A watchdog organization known as the Democracy Defenders Fund filed a complaint on Tuesday alleging that multiple federal agencies violated the Hatch Act during the search of Representative Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) home. The Hatch Act is a federal law that generally prohibits executive branch employees from engaging in certain forms of political activity while on duty or using their official authority to influence elections.

The complaint specifically calls for an investigation into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Among the officials named in the filing are DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The group argues that the actions taken by these agencies and officials during the search of the congresswoman's property crossed the line into prohibited political activity.

While the complaint outlines the specific agencies and individuals involved, it does not provide immediate evidence of the alleged political motivation behind the search. The agencies named in the complaint have not yet issued formal responses to the allegations. The Hatch Act complaint process typically involves an investigation by the Office of Special Counsel to determine if a violation occurred, though the process is often lengthy and rarely results in criminal charges. As of now, the scope of the search and the specific evidence the watchdog claims constitutes a violation of federal law remain under review by the public and legal observers.