A conservative watchdog group alleges Rep. Ilhan Omar fell behind on federal student loan payments and sought to pressure Education Department officials, urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to garnish her congressional pay to cover any arrears.
The American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a conservative watchdog, said in a Nov. 6 letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is in collection proceedings on federally backed student loans and accused her of attempting to “bully” officials at the U.S. Department of Education. The letter, reported by the Daily Wire, also urges Johnson to move to garnish or impound a portion of Omar’s congressional salary to bring the loans current. (dailywire.com)
Public filings confirm Omar carries federal student debt. Her 2024 annual financial disclosure, filed May 14, 2025, lists a liability with Nelnet Loan Services, incurred in October 2005, with an outstanding range of $15,001 to $50,000. The disclosure does not indicate delinquency status. (disclosures-clerk.house.gov)
In arguing that taxpayers could be left on the hook if a default occurs, AAF’s president Tom Jones contrasted Omar’s debt with her congressional pay. Rank‑and‑file members of Congress earn $174,000 annually, while leaders earn more. (politifact.com)
AAF said it filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records of any communications between Omar and the Education Department and warned responses could be delayed during the federal shutdown. The U.S. government has been partially closed since Oct. 1, 2025, amid a budget standoff, affecting multiple agency operations. (dailywire.com)
The watchdog also asked Johnson to work with the House’s Chief Administrative Officer to facilitate any wage action, according to the Daily Wire’s account of the letter. The House office handles member payroll; the Daily Wire did not publish documentation beyond a copy of the letter. (dailywire.com)
Omar has been a prominent supporter of broad student‑debt relief. In July, she led Democratic lawmakers in urging the Education Department to reverse a policy resuming interest charges for borrowers in the SAVE plan, framing it as an unnecessary burden on millions. (omar.house.gov)
Key allegations in AAF’s letter—including that Omar is in collections and sought to pressure Education Department officials—are the group’s claims and have not been independently corroborated by other outlets or public records.