate motions asking Schiltz and Tunheim to recuse themselves, arguing that their participation in the New York Times report criticizing President Donald Trump's Operation Metro Surge has raised questions about whether they can fairly preside over the cases.

"Impartiality is imperative to ensuring public trust in our Nation’s judiciary," the Justice Department said in a statement posted to X this week. "Judge Schiltz’s and Judge Tunheim’s on-the-record participation in a recent highly partisan New York Times Article, along with Judge Schiltz’s subsequent public comments, unquestionably calls into doubt whether they can be impartial in these cases."

OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE AT CENTER OF TRUMP'S ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND CASE HIT WITH MISCONDUCT CLAIM

The Justice Department's formal recusal demand follows reporting by Fox News Digital last month detailing unusual behind-the-scenes coordination among Minnesota's federal bench as judges confronted a massive influx of immigration cases stemming from the administration's enforcement operation. The report came after Schiltz and Tunheim were among seven Minnesota federal judges who spoke with the Times in September about Operation Metro Surge. Schiltz sat for a roughly 90- minute interview during which he described the administration's handling of the operation as having created a "grave threat to the rule of law," while Tunheim suggested to the Times that agents carrying out the administration's immigration crackdown were not primarily apprehending dangerous criminals.

DOJ had already raised the prospect that judges who publicly discussed the administration's immigration cases might need to step aside when the Times report was released in September. Last month, DOJ filed a judicial misconduct complaint against Schiltz, Tunheim and other Minnesota judges who participated in the Times report, accusing them of violating judicial ethics rules and asking the Eighth Circuit to investigate. Attorney General Todd Blanche said their conduct had "undermined public confidence in an impartial judiciary in Minnesota."

"It is remarkable that sitting federal judges are giving on-the-record interviews attacking this Administration's policies rather than ruling from the bench," a Justice Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital in September. "Judges who have made public comments on pending or related matters should consider whether recusal is warranted going forward."

'WORST OF THE WORST' JUDGES ARE SABOTAGING TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION AGENDA, TOP DHS OFFICIAL SAYS

The Times report in question revealed that Schiltz, Tunheim and the other Minnesota judges handling the flood of Operation Metro Surge cases regularly met, communicated through running email threads and used an informal spreadsheet created by court clerks to identify judges to consult about recurring legal questions. Chief Judge Eric Tostrud previously told Fox News Digital that the judges nevertheless independently decided every case assigned to them.

"The bottom line is that each of us made an independent decision with respect to the merits of each and every petition we were assigned," Tostrud said at the time.

The Justice Department, however, has accused Schiltz and the other judges of "publicly" taking sides in the ongoing battle over Trump's deportation agenda.

"A judge who has publicly taken sides on the political issue of immigration enforcement cannot then preside over a case concerning one of the Justice Department’s key immigration initiatives: pursuing the largest denaturalization effort in Department history to restore trust and integrity in U.S. citizenship," Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward wrote.

Schiltz declined to comment on the Justice Department's new effort to disqualify him when reached by Fox News Digital this week. But when Fox News Digital asked him about the possibility of recusal in September, Schiltz argued there was no basis for him to step aside — and pointed to the fact that DOJ had not asked him to do so.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE'S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY

"I have seen suggestions from the Administration that I might have to recuse in immigration cases, but no one has yet identified any basis for my recusal, which is presumably why the Justice Department has not asked me to recuse," Schiltz said at the time.

"Neither in the New York Times article nor anywhere else have I commented on the merits of a particular case," he continued. "Instead, I have spoken in defense of the rule of law, a component of which is compliance with court orders. That is not a cause for recusal."

Tunheim did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Charles "Cully" Stimson, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation who previously served as a federal prosecutor and military judge, told Fox News Digital that judges ordinarily avoid publicly commenting on matters that could intersect with cases before them.

"These judges did something extraordinarily imprudent, and that is to talk to any newspaper, much less the New York Times," Stimson said. "That was a big no-no."

STATE'S LARGEST MOSQUE LEADER’S DEPORTATION FIGHT TAKES DRAMATIC TURN AS TRUMP ADMIN SCORES MAJOR WIN

Asked what he would do if the New York Times interviews were the only facts at issue, Stimson said he would step aside.

"If we were to just go off of the New York Times interview ... I would recuse myself," Stimson said, noting the recusal would only be from the particular case at issue as opposed to all future cases adjudicating the same principles.

Stimson cautioned, however, that recusal motions put judges in the unusual position of effectively judging their own impartiality and said it would be inappropriate to predict how either motion should ultimately be resolved without the complete record.

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If either judge denies DOJ's request, Stimson said the government could seek review from the Eighth Circuit, where a three-judge panel would determine whether the government has met the legal standard for recusal.

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DOJ declined to comment further Thursday beyond its public statement. A DOJ spokesperson also did not answer Fox News Digital's question about whether the department would appeal if Schiltz or Tunheim denies the recusal motions.

Ilhan Omar is not the "real name" of the Minnesota congresswoman, Fox News Digital has learned.

Her real name is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, according to two people familiar with the ongoing investigation into the Somali-born congresswoman, including a law enforcement source.

And if proven in court that Omar has lived her "entire life under an alias," a former Minnesota federal immigration judge tells Fox News Digital that every single form she ever filled out could be "called into question."

On Wednesday, U.S. District Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro filed a motion seeking to prevent the federal search warrant for the congresswoman’s home from being unsealed, which was requested by several media outlets. The motion says the federal government is not yet finished executing the search warrant, and that it shouldn’t be unsealed yet.

