Viral Claim of Federal Action Against Rep. Ilhan Omar Sparks National Uproar and Renewed Fears of Political Misinformation
A dramatic surge of online posts on Wednesday falsely claiming that federal agents had been deployed to Minnesota to forcibly remove Representative Ilhan Omar from the United States intensified political tensions and reignited concerns about how misinformation can catalyze public panic in real time.
The claim—which originated on fringe networks before rapidly spreading to mainstream platforms—asserted without evidence that former President Donald J. Trump had “authorized” a federal operation targeting Ms. Omar over alleged immigration issues. No federal agency has confirmed any such action, and multiple officials described the allegations as “fabricated,” “dangerous,” and “unmoored from reality.”
Within an hour of the rumors going viral, the Department of Homeland Security issued a rare, immediate statement. “There is no federal operation of any kind directed at Representative Omar,” DHS spokesperson Heather Cantrell said. “Assertions circulating online are false and appear to be part of a coordinated disinformation spike.”
The FBI also denied the claims, noting that widespread sharing of falsified screenshots and AI-generated imagery had misled thousands of users. “These materials are not authentic,” an agency representative said. “The public should be cautious about accepting digital content at face value.”
Still, the posts ignited a political storm, with supporters and critics of Ms. Omar rushing to respond before the situation had been clarified. Several prominent Republican commentators amplified the rumors early, framing them as part of a larger immigration debate, while Democratic lawmakers accused their opponents of recklessly fueling panic.
Ms. Omar, who has frequently been the subject of misinformation campaigns, responded late Wednesday, writing on social media that “people are playing dangerous games with lies that could put lives at risk.” Her office did not indicate any security concerns beyond the heightened vigilance that accompanies similar episodes.
Analysts who study digital propaganda say the speed and intensity of the narrative reflect several converging factors: heightened polarization, longstanding hostility toward Ms. Omar from some political groups, and the growing sophistication of fabricated government “leak” graphics.
“This is a textbook case of how disinformation spreads during moments of political anxiety,” said Dr. Lena Chao, director of MIT’s Civic Information Lab. “The claim doesn’t need credibility—only emotional resonance. Once it spreads, it becomes part of a larger storyline about fear, authority and belonging.”
The rumor also tapped into broader national debates over immigration enforcement and the limits of executive power. Supporters of the hoax framed the imaginary operation as the beginning of an “immigration crackdown,” while critics warned that the narrative was being used to normalize the idea of politically motivated removals.
“That’s what makes these stories dangerous,” Dr. Chao added. “They blur the line between what could happen in a worst-case scenario and what is happening, creating collective paranoia that persists even after debunking.”
Intelligence officials told reporters that they are assessing whether the viral claims originated from domestic extremist networks or foreign influence operations seeking to inflame racial and political tensions. They noted that public figures who are immigrants, women of color, or outspoken critics of nationalist movements—including Ms. Omar—are frequent targets of coordinated digital manipulation.
Local officials in Minnesota said there had been no unusual federal activity in the state and expressed frustration that the hoax had prompted a wave of calls to emergency lines and congressional offices.
“This is the fourth time in two years we’ve had to respond to a rapidly spreading political rumor,” said one Minneapolis law enforcement official. “It’s destabilizing and dangerous.”
Experts warn that such episodes are likely to become more frequent as election season intensifies and generative AI tools make it easier to create convincing fraudulent content.
“This is not a story about an operation that happened,” said Dr. Kiran Dasgupta, a professor of political communication at Northwestern University. “It’s a story about how millions of Americans can be swept into a false narrative in minutes—and how quickly that narrative can escalate into talk of constitutional crises, authoritarian power grabs and civil unrest.”
As of late Wednesday, federal agencies continued encouraging the public to rely on official statements rather than viral posts. But with the rumor still circulating across platforms, the incident has already become the latest example of how modern politics can be reshaped—sometimes instantly—by a falsehood no larger than a headline.
