Judge Boasberg, a Frequent Trump Target, Now Presides Over the Fight to Unseal the Warrant Used to Search Ilhan Omar's Home
Fox News reports the Justice Department wants the warrant kept sealed until it is fully executed; the New York Times, Judicial Watch and 14 press groups want it opened with redactions.
The court fight over the Oct. 12 search of Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington home now sits with a judge President Trump has attacked before, Fox News reports.
The judge. Chief Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, an Obama appointee, is handling the requests to unseal the warrant. In March 2025, after he temporarily blocked deportation flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members, Trump called him a "Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge" and called for his impeachment. Fox also lists later decisions that drew criticism from Trump allies, including a Signal messages preservation order and the 12-month probation sentence he gave former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith.
The requests. Three separate asks were filed: from the New York Times, from the conservative watchdog Judicial Watch, and from 14 press organizations. The warrant itself was issued by Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh.
The Justice Department's position. DOJ says releasing the information could compromise the investigation. In a filing, Jeanine Pirro wrote: "This request sounds rash because it is rash." DOJ asks the court to reject the requests without prejudice, so they can be renewed after the warrant is "fully executed" and a charging decision is public. The Times and the press groups reply that the search happened weeks ago and that sensitive details can be redacted rather than withholding the whole warrant.
The investigations. Fox says Omar faces two federal probes: one over differences between financial disclosures filed a year apart, and one over whether her father misstated her age on 2000 citizenship paperwork. Omar's lawyers separately demand the return of seized property and say agents did not give her a copy of the warrant or let her contact attorneys during the search. Fox does not report any charges.
Note for readers: the facts about the probes come from court filings and reporting as relayed by Fox. Nothing here establishes wrongdoing by Omar.