"Before the Court are three Applications to unseal ex parte materials and proceedings related to a federal search warrant for the personal residence in the District of Columbia of Congresswoman Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar…" the motion begins.

"That's not her real name," one source said when asked why the motion used the "a/k/a Ilhan Adbullahi Omar" language.

After publication, a spokesperson from Omar's office provided a statement to Fox News Digital disputing the report. 

"This is completely false. Ilhan Omar is her real name," the spokesperson said, followed by an attack on Fox News. 

In a second statement, Omar's spokesperson referenced Wednesday night's interview on MS NOW, where Omar answered questions about whether she ever married her brother. 

"Rep. Omar has repeatedly and unequivocally denied this baseless, disgusting conspiracy theory. She denied it again on MS NOW—and when pressed yet again, responded sarcastically." the spokesperson said. She called those questions a "desperate smear to distract from designed to distract from Trump’s failed presidency and two years of Republican failure in Congress."

The spokesperson said it's "disgraceful that the media continues to give this lie oxygen."

Fox News Digital first reported in the midst of the search of the lawmaker's Washington, D.C. residence that federal investigators are probing whether she or her father committed fraud when filling out her immigration paperwork.

Investigators obtained the elected official’s DNA and seized her personal phone and passport during the Oct. 12 pre-dawn raid.

FEDERAL AGENTS SEIZE PHONE OF REP ILHAN OMAR IN RAID TIED TO IMMIGRATION FRAUD PROBE

Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor, was questioned by federal investigators last week in relation to the probe, Fox News Digital exclusively reported.

Conservative personality Will Chamberlain first posted the motion on X speculating that the "DOJ believes [Omar] is present in the United States under a false identity."

Fox News Digital has now learned from multiple sources familiar with the investigation that Omar is not the congresswoman’s birth name.

REP ILHAN OMAR'S IMMIGRATION HISTORY FACES NEW SCRUTINY AS FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS SUBPOENA RELATIVES

Omar has publicly confirmed that she does not have a birth certificate.

In an official U.S. House biography, her birthday is listed as Oct. 14, 1982, and states that she was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. She says she came to the U.S. with her family as refugees fleeing war-torn Somalia in 1995, when she was a minor.

Omar has not been charged with a crime, and materials presented by prosecutors are only allegations.

Attorneys for the embattled congresswoman did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Nathan Hansen, a former federal immigration judge from Minnesota, listed the extent to which the supposed name change could impact the case against the congresswoman.

"You think of all the types of documents somebody like her might have filled out," he said. "There'd be federal student loan and student aid applications, maybe federal housing related applications, maybe public assistance applications, passport applications, passport information and driver's license information, Real I.D. information [and] voting information."

ILHAN OMAR'S TURBULENT WEEK EXPLAINED: THE DUELING PROBES THAT THREW THE SOMALI-BORN PROGRESSIVE INTO CHAOS

He said if someone has lived their entire lives under an alias, there are many criminal charges that could be levied.

"Sometimes they might say that that would be a wire fraud charge, they always add that one," said Hansen. "And that's pretty broad. But, you know, a lot of these documents are sworn under penalty of perjury."

"If this is not, like, a real legal name, it's got some legal backing to it that every type of government form she's filled out in her entire existence might be called into question," Hansen said.

ILHAN OMAR SHOULD BE JAILED, DEPORTED IF CITIZENSHIP FRAUD PROVEN, TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS

The representative for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House, has long faced allegations that she married her brother for immigration purposes.

In 2009, she legally married a man named Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. The pair split in 2017. The following year, she was elected to Congress. In 2020, she married her third husband, political consultant Tim Mynett.

In Omar's first public interview since the raid on her home, she sat down with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes. During that interview, she once again denied those allegations, calling them "insane."

ILHAN OMAR BELIEVES TRUMP RAID ON HOME WAS MEANT TO 'INTIMIDATE AND SCARE PEOPLE' FROM VOTING

"You’re not related to him at all?" Hayes asked. "There’s not some weird kernel of truth…?"

"Not to my knowledge," she replied.

In the wake of the raid, Omar has accused President Donald Trump and his administration of targeting her politically.

"This raid by Trump’s DHS is an outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies," she said in a statement on X.

HOMAN SAYS ILHAN OMAR COULD BE STRIPPED OF NATURALIZATION, DEPORTED IF IMMIGRATION FRAUD IS PROVEN

"For a decade, Donald Trump has relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back," the post continued. "Now, those attacks have escalated to a pointless federal raid. The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong. No president should be able to use the power of the federal government to intimidate his political enemies."

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Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for Omar, but did not hear back at time of publication.

A top federal prosecutor in California said federal investigators have determined that all 20,000 people they flagged on the state's voter rolls as "likely noncitizens" are not U.S. citizens.

Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for California's Central District, told Fox News Digital that federal investigators have evidence that these 20,000 individuals received mail ballots this month. His office sued California last week seeking a court order to prevent any ballots they return from being counted.

"We're not asking California to take any drastic steps other than to sequester the ballots from the suspected noncitizens," Essayli said in an interview on Wednesday. "We believe it's at a minimum of 20,000. That's the floor."

The potential ceiling, he said, is much larger. Essayli referenced a letter Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin sent to California in July that flagged nearly 200,000 voters as possible noncitizens.

DOJ OFFICIAL DEFENDS TRUMP'S NONCITIZEN VOTER PROBE ON '60 MINUTES,' ACCUSES SHOW OF EDITING OUT HER ANSWERS

Since then, federal investigators have been sifting through those records to identify people they believe they can verify as noncitizens.

He said 20,000 is only the current tally and expects thousands more names to be added in the coming days.

Earlier this week, Essayli got into a social media spat with Gov. Gavin Newsom over the state's safeguards against noncitizen voting.

