Hold onto your hats, folks—Sen. Ted Cruz just dropped a legal bombshell on Rep. Ilhan Omar with a social media post that’s got conservative circles buzzing.

This latest dust-up revives a long-standing claim that Omar married her brother to skirt immigration rules, a rumor Cruz says could spell serious legal trouble under federal and state laws if proven true, Breitbart reported. 

Let’s rewind to 2016, when this controversy first reared its head during Omar’s run for state office in Minnesota, alleging she wed her sibling to help him gain U.S. residency.

Origins of a Persistent Rumor

The story, which started on a Minnesota blog, has clung to Omar like a stubborn shadow, despite her consistent denials over the years.

Fast forward to this week, when former President Donald Trump fanned the flames at a Pennsylvania rally, pushing the narrative that Omar’s alleged marriage was a citizenship ploy and calling for her deportation.

Trump’s remarks weren’t just rally rhetoric—an official White House account even shared what’s claimed to be part of Omar’s marriage license application to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, identified as her second husband.

Cruz Outlines Potential Legal Violations

Enter Ted Cruz, who took to X on Friday with a stern warning about the consequences if these allegations hold water.

Cruz pointed to three potential violations: a federal statute on marriage fraud, which carries up to five years in prison and a hefty $250,000 fine, Minnesota’s incest law with a decade-long penalty, and even possible tax fraud if joint returns were filed improperly.

As Cruz put it, “If this is true, then Omar faces criminal liability under three different statutes,” a statement that cuts straight to the heart of conservative concerns about accountability in public office.

Trump’s Rally Sparks Fresh Debate

Trump’s rally comments were equally sharp, painting a vivid picture of hypocrisy in immigration enforcement.

“If I married my sister to get my citizenship, do you think I’d last for about two hours or something less than that? She married her brother to get in,” Trump declared, doubling down with, “Therefore, she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out.”

While Trump’s words resonate with many who feel the system is gamed, they also muddy the waters—original rumors suggested the marriage was for residency, not citizenship, a detail worth clarifying before pitchforks are raised.

Omar’s Background and Denials

Omar, born in Somalia, came to the U.S. in 1995 as an asylum recipient, becoming a citizen in 2000, long before her 2009 legal marriage to Elmi, a British citizen, according to state records and a 2019 New York Times fact check.

She’s had three marriages—first a religious union in 2002, then the legal tie to Elmi (divorced religiously in 2011 as he returned to England), and later marriages to others—yet the Elmi connection remains the lightning rod for critics.

Despite the persistent whispers, Omar has stood firm, calling the brother-marriage insinuations “absurd and offensive” since 2016, a defense that deserves a fair hearing even as questions linger for many on the right about transparency in her personal and political journey.