U.S. Citizens Receive Shocking Deportation Emails from Homeland Security

CROMWELL, Conn. — Two U.S. citizens, including a doctor from Connecticut and an immigration attorney from Boston, received alarming emails from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instructing them to leave the country immediately. The emails have raised concerns about potential administrative errors and their impacts on American citizens.

Dr. Lisa Anderson, 58, who was born in Pennsylvania, received the first email last Friday. The message stated, “It is time for you to leave the United States.” Initially perceiving the correspondence as a spam message, Anderson quickly discovered it was legitimate after having it vetted. “The language seemed pretty threatening to whomever it might actually apply to,” she told NBC Connecticut.

A few days prior, immigration attorney Nicole Micheroni also received a similar email from DHS, which demanded she leave the country within seven days. Micheroni confirmed that as of Tuesday, federal authorities had yet to follow up with her. Both women, unaware of any issues affecting their legal status, are now seeking legal counsel.

According to a senior DHS official, the agency has been sending notices to individuals without lawful status to remain in the U.S. However, they admitted that if a non-personal email address, such as one belonging to a U.S. citizen, was provided by an alien, wrongful notices could have been sent to those unintended recipients. “CBP is monitoring communications and will address any issues on a case-by-case basis,” the official explained.

The official reiterated that being in the United States is a privilege, not a right, for non-citizens. The emails have contributed to a sense of anxiety among American citizens who fear they might have received similar messages on erroneous grounds. “It does make me concerned there are a lot more people out there like me who probably also thought this was spam,” Anderson said.

In response to the incident, Cromwell Mayor James Demetriades described the emails as a “clear administrative error” that needs immediate correction. “This Cromwell doctor has been incorrectly targeted, and the federal government must issue an immediate rescission of their letter,” he asserted.

Sen. Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) echoed similar sentiments, calling the situation shocking and outrageous. “She’s an American citizen who was born in Pennsylvania. This is a stunning violation of the Constitution,” he stated.

As both Anderson and Micheroni navigate this troubling situation, they urge others who might have received similar communications to take them seriously and seek legal advice. “I never thought I would need the services of an immigration attorney either, and that’s where I find myself,” Anderson concluded, now carrying her U.S. passport at all times.

As of now, inquiries directed to DHS regarding their response have yet to yield results.