Essayli argued that California is allowing people without citizenship onto the voter rolls through its supposedly lax verification processes, while Newsom said the state follows all relevant federal law governing the integrity of elections.

In court filings, California election officials have pushed back against the Justice Department's demands, arguing that county election offices lack both the authority and access to federal records needed to verify voters' citizenship status.

They have also said that sequestering ballots from people on the DOJ list is impossible in cases where the ballots have already been processed. Once a ballot's signature is verified, it is removed from its identifying envelope and processed alongside other ballots, meaning it can no longer be traced back to an individual voter.

STATE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS SHARING PASSPORT RECORDS FOR VOTER CITIZENSHIP CHECKS

"That is true. That's why we're getting an emergency court order requiring them to put those ballots aside," Essayli said. "Ballots have already gone out, people are filling them out and they're being returned in process as we speak. So, the crime is occurring in real time."

The DOJ escalated its push for immediate court intervention Wednesday, asking the judge to rule on its emergency request by noon Thursday. In Los Angeles County alone, officials have already processed 331,000 ballots, according to court records.

Essayli's office filed suit on Oct. 15, roughly two weeks after California sent out mail ballots, including to the possible noncitizens on the DOJ list, according to the federal government.

When asked why the Justice Department didn't act sooner, Essayli explained that investigators did not know exactly which voters would receive ballots until they were sent.

ELECTION CRIME ARRESTS KEEP PILING UP AS DEMS INSIST IT 'JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN'

He said California should cooperate with the federal government to expedite the process of verifying voters' citizenship.

That would involve providing additional identifying information, including driver's license numbers and Social Security numbers when available, that federal investigators could cross-check against government databases.

California and dozens of other states treat this information as confidential and have refused to turn it over to the federal government, prompting the DOJ to take several of them to court.

In a separate lawsuit from Sept. 2025, the DOJ tried to compel California to provide its complete, unredacted voter-registration database, including names, Social Security numbers, home addresses and voting histories.

In January, a district court sided with California and dismissed the case, calling the government's request "unprecedented and illegal." The DOJ appealed the ruling and litigation is ongoing.

MAP IT: DOJ ILLEGAL VOTING CRACKDOWN SWEEPS 17 STATES AS RAZOR-THIN ELECTIONS FACE SCRUTINY

"If California will make available or submit its records, we can quickly put them through our established systems to determine who's a citizen and who's not," Essayli told Fox News Digital. "They're forcing us to do it the hard way, which we're willing to do because this is very important."

He said every person on the current 20,000-name list was individually reviewed by a federal employee at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Homeland Security Investigations.

California officials, however, have questioned the reliability of the DOJ list.

Monica Flores, an assistant registrar-recorder in Los Angeles County, said in a court declaration that her office conducted a preliminary review of a sample of 200 records from the list that were associated with LA County addresses.

Of those, 112 corresponded to canceled or inactive voter registrations, meaning no ballot was mailed to those individuals for the November election, Flores said.

TRUMP ADMIN WANTS TO REQUIRE TAX FILERS TO DISCLOSE CITIZENSHIP STATUS TO IRS

"I don't believe that, actually," Essayli said. "The information we have is that they likely received ballots. So we are asking for the names of people they claim whose registration has been canceled."

Essayli added LA County did not say when these registrations were canceled. He raised the possibility at least some were canceled after federal officials provided the state with their list.

"If they're canceling now based on the records we provided, that's great news," Essayli said. "But that's all to be determined."

In the 200-person sample reviewed by LA County, Flores said that among records where birthplace was "meaningfully reported," 38.9% indicated the person was born in the United States, which she called "strong evidence of citizenship."

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Essayli similarly disputed this conclusion, arguing that the birthplace information — much like the citizenship information itself — was provided by the registered voters themselves.

"They're not independently checking any of this information," Essayli said. "They're going off the information that was provided to them by the person who registered to vote."

The California Secretary of State's office and the LA County Registrar-Recorder's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Essayli said that his office is determined to follow through with its investigation because "one noncitizen voting is too many."

"One illegal vote cancels out the vote of an American citizen. There are a lot of local elections that are decided on very few votes," he said. "Noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections, and we intend to enforce that law."

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts released a video of alleged sham marriage mastermind Jennifer Gonzalez detailing her pay-for-play scheme which officials say netted her over $6 million.

The U.S. Attorney's Office accused Gonzalez of orchestrating fake marriages between U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants, charging the immigrants up to $40,000 per marriage.

Gonzalez can be seen on a video recorded by a witness cooperating with federal law enforcement explaining how her scheme worked.

FORMER USCIS OFFICIAL, ACCOMPLICE CHARGED IN ALLEGED $960K CITIZENSHIP BRIBERY SCHEME

"They will come, I will present them to the wife, they're like, 'yes, I want them, not a problem, I'll be back in, I don't know, three weeks.' And they would leave and make me hold these girls for months," she explained.

"The payment, it's agreed by both parties, OK? This is the first initial payment for the total amount of $38,000. Now, let me calculate that real quick. So $38,000 minus $3,000," she continued, while using a calculator. "That's going to give us $35,000. And then the day of the wedding, you have to bring me, what? $12,000.

WOMAN EXPOSED RUNNING VISA FRAUD SCHEME SPANNING YEARS, POSING AS IMMIGRATION OFFICER

"You and I are the ones in this contract, not nobody else. Because we don't want to get your wife and yourself into a...putting in paper about a fake marriage. You know what I mean? Does that make sense to you? Because if anything happened, we don't want them to have any proof that this was fake," she said.

Gonzalez also explained to the witness, who she believed to be an illegal immigrant, that Massachusetts was the best place to go for illegal immigrants because of its sanctuary state status.

BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE DEALS TRUMP ANOTHER SANCTUARY CITY DEFEAT IN MAJOR IMMIGRATION FIGHT

"Massachusetts is best place for you to be. That is a fact," Gonzalez said.

"You get health insurance. You get a lot of help as an immigrant here," she explained, adding, "Trump doesn't like this state because...the state defends us very much."

She also revealed that she stopped arranging the marriages around 2025 because of increased federal immigration enforcement.

BIRTH TOURISM SELLS AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, AND TRUMP IS SHUTTING IT DOWN

Gonzalez further told the witness that she owned multiple properties in the Dominican Republic, which she called "my country," and in Puerto Rico.

"Miss Gonzalez got rich off selling the American dream, all the while investing her money in another country," Leah Foley, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, told reporters during a Wednesday press conference announcing the scheme.

DOJ SAYS 11 MIGRANTS INDICTED IN MULTI-STATE SEX TRAFFICKING, DRUG, FIREARMS CASE

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While prosecutors described Gonzalez as the ringleader of the operation, authorities arrested four other co-conspirators involved in the scheme.

Fox News Digital's James Cirrone contributed to this report.

A Florida attorney was arrested after she threatened to shoot ICE agents in the head while trying to buy a gun, federal authorities said.

Lisa White, who lives in Mississippi, was arrested in Long Beach after allegedly threatening to "kill federal agents" while attempting to purchase a firearm and pepper spray, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement release.

Homeland Security Investigations identified White as a Florida attorney in a post announcing her arrest on X.

Authorities said White asked whether specific firearms could penetrate ballistic vests, then allegedly said she would target agents’ heads if she could not breach their armor.

FBI ARRESTS PROTESTER WHO THREATENED TO KILL ICE OFFICER'S FAMILY AT NJ DETENTION CENTER PROTEST, BLANCHE SAYS

HSI Gulfport special agents responded, interviewed witnesses and located and arrested White, according to the release.

The investigation began Sept. 23 after an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alerted HSI to the encounter at High Caliber Guns, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Sun Herald.

White entered the store around 11:30 a.m. and told employees, "I need a gun," according to the complaint cited by the outlet.

She allegedly identified herself as an activist and protester and said she wanted a firearm for protection at a protest because she believed "ICE agents are becoming crazy and wild."

But White also told an employee she wanted to buy a gun to kill ICE agents, according to the complaint.

While discussing the weapons, White allegedly gestured toward her torso and asked whether the guns could penetrate an agent’s body armor. If they could not, she said she would need to "hit them in the head, shoulder, arm or leg," the complaint states, according to the Sun Herald.

A shop employee reportedly warned White that pointing a gun at law enforcement would likely get her killed.

"If I have to die, I have to die," White responded, according to the complaint.

The employee then suggested White buy pepper spray instead of a gun and directed her to a shooting range for training, the complaint states.

White looked at two pistols but left empty-handed after the shop declined to complete the sale and told her she could return in two to three days, the newspaper reported. Store employees then alerted authorities, prompting the investigation.

"The safety of our personnel is paramount, and HSI takes any threat against federal law enforcement officers with the utmost seriousness," HSI Gulfport Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Reidell said.

"We commend the vigilance of the citizens for recognizing these threats and notifying law enforcement immediately, which allowed us to intervene swiftly."

ANTI-ICE AGITATOR SCREAMS ‘I’LL KILL YOUR WHOLE F- FAMILY’ DAY AFTER DEM GOV PRAISES ‘PEACEFUL PROTESTING’

White remained in custody as agents prepared a federal charge of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threat, ICE said.

EXCLUSIVE: LA ICE DIRECTOR REVEALS OFFICERS FOLLOWED HOME, HARASSED AS POLICE FAIL TO HELP IN SANCTUARY CITY

"Threats against federal law enforcement will NOT be tolerated," HSI wrote on X. "HSI will continue to investigate threats against the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our homeland."

The arrest comes as ICE reports a sharp increase in threats and attacks against its personnel.

HEROIC ICE OFFICERS, STAFF MEMBER OPEN UP ON GROWING DANGERS: ‘AM I GOING TO DIE?'

In its release, the agency cited an increase of more than 1,600% in assaults, 3,300% in vehicle attacks and 8,000% in death threats against ICE officers. It did not provide the underlying totals or comparison period.

ICE said President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin have made clear that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated, warning that people who threaten or attack officers face arrest and prosecution.

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Fox News Digital reached out to White for comment.

An American woman living in Massachusetts has been accused by the Department of Justice of arranging sham marriages to help her clients seek green cards and U.S. citizenship.

Jennifer Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen, collected up to $40,000 per marriage and arranged as many as 20 per year over the last decade, according to Leah Foley, the U.S. attorney for the Massachusetts District.

Gonzalez's female employees, who were also charged, married the men looking to get legal status in the U.S., authorities said.

"This conspiracy netted her $6 million during the course of the alleged scam," Foley said during a news conference Wednesday at the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. "She bragged that she invested her ill-gotten proceeds in businesses and property in the Dominican Republic, which she repeatedly referred to as 'my country.'"

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It appears Gonzalez spilled the details of the scheme to a witness cooperating with federal law enforcement. Foley said Gonzalez believed this individual was an illegal immigrant.

Gonzalez, 43, told a witness who was recording the interaction that Massachusetts was "so special" because it is a sanctuary state where "illegal aliens get a lot of help as an immigrant."

Gonzalez also allegedly said her goal was to give all her children pieces of land in the Dominican Republic they could later own.

