DHS auditing Somali US citizens for potential fraud
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing immigration and naturalization cases involving immigrants from 19 countries of concern, including Somalia, to determine whether any individuals obtained American citizenship through fraud, which could warrant removal of citizenship, DHS confirmed in a statement to Fox News.
“Under U.S. law, if a person obtains citizenship through fraud, that is grounds for denaturalization,” DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News.
The investigation focuses on whether fraud has occurred during the immigration or naturalization process, such as marriage fraud or false statements made to obtain legal status or citizenship.
The approval comes as Republican lawmakers called for tougher enforcement in the wake of Minnesota’s ongoing child care fraud scandal that alleges the misuse of millions of dollars in federal funds.
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The Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was at the center of the state’s alleged child care fraud scandal. (Madelin Fuerste / Fox News Channel)
DHS emphasized that naturalization or denaturalization is subject to strict legal standards and is valid only under limited circumstances.
The review includes cases linked to 19 countries that DHS considers to be countries of concern, including Somalia. DHS did not indicate how many cases were currently being investigated or whether any individuals had been referred for denaturalization proceedings.
Denationalization is a rare and intense legal process. Historically, the federal government has pursued only a dozen to a few dozen cases per year since the 1990s.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing immigration and naturalization cases involving immigrants from 19 countries of concern, including Somalia. (iStock)
Prosecutors must prove that citizenship was obtained illegally, and denaturalization convictions often require a high burden of proof that can take years to prosecute.
The review also comes as the Department of Health and Human Services moved Tuesday to freeze child care payments to Minnesota, citing allegations of fraud involving daycare providers across the state.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz claimed he has been working for years to stop fraud in his state. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said the state has “poured millions of taxpayer dollars” into fraudulent daycares over the past decade, leading the agency to withhold payments while the matter is investigated.
DHS did not provide a timeline for the review or say whether denaturalization cases are expected to move forward in the near future.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
