The next is the transcript of the interview with Rep. Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Jan. 11, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who represents a big portion of that metropolis. It is good to have you ever right here.
REP. ILHAN OMAR: I signify the entire metropolis. Thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thanks. The Trump administration is actively telling the general public that journalists are deceptive them. You heard what was simply reported from the scene. What we all know is that Renee Macklin Good and her accomplice had been protesters. They had been driving round Minneapolis. They had been recording what a few of these ICE enforcement officers had been doing. And the native police chief says Macklin Good blocked the road along with her automobile. President Trump has stated that the accomplice was a paid agitator, that is the phrase he used. Secretary Noem alleged this was an act of terrorism. Given how a lot warmth there may be and the administration’s scrutiny, would you inform Individuals it is too harmful to show and to exit and doc as she was doing?
REP. OMAR: I believe it’s actually vital for Individuals to file to create the extent of accountability and transparency that we’d like. What we have now seen in Minneapolis is ICE brokers oftentimes leaping out of their automobiles. These are unmarked automobiles. Oftentimes they’re sporting a masks. They’re approaching, working in direction of automobiles. They’re pulling folks out of these automobiles. Oftentimes these persons are residents. Oftentimes these folks have documentation of their authorized proper to be on this nation, and we all know that DHS has lied repeatedly in relation to these accounts, so it’s much more vital for there to be recording from eyewitnesses each single time these actions are happening.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However do you see from the recordings that we see, is there something that you simply consider was- that was being performed that ought to not have been performed by Macklin Good? The administration says she was blocking the street. They’re claiming that is an act of terrorism.
REP. OMAR: Yeah. Renee Nicole Good, as you hear her say, she’s not mad. She’s sitting in her automobile peacefully, waving automobiles to get by this agent, as you see, will get out of his automobile, robotically begins working in direction of her, attempting to open her door. She feels scared, she tries to show the wheel away. And you then see the opposite officer- who can clearly see the automobile is shifting, transfer in direction of the entrance of the automobile. Which, if they’re saying that he has 10 years on service and is skilled, he ought to know that you simply should not be attempting to get in entrance of a shifting automobile, and so it isn’t acceptable for Kristi Noem and the president and the vice chairman to make these type of judgments with out there being a full investigation, regardless that we are able to see within the movies which have been produced to this point that what they’re describing is absolutely not what’s happening. And so in the event that they’re saying that we should not consider our eyes, then let the investigation happen earlier than you characterize this mom of three as a home terrorist. Show to us what documentation you will have. That, one, that she was paid. Two, that she was agitating once we can hear her say she’s not mad, she’s not upset. She’s clearly attempting to wave automobiles to bypass her. And so it is just- this stage of rhetoric is unjustifiable to the American folks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply rapidly on that you simply stated accountability, and it is vital for folks to doc what’s taking place. I simply wish to be abundantly clear, as a result of the administration says that their officers are being stalked and harassed. If you say accountability, you might be solely describing recording like she was doing?
REP. OMAR: I believe it’s honest for residents to doc what legislation enforcement is doing–
MARGARET BRENNAN: There’s been violence towards a few of these brokers as effectively.
REP. OMAR: Properly, there’s additionally been violence towards residents in Minneapolis.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There proper now could be loads of warmth in your state. Treasury Secretary Bessent known as Minnesota floor zero for what could be the most egregious welfare rip-off in our nation’s historical past to this point. 85 of the 98 individuals who had been charged by the Justice Division with this welfare scheme are Somali. And you recognize this, the treasury secretary is probing whether or not any of the cash was someway funneled exterior the nation, he really issued new requirements. He will make it- make somebody disclose in the event that they obtain public help once they attempt to wire cash in a foreign country, and he is lowered the bar for suspicious exercise. What’s the sensible influence of doing that locally?
REP. OMAR: It is simply creating worry. What they’re doing is creating confusion, chaos, attempting to intimidate folks from with the ability to train their common, regular actions that they’d. There is no such thing as a justification in any of the issues that they are saying. The 87 folks that you have described as being investigated, a lot of them adjudicated, all occurred below the Biden administration. There is no such thing as a justification for this surge. We all know that ICE has the power to conduct raids. There is no such thing as a cause have over 2000 folks coming in to our metropolis and creating the extent of terror that they’ve created.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the administration argues that they should do it as a result of the state didn’t, right–
REP. OMAR: The state- the federal authorities and the state have been working peacefully collectively and have introduced justice to those 87 folks that you have described. Not one of the surge that they’ve performed has produced any type of felony exercise. They have not been in a position to cost anybody as of but.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the administration additionally introduced they will reduce meals stamps to Minnesota as a result of they are saying a few of the meals stamp cash had been embezzled. Are you confident–
REP. OMAR: And people are the issues which are being litigated, and it’s once more, unconstitutional for them to take action.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However is it- are you assured that the fraud that has been found is now not being performed now? Is there any justification for saying this meals stamp cash is someway being misused?
REP. OMAR: There are methods to research fraud, which we have now been doing in Minnesota, which the federal authorities has been doing below the Biden administration. There is no such thing as a cause for them to make use of this stage of rhetoric. There is no such thing as a cause for them to completely cease these- funding these applications. The one cause they’re doing that’s for PR functions, and it’s harming our state. It’s harming my constituents, and it’s creating the type of chaos and confusion that nobody wants on this second.
MARGARET BRENNAN: As a result of the administration and plenty of conservative allies within the administration argue that that is nonetheless ongoing. There was that conservative influencer who went out and posted this video that went viral, alleging that daycare services had been pocketing public funds–
[CROSSTALK]
REP. OMAR: And as you recognize, he went hours the place these companies weren’t working.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yep, CBS went out and did its personal investigation–
REP. OMAR: –yeah which, once more creates the extent of confusion and chaos that isn’t mandatory in a second once we try to take care of a major problem that wants severe folks to have the ability to tackle it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However do you think- there was no recorded proof of fraud, in line with the CBS investigation that was performed, however Governor Walz did select to not run for reelection. He dropped out of the race due to all of this.
REP. OMAR: As a result of he desires to give attention to defending our state and never defending a seat.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you suppose there was a adequate stage of accountability and possession of the failure to have oversight right here? Do you suppose this ends?
REP. OMAR: That’s what we would like. We wish to collaborately [sic] work with the administration to attempt to make it possible for there isn’t a fraud that is being perpetuated on our state. What we are not looking for is the extent of terror, of confusion, of chaos that’s being created with none outcomes on this second.
[END CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: In a short time, earlier than I allow you to go, the Chair Oversight Committee stated that he desires to refer you to the Ethics Committee.
REP. OMAR: I have been referred like 100 occasions, so go forward.
MARGARET BRENNAN: He is your husband’s revenue and web value. He stated it was tied to personal fairness funding funds, however he appears to be insinuating that you simply personally are tied into this welfare rip-off. How do you reply to that?
REP. OMAR: Ever since I’ve gotten to Congress, they’ve been doing these type of bizarre ethics investigations, none of them have yielded something as a result of I’ve been as clear as I might be, and there may be nothing unsuitable with any documentation that I’ve ever offered to the federal authorities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congresswoman Omar, thanks for becoming a member of us at the moment. ‘Face the Nation’ shall be again in a single minute. Stick with us.