"Miss Gonzalez got rich off selling the American dream, all the while investing her money in another country," Foley said.

Gonzalez told the witness she stopped holding phony marriages at the end of 2024 because President Donald Trump was returning to office, before shutting down the scheme entirely in 2025 because immigration enforcement had become "a little harsh," according to Foley.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE'S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY

Gonzalez was described by prosecutors as the "ringleader" of the operation, though there were other alleged co-conspirators.

Amara Pugh, Gonzalez's 31-year-old secretary, along with Jessica Tavares, 31; Erica Daniels, 29; and Jaylin Hill, 26, were allegedly paid to marry Gonzalez's clients. Gonzalez also allegedly entered into a sham marriage herself with an illegal immigrant.

Photographs of at least two marriage ceremonies were included in court records shared by the Justice Department.

In most cases, they would stay married to the illegal immigrants for years, get divorced, then get married to other illegal immigrants as early as a month after their divorces, officials added.

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Foley told reporters that another component of the alleged fraud involved Gonzalez applying for and receiving SNAP benefits from 2019 through 2026. She received more than $124,000 from the SNAP program over that time, according to prosecutors.

"She did not list her income from her sham marriage business and did not list anyone else in her household, not the illegal alien she married and not the father of her children, who she referred to as her husband," Foley said.

Gonzalez, Pugh, Tavares and two other conspirators were arrested Wednesday morning, the Justice Department said. Hill is already in state prison for a gun offense.

The Trump administration is closing in on $1 billion in payments to American veterans, families and civilian employees who were exposed to toxic drinking water at Marine Corps Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between 1953 and 1987.

For many, the payouts would finally rectify a decades-long battle for justice.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), claimants have received more than $919.7 million since President Donald Trump began his second term in office in January 2025. The administration has paid out about 3,300 people who made claims under the 2022 law. From that year to the beginning of 2025, before Trump retook office, only 459 settlements had been paid, totaling $59.6 million.

Payments under the program range from $100,000 to $550,000, depending on the illness.

"Tonight I’m pleased to announce my administration has delivered $1 billion in cash settlements to these veterans and their families, in addition to 3.1 billion for the VA and ordering the DOJ to settle all remaining legitimate claims as soon as possible," Trump said at a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday night. "We don’t want to give any to the trial lawyers, we want it all to go to the families."

The claims are due to be paid out under a 2022 law, the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, which includes the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Under the law, victims who developed cancer or other illnesses from the drinking water on the base are entitled to relief.

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The Trump administration in March announced that it was making settlements a priority, and made a concerted effort to accelerate the pace of the payouts.

Ed Bell is a South Carolina-based attorney who spearheaded the charge to pass the law. He's been an attorney for 44 years, and for half of that time has been fighting for justice for the Camp Lejeune victims. He's the lead counsel on the case, helping victims to get the payouts they're owed.

"A lot of these people have been waiting a long time, and quite frankly, I think a lot of them are relieved," Bell told Fox News Digital. "A lot of them feel like the government has finally said, 'we're sorry,' by helping with the settlements, so I think it's very positive."

Bell estimates that about 300,000 claims will eventually be paid out, acknowledging that there's a long way to go to completely remedy the wrong that was done.

But he was complimentary of the team of people in the Trump administration dedicated to justice.

"I have to say, I'm very bullish on what the Department of Justice has been doing," he said, noting that he works closely with Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who he says is "working his tail off" on the settlements.

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"[Woodward] is excellent, but you have to remember, this case and any resolution involves hundreds and hundreds of details, and it is a laborious process," Bell said. "I am pleased to work with [the DOJ], and I think that eventually we'll get this resolved. I think that's the intent of the Department of Justice."

MILITARY FAMILIES DEMAND DOJ DISTRIBUTE NEARLY $800M FROM FRENCH CEMENT COMPANY FOUND GUILTY OF BRIBING ISIS

Bell, who took his first case on the Camp Lejeune drinking water contamination in 2007, explained that each settlement is based on the level of harm caused to the victim. So, he explained, someone diagnosed with stage one cancer would ultimately be paid out less than someone who had stage four cancer.

"It's a fair system," Bell said.

Between 1953 and 1987, three of the base’s eight water systems contained contaminated water.

Bell said that even after the government found out the water was toxic, it did nothing, allowing troops to continue drinking the hazardous mix. Pregnant women drank the water, leading to the death of their babies. The contamination was found to cause four incurable diseases, according to Bell.

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The Justice Department and the Department of the Navy launched the "Elective Option" settlement program in 2023.

That program is designed as an alternative to litigation and offers quicker payouts to people with qualifying illnesses.

A Biden-appointed judge embroiled in a fierce dispute with the Trump administration over the removal of hundreds of trees at a federally owned D. C. golf course reversed course during Monday's nearly seven-hour hearing.

Judge Ana Reyes ended the nearly seven-hour hearing by backing away from her initial demand that Justice Department attorneys arguing the case put their names alongside Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr.’s Sunday filing. Reyes had invoked Rule 11, which requires attorneys to stand behind the factual basis of court filings and can subject them to sanctions for violations.

"Late breaking news," Reyes said. "I'm going to withdraw request that DOJ refile yesterday's brief with identification of who signed it. we've all got better things to spend our time on."

The about-face from Reyes, who hours before the hearing was dubbed a "crazed lunatic" by President Donald Trump on Truth Social, is the latest development in a court battle over Trump's plans to completely renovate East Potomac Golf Links into a "world-class, U.S. Open-caliber course." The lawsuit, which was first filed in February, reached a boiling point earlier this month when the National Park Service removed roughly 430 trees at the golf course over a weekend. The Interior Department said the tree removals were part of a years-old plan to restore the course’s historic design and were unrelated to Trump’s proposed overhaul.

