Immigration officer charged with taking bribes to help immigrants obtain legal status

A federal immigration officer was recently arrested after being accused of promising adjustments to immigrants' status in exchange for bribes over the span of nearly a decade.

Amara Dukuly, 43, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, an immigration officer employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is charged with bribery of a public official, arising from his alleged solicitation of a bribe in exchange for official acts.

An immigration officer was recently arrested and charged with taking bribes from immigrants. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Since 2015, Dukuly is accused of using his status as a USCIS employee to extract payments from individuals in exchange for promises to help them obtain adjustments to their immigration status, such as a green card, work authorization documents, or visas, according to a criminal complaint.

Given the scope of his job duties, Dukuly did not have the authority to fulfill any of his promises to the individuals, according to court documents.

The alleged scheme involving immigrant bribes happened for nearly a decade. (Getty Images)

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After seeking, receiving and accepting money in return for being influenced while performing an official act, Dukuly converted the monies he obtained from the bribes for his personal benefit, according to a statement from United States Attorney David Metcalf.

It is unclear how many immigrants Dukuly is accused of accepting bribes from.

The federal officer allegedly worked for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and was based in Pennsylvