Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., ignited a fresh firestorm over immigration enforcement after comparing the United States to the failed state she once fled, declaring she never expected to witness such conduct in the "god----" United States.
At a Democratic field hearing in St. Paul titled "Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump's Deadly Assault on Minnesota," Omar unleashed a profanity-laced denunciation of federal immigration authorities and the Trump administrations policies, according to Fox News. "I don't want to curse, but those of us who escaped places like that, the one place where we thought we would never experience this is the U.S. [sic] god----" states," she said, invoking her experience as a refugee from Somalia to condemn current enforcement actions.
Omar argued that the United States is disgracing itself on the world stage by permitting robust immigration enforcement within its own borders. "And we should all be ashamed that it is the United States that is allowing for this to take place, and it is being broadcast to the rest of the world, where people are calling and saying, Are you sure this is America?' I am ashamed, and we must do everything that we can to bring back the America we all escaped into."
The Minnesota Democrat, whose district includes much of Minneapolis, has long been one of the most strident critics of President Donald Trump and the use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to combat illegal immigration and fraud in her state. With the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent serving as a rallying point for activists, critics of enforcement claim ICE officers are using "strong-arm tactics" designed to intimidate local residents.
Federal presence in the Twin Cities has grown significantly, with Minneapolis and St. Paul now hosting roughly 3,000 federal agents following a sweeping fraud scandal that shook Minnesota late last year. Trump had publicly floated the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act to restore order in the state, though he appeared to retreat from that option on Friday.
Omars rhetoric, particularly her reference to the "U.S. G------ States," drew swift condemnation from conservatives who saw her remarks as deeply disrespectful to the country she serves. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X, "No member of Congress should *ever* refer to our country as the U.S. G------ States.' What should be the consequence of saying that?"
Tech billionaire Elon Musk responded to Lees post with a pointed rejoinder that underscored conservative outrage over Omars comments. "Whatever the penalty is for treason," Musk wrote, alluding to the most severe constitutional crime, which can carry the ultimate punishment of execution.
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to the offices of both Omar and Lee for further comment on the escalating controversy. As of publication, no additional statements had been provided to clarify or temper Omars language or to elaborate on potential congressional responses.
Omar did not limit her criticism to federal agencies, instead accusing Republican lawmakers of tolerating what she described as an "occupation that is terrorizing people in Minnesota that live in Minneapolis and St. Paul." She portrayed herself as standing above partisanship in constituent services, contrasting that image with what she framed as GOP complicity in punitive federal actions.
"When my constituents call for help, we don't ask them who they voted for, because that is what it means to be an elected U.S. representative," she said, before turning her fire on Republicans. "So it is appalling for our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to be OK for the president to carry out retribution here in Minnesota."
Omar escalated her charges further, accusing Republicans of accepting civil-liberties abuses that critics on the right argue are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. "It is appalling for our Republican colleagues to be OK for there to be cell detentions in ICE for American citizens," she went on. "It is appalling for them to be OK for there to be checkpoints in American cities where people are asked for their papers. And it is appalling for Americans to have to carry their citizen papers only to be told they are not sure those papers are correct."
Her remarks highlight a stark divide in Washington over immigration enforcement, national sovereignty, and respect for American institutions, with conservatives arguing that Omars rhetoric crosses a line from policy disagreement into open contempt for the nation itself. As the debate intensifies, Republicans are likely to keep pressing whether a sitting member of Congress who brands the country the "U.S. G------ States" can credibly claim to be defending the America that millions still risk everything to reach.
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