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Though the action did not violate a court order, it prompted Reyes to impose a temporary restraining order barring further tree removals. She also was described as "screaming" at the administration attorneys during an Oct. 12 hearing.

The hearing prompted Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward to seek Reyes’ removal from the case, accusing her of bias and "open hostility" toward the Trump administration.

Both Woodward and Trump have called for the release of the court’s audio recordings of the hearings.

"The judge on the case is a crazed lunatic whose courthouse tapes will reveal, may be insane? The tapes have been blocked from usage by the judge," Trump posted Monday hours before the hearing, saying the Trump administration has a "right" to turn the course into a "great, safe, and prestigious" golf course. "Work is scheduled to begin IMMEDIATELY! The finished product will be World Class, and bring income and great prestige back to D.C."

Trump made two other tweets Sunday saying that Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum and architect Tom Fazio had "developed a plan" to revamp the East Potomac Golf Links into a "World Class Championship Golf Course" and that work would begin November 15.

The tweets prompted Reyes to give the Justice Department an 8 p.m. filing deadline, saying Trump's characterization conflicted with a previous filing that stated there was "no agency action" in Trump's golf course plan.

The filing was signed only by Woodward, which immediately became a point of contention at the start of Monday's hearing.

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Reyes demanded that the attorneys "raise your hand" if they would sign the briefing, which Woodward said was "not an appropriate request."

She then invoked Rule 11 and ordered them to the podium to sign the filing.

But Woodward and the attorneys refused. Reyes initially set a 3 p.m. deadline but later extended it until noon Tuesday and offered to allow the attorneys' names to appear on the brief rather than requiring their signatures. In the end, she abandoned the demand completely.

"For those wondering, a common reason high level DOJ appointees sometimes signs briefs boils down to good leadership," Abhishek Kambli, a former federal prosecutor, wrote on X. "If there is something that is likely to be contentious with a judge, a DOJ leader signs their name on the brief so that any issues someone has with the brief is directed at them rather than lower level attorneys. Regardless, it goes without saying that a decision such as this should not be something a judge is inquiring into."

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"DOJ line attorneys increasingly do not sign briefs because of Dem law fare. Dems have and continue to go after the bar licenses of young DOJ line attorneys who are simply executing on behalf of the department," Rachel Boulvard, vice president of programs at the Conservative Partnership Institute, wrote on X.

Reyes, appointed by President Joe Biden in 2023, previously faced a Justice Department judicial-misconduct complaint over her handling of litigation challenging Trump’s restrictions on transgender individuals serving in the military.

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During a February 2025 hearing, Reyes questioned a Trump administration attorney about what Jesus Christ would say about policies excluding transgender people from homeless shelters.

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Then-DOJ Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle accused Reyes of "hostile and egregious misconduct" and potential bias in a formal complaint filed with the D.C. Circuit. The complaint was later dismissed, with the circuit’s chief judge concluding that a recusal motion was the proper avenue for challenging Reyes’ conduct.

FIRST ON FOX: Popular grocery delivery company Instacart has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) after it was accused of discriminating against American workers.

The DOJ's Civil Rights Division says it has reached a $5 million settlement with Maplebear Inc., which operates the delivery service used by Americans to get groceries sent to their front doors. The resolution addresses allegations that the company purposefully discriminated against U.S. and American workers based on country of origin, which the DOJ says violates the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).

The company, according to the Justice Department, was abusing the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process by placing undue burdens on American applicants by requiring them to physically mail applications to the company, deviating from Instacart's standard electronic application process. The scheme occurred from December 2023 through February 2026.

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"This significant resolution marks the 15th settlement agreement the Civil Rights Division has reached under my leadership to protect U.S. workers," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said. "Our record demonstrates that the Justice Department is holding companies who prefer workers with temporary employment visas accountable. We will not stop fighting for U.S. workers until there is a fair playing field."

The settlement was secured in conjunction with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Instacart will be required, under the settlement, to set up a $4 million fund to compensate applicants who may have been wronged, and another $1 million in civil penalties.

The PERM program allows employers to sponsor temporary visa workers for permanent residence in the United States. However, companies using the PERM program are required to make a "good-faith" effort to hire American workers before resorting to foreigners.

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Companies cannot create "additional burdens for U.S. and American workers; publishing job advertisements that disfavor, limit, specify, or otherwise discriminate against U.S. and American workers; or use processes that limit, segregate, or classify applicants in any way that tends to deprive U.S. and American applicants of employment opportunities," according to the DOJ.

The settlement is the 15th of its kind since President Donald Trump began his second term in office in January 2025 and is part of a broader effort to ensure American workers aren't illegally discriminated against.

The EEOC has dubbed the mission "Project Firewall."

"Today’s settlement makes clear that when employers erect unlawful barriers that harm American workers, the EEOC will act decisively," said Andrea Lucas, the chair of the EEOC. "The EEOC is committed to holding companies accountable when they deny equal work opportunities to U.S. workers by preferring temporary visa holders for jobs. Discrimination against workers based on their American national origin has no place in our economy."

"We're proud to be a U.S.-based grocery technology platform, employing thousands of American workers and serving millions of customers, retailers, shoppers and brands. We encourage qualified U.S. jobseekers to apply to join our team," an Instacart spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

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"Hiring and investing in American workers across our U.S. business is our priority, and we actively promote every role across many channels to ensure qualified U.S. candidates are always first in line for opportunities. While we maintain that our practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, we’re pleased to have resolved this matter so we can keep our full focus on delivering on our mission for customers, shoppers, retailers and brands."

