Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has hired former President Joe Biden’s personal attorney as she confronts a widening federal investigation into her finances and immigration history.
The Minnesota lawmaker has built a high-profile defense team that includes two Washington attorneys known for taking on legal battles involving President Donald Trump.
Federal investigators are examining allegations related to Omar’s background and the reported $30 million fortune connected to her husband.
Among Omar’s new lawyers is Amy Jeffress, the prominent attorney who represented Biden during scrutiny of his administration’s use of an autopen to authorize presidential documents.
She is working alongside Joshua Matz, another well-known Washington lawyer who assisted House Democrats during both of Trump’s impeachment proceedings.
Jeffress and Matz are partners at Washington-based Hecker Fink, combining extensive political and litigation experience as Omar confronts one of the most serious controversies of her congressional career.
Their hiring was disclosed days after Omar, 44, appeared in a fundraising video recorded inside a moving vehicle and warned supporters that her legal defense would be expensive.
Ilhan Omar has hired two prominent Washington attorneys as federal investigators examine her finances and immigration history
Amy Jeffress, left, previously served as Joe Biden’s personal attorney, while Joshua Matz, right, represented House Democrats during both of Donald Trump’s impeachments; the pair are now defending Ilhan Omar amid scrutiny of her finances and immigration history
“It is going to be a very expensive and challenging time, and so we appreciate whether you’re able to send $5, $10, $20,” Omar said Tuesday night.
The appeal has drawn attention because Omar earns a congressional salary of $174,000, while recent financial disclosures indicate that assets linked to her husband, political consultant Tim Mynett, may be worth tens of millions of dollars.
Despite those reported figures, Omar told MS NOW that she lives “paycheck to paycheck.”
The New York Post reported that campaign finance filings submitted through October 15 did not show payments made directly to Jeffress, Matz or Hecker Fink.
Jeffress brings significant experience to the case. In 2025, she succeeded Biden’s longtime legal adviser, Bob Bauer, as the former president’s personal attorney.
She represented Biden while federal authorities reviewed the administration’s use of an autopen to sign pardons and other official documents.
Before moving to Hecker Fink, Jeffress was an attorney at the prominent Washington firm Arnold & Porter, where she became involved in several politically sensitive congressional investigations.
She also served as outside counsel to the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, helping lawmakers seek testimony and records through subpoenas.
Matz, Omar’s other attorney, likewise has a long record of high-profile legal disputes involving Trump.
Homeland Security Investigations officers search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in Washington, D.C., on October 12 as part of an ongoing criminal investigation
Homeland Security officers leave the Washington residence of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., after a search on Monday, October 12
He represented House Democrats during both impeachment proceedings against the president and also worked with the January 6 committee.
His other clients have included Brown University, New York University and Columbia University, institutions that have faced legal confrontations with the Trump administration.
Neither attorney primarily specializes in immigration law, according to the Post, although their experience in congressional investigations and high-stakes constitutional disputes could prove valuable to Omar.
Their recruitment comes as federal prosecutors in Washington examine questions involving the congresswoman’s immigration background and financial disclosures.
Particular attention has focused on Omar’s marriage history, including longstanding, unproven allegations that her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, was actually her brother.
The accusation, which originated years ago on a Somali-language blog, has repeatedly been denied by Omar. No court has established that she married a sibling or committed immigration fraud.
Investigators have also reportedly examined her financial filings, which have undergone revisions amid congressional scrutiny of her husband’s business interests.
Omar broke her silence in a wide-ranging interview with MS NOW this week addressing explosive allegations about her former marriage, the federal raid on her home and what she claims is a politically motivated campaign by the Trump administration
Omar married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in 2009. They divorced in 2017. She has denied claims he is her brother
Omar’s husband, political consultant Tim Mynett, has also faced scrutiny over his business finances after congressional disclosures initially suggested his company interests were worth millions, a valuation Omar says was subsequently revised sharply downward
President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Ilhan Omar of immigration fraud and suggested she could face jail time
Questions surrounding Mynett’s reported wealth have intensified after disclosures suggested that businesses linked to him could be valued at up to $30 million.
Omar’s legal difficulties escalated earlier this month when federal agents searched her Washington, DC, residence and seized personal property.
The congresswoman subsequently complained that she was prevented from contacting her attorney for around an hour following the search.
Court documents associated with the operation reportedly referenced the name Nur Said Elmi, adding to speculation about investigators’ interest in her immigration records.
On Friday, Jeffress and Matz sent a seven-page letter to the Department of Justice demanding the return of Omar’s passport, electronic devices and other property taken during the search.
Trump, meanwhile, has shown little inclination to ease the pressure on one of his fiercest Democratic critics.
On Saturday night, the president publicly demanded that Omar ‘immediately’ resign from Congress, alleging that she had been sworn into office under a name other than her own.