US prosecutors ask not to unseal Washington search warrant — The Hill

US federal prosecutors have asked the court to reject a request by 14 media outlets to immediately unseal the warrant for the search of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s residence in Washington. Prosecutors believe that releasing the materials could harm the criminal investigation, The Hill reports.

Prosecution’s arguments

A filing with extensive redactions, signed by District of Columbia prosecutor Jeanine Pirro, states that the warrant has not yet been fully executed and that no decision has been made on whether to bring charges. Prosecutors believe that fully unsealing the documents at this stage would create risks for the investigation and publicly disclose information about suspected offenses before a possible court defense.

At the same time, Pirro’s office does not object to the possible later release of part of the documents with extensive redactions so that the public can see the progress of the legal procedure. Prosecutors said that the warrant materials should not remain sealed forever, but asked the court to delay their disclosure.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Court case and Omar’s position

The case is being considered by US District Judge James Boasberg, who heads the federal court in Washington. The media outlets went to court three days after federal agents searched Omar’s residence as part of a criminal investigation into alleged immigration fraud.

The scope of the investigation has not been officially disclosed. At the same time, reports cited by the publication mention allegations that Omar’s father may have provided false information about her age in immigration documents. The congresswoman herself said she intends to move out of the apartment because of death threats. After the search, she also called the authorities’ actions an attempt to persecute political opponents and political intimidation by President Donald Trump.