The Justice Department sent grand jury subpoenas to Democratic Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's office in recent days, Fox News has learned.

Two sources briefed on the subpoenas say they are related to potential obstruction of justice relating to the handling of cases before federal judges. The sources said the subpoenas came as a result of a federal judge referring Krasner and his top deputy to the DOJ for possible criminal investigation.

Krasner's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The DOJ declined to comment.

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Reports of the subpoenas come more than a month after U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond referred Krasner and his deputy, Matthew Stiegler, to the DOJ, saying evidence uncovered in a murder conviction case could constitute false statements, perjury, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

Neither man has been charged.

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Diamond also disqualified Krasner and Stiegler from the case but declined to disqualify the entire DA's office.

The judge alleged that Krasner and Stiegler sought to pressure prosecutors into presenting a false narrative to the court and that Krasner warned of "consequences" if staff alerted the court to an internal conflict.

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"I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law," Diamond wrote.

The dispute stems from the case of Dennis Johnson, who was convicted in 2009 of killing Kenyatta Smith.

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The DA’s office said in a 2022 filing that Johnson was entitled to habeas corpus relief based on ineffective assistance of counsel, according to The Associated Press.

Prosecutors later raised potential conflicts involving Stiegler and urged that the matter be referred to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

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According to the opinion, Krasner opposed that move and repeatedly said someone from his office needed to remain involved to "protect the office."

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"I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law," Krasner said in a statement at the time. "I look forward to appealing to the higher court as soon as the law allows. This remains a pending matter, which limits for now my and my office’s ability to respond in the media."

EXCLUSIVE - President Donald Trump is putting cash behind his crackdown on taxpayer fraud, offering Americans rewards for tips that help bring fraudsters to justice.

Speaking alongside Vice President JD Vance and independent journalist Nick Shirley in the Oval Office, Trump unveiled the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program and said qualifying tipsters would receive a 1% commission, subject to applicable laws and rules.

"If you turn somebody in and you, let's say report, and you find $1 billion, we are giving a commission to that person of 1%," Trump said.

Fox News Digital exclusively reported plans for the program ahead of Tuesday’s announcement. A White House official initially described a $25 million initiative administered by the Justice Department, with rewards of up to $30,000 for tips leading to a successful fraud conviction or significant federal enforcement action.

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Trump’s remarks outlined a different payout structure. He said journalists could also participate, subject to applicable rules and approval from their employers.

Americans can report suspected theft of taxpayer dollars through fraud.gov, Trump said.

The president also said he would personally settle disputes over who deserves a reward, describing a process in which he would determine whether competing tipsters should split a payment.

"I'll make that determination. It'll be done expeditiously and fairly," Trump said.

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Vance said the initiative grew out of a conversation with Trump about recruiting Americans to help investigators uncover fraud.

"If you want to help us stop it, you get to share in the rewards," Vance said.

Shirley drew national attention in December 2025 after publishing a video questioning whether several Somali-run Minnesota daycare centers were operating as legitimate businesses. His video showed apparently empty facilities and included people who said they had not seen children at the locations.

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The White House credited Shirley’s reporting with helping spur a surge of FBI and Department of Homeland Security resources into Minnesota, followed by investigations, arrests and new charges.

One facility featured in Shirley’s video was Future Leaders Early Learning Center, whose former CEO, Fahima Egeh Mahamud, pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

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Prosecutors said Mahamud stole more than $4.6 million through false child care assistance claims and $850,000 through a federal child nutrition program connected to the Feeding Our Future scandal.

Shirley previously pointed to Mahamud’s guilty plea as vindication of his reporting amid efforts to discredit his investigations.

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"Well, numbers don't lie, and convictions don't lie either," he previously told Fox News Digital.

Trump praised the independent journalist’s work, telling him, "He's done an amazing job."

Shirley said his reporting had drawn threats and scrutiny of him rather than the suspected wrongdoing he sought to expose.

"Instead of the mainstream media investigating the fraud they investigated me," Shirley said.

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The reward initiative adds a public tip incentive to the administration’s broader campaign against fraud in federal benefits programs.

Trump established the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in March, with Vance serving as chairman. The executive order directed the group to coordinate efforts across federal agencies to uncover fraud, strengthen eligibility checks and prevent improper payments.

Under the new program, submitting an allegation alone would not qualify someone for a reward. The tip must lead to a successful fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action, according to the White House official.

"Every day, President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud is zeroing in on the rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars and giving Americans the accountability they deserve. This administration has zero tolerance for individuals who steal from Americans," White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.

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The event also brought a separate announcement from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, who said the administration was deferring another $1.2 billion in California Medicaid payments directed toward personal care services.

Oz cited questions about the program’s spending growth and said tips from people inside businesses can help investigators identify wrongdoing.

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, the task force’s vice chairman, also called for Congress to impose mandatory minimum prison terms for benefits fraud and civil liability for state officials who fail to stop fraud they could have prevented.

Fox News Digital's David Unsworth contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Ilhan Omar's older sister was questioned by federal investigators last week in relation to an immigration fraud probe into the congresswoman, Fox News Digital has learned.

Three sources familiar with the investigation said Sahra Noor voluntarily spoke with the investigators after the high-profile Monday morning raid on the residence Omar shares with her husband in Washington, D.C. It is not clear the scope of the conversation Noor had with investigators.

Like Omar, Noor came to the United States as a child fleeing the civil war in Somalia. She currently lives in Kenya, according to her LinkedIn page, but has been in the United States promoting her new book, "Salt in the Snow: A Somali Immigrant Story."

