The U.S. Department of Justice has just announced they are seeking to strip the citizenship of four immigrants from Somalia they say obtained that citizenship through a scam.
In a press release the DOJ notes Fosia Abdi Adan, 51, applied for the Diversity Visa Program in January 2001. She was selected as a winner and entered the United States. The DOJ alleges Adan falsely claimed she was married to Ahmed Mohamed Warsame, 54, who used a fake name on his immigration paperwork.
In its complaint, the DOJ states the fictitious couple also applied for two other people who entered the United States with them as their children. Mustaf Abdi Adan, 33, and Faysal Jama Mire, 31, claimed the couple were their parents. The DOJ alleges they are not related.
According to the DOJ, all four Somali immigrants were able to go through the process and become naturalized citizens of the United States.
“The current immigration system is easily abused by fraudsters and nefarious actors, and that’s certainly true of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. If the fraud is not detected and swift enforcement actions are not taken, chain migration only multiplies the consequences of this abuse,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Unfortunately, there are many instances of fraud across our immigration system. The American people deserve a better system that works for them, and the Department of Justice will continue its efforts to deliver one to them.”
As a result of this investigation the United States is seeking to strip the citizenship of these four Somali immigrants.
After obtaining a green card the fictitious couple divorced, according to the DOJ. The feds also allege after gaining citizenship, three of the four immigrants changed their names from the fake names they were using back to their real names.
“I previously taught civics classes, and saw firsthand how hard people work to come to the United States legally and honestly,” Acting Secretary Elaine Duke said. “They were so proud of their accomplishments. It is out of respect for those people that we cannot tolerate fraud, deception, and abuse of our legal immigration system. Fraudulently obtained citizenship is an affront to our American values, the rule of law, and all those who honestly attained their immigration status.”
Court proceedings will follow to determine if the four Somali immigrants will have their citizenship revoked.
The Diversity Visa Program has been under scrutiny lately after a suspect in a recent terrorist attack in New York was found to be a green card lottery winner.
President Donald Trump has called for the end of the Diversity Visa Program but that can only be done through an act of Congress.