Chief Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has been assigned to decide whether to unseal the FBI search warrant used in a raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home, according to Fox News as cited by the source article. The same judge was labeled a “Radical Left Lunatic” by former President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post last year, the source article says.
What’s at stake
The source article states that multiple organizations want the warrant made public. It adds that, after calls to publicize the warrant, Boasberg told the Justice Department to explain why he should not make it available, per Fox News.
DOJ’s push to keep it sealed—for now
The New York Times is cited by the source article as reporting that “Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia,” said releasing the warrant now “imperils the investigation.” In a Justice Department filing quoted by the source article, the government argued, “This request sounds rash because it is rash,” adding that the court should wait until the warrant is fully executed and any charging decision is public. The filing also stated, “The United States has not found a single case where such relief has been ordered,” and argued that neither the First Amendment nor common law gives the public access to a search warrant affidavit before prosecutors decide on charges.
What happened at Omar’s home
The source article says federal agents searched Omar’s home on Oct. 12 as part of an investigation “believed to be linked” to her immigration status. It also reports that two separate federal investigations into Omar are underway—one into alleged discrepancies in her financial disclosures and another into whether her father misstated his age on citizenship paperwork in 2000—according to Fox News.
Omar’s legal response
Omar’s attorneys are seeking the return of seized property, alleging that agents interfered with her congressional work and blocked her from contacting lawyers during the search, according to Fox News as cited by the source article.
The judge and Trump
The source article says Boasberg drew headlines in 2025 for blocking deportation flights. It further reports that Trump, in a Truth Social post last year, called Boasberg a “Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge” and said the judge “should be IMPEACHED.”
What’s next
According to the source article, the Justice Department told the court that details of the warrant would be released once any charges are filed. The New York Times is cited as reporting that Trump has said Omar could face deportation due to the investigation and called her “a sick and very dishonest person.”