The House lawmaker's sister canceled a Minnesota stop on the book tour last week amid the fallout of the raid and the ensuing interview with authorities.

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The book event, which was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, at the University of Minnesota Rochester, was promoted online by Garden Party Books, a local bookstore that listed itself as a "proud supporter" of the event alongside the university and the Rochester Public Library.

A representative from Garden Party Books told Fox News Digital last week that the event was canceled because Noor had a "family emergency." It is now revealed that last week she was questioned by federal investigators.

Omar’s D.C. home was raided by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the chief investigatory body of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), at around 6 a.m. last Monday. Sources confirmed to Fox News Digital that the agency executed a search warrant in relation to an immigration fraud probe.

Specifically, they are probing whether the lawmaker or her father falsified information when filling out her citizenship paperwork.

ILHAN OMAR'S TURBULENT WEEK EXPLAINED: THE DUELING PROBES THAT THREW THE SOMALI-BORN PROGRESSIVE INTO CHAOS

Border czar Tom Homan revealed over the weekend that if the allegations are proven, they could lead to Omar’s denaturalization.

During the raid, Omar’s personal phone, passport and computer were seized, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. And Omar’s attorneys over the weekend demanded that the Justice Department return some of the property confiscated by HSI.

Additionally, The New York Times reported that about a dozen people, including Omar’s relatives, have been subpoenaed in the case.

Omar has not been seen publicly since before the raid, though her husband has been seen several times walking their dog, taking out the trash and speaking outside the home with one of the congresswoman's aides. Omar has not responded to Fox News Digital's repeated requests for comment, but she did react to the raid publicly on social media.

"This raid by Trump’s DHS is an outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies," she said in a statement posted to X hours after feds descended on her home.

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"For a decade, Donald Trump has relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back," the post continued. "Now, those attacks have escalated to a pointless federal raid. The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong. No president should be able to use the power of the federal government to intimidate his political enemies."

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital last Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance said the investigation is not politically motivated.

"We don't want to be like the Biden administration. We never want to be like that — where they would allow the law to go after their political opponents," he said.

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"We really want to let the law, the facts drive this," he continued. "And if justice requires something else be done, then, of course, we'll take a step when we have to."

Fox News Digital reached out to Noor, but did not hear back before publication.

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Omar's attorneys did not immediately return a comment request.

The Trump administration reached a settlement with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that will close 18 active federal investigations and a separate Justice Department compliance review involving alleged antisemitism and race discrimination at the university.

The voluntary settlement agreement does not require a monetary payment, and the university does not admit to any wrongdoing or liability. The deal, which will remain effective until the end of 2028, allows UNC to maintain its eligibility for federal funding.

Under the agreement, UNC will appoint an internal "Merit & Civil Rights Administrator" and establish a "Title VI Coordinator" position in its compliance office to address complaints about antisemitism and race-based discrimination.

The university said Elizabeth Hall, associate vice chancellor for university compliance, was appointed to serve in both roles in addition to her existing duties. She will be the point of contact for the Justice Department and oversee UNC's reporting obligations.

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"This announcement reinforces our commitment to the fair and equal treatment of everyone at Carolina," UNC Chancellor Lee H. Roberts said in a statement. "For at least a decade, through different presidential administrations, U.S. universities have faced heightened public scrutiny across a range of issues. We’re proud to resolve those issues at Carolina in a way that protects our mission and affirms the civil rights of everyone in our community."

The agreement also requires UNC to provide mandatory antisemitism training to students, faculty and staff.

UNC will also prohibit face masks used to conceal an individual's identity, subject to certain exceptions, as part of the deal, which said student groups "shall be subject to discipline for antisemitic discriminatory conduct."

President Donald Trump and administration officials have accused pro-Palestinian protesters of antisemitism. But protesters, including some Jewish groups, contend that opposing Israel's military offensive in Gaza is not antisemitic and that support for Palestinian rights does not indicate support for extremism.

The settlement agreement also said UNC will adopt what the Justice Department called a "color-blind admissions system," barring the university from using race or altering its admissions process to change the racial composition of its student body. However, it does not prevent UNC from considering how applicants overcame adversity at a personal level, and the university may consider aspects of family background, such as poverty, if those considerations are applied consistently.

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UNC must also maintain race-blind policies governing student benefits, scholarships, financial aid and programming, according to the agreement.

The administration has argued that policies favoring certain racial groups over others violate federal anti-discrimination law.

The deal said UNC will send any antisemitism and race discrimination complaints it has received to the DOJ and the Department of Education on a quarterly basis.

As part of the agreement, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights will close 18 active investigations into UNC, while the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will close a separate 18-month compliance review opened in April 2025.

"Title VI requires that all students — regardless of their ancestry or race — receive equal treatment under the law at federally funded colleges and universities," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement.

"Higher ed policies and practices that tolerate antisemitism or favor certain racial groups over others frustrate our color-blind justice system. The Civil Rights Division commends UNC for its cooperation in meeting its obligations under federal law without the need for litigation; we hope other institutions will take note and do the same," she added.

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In 2023, the Supreme Court rejected affirmative action at colleges as it struck down ​race-based admissions programs at UNC and Harvard.

The administration has targeted universities across the country with probes and threats to pull federal funding in response to pro-Palestinian protests on campus, diversity initiatives and transgender policies.

The federal government has also settled with some other schools, including Columbia University, which last year agreed to pay more than $200 million to resolve federal probes, and Brown University, which agreed to provide $50 million over 10 years to Rhode Island workforce-development organizations as part of its settlement.

Harvard, which has been a primary target of the administration's threats, has not yet made a deal.

Reuters contributed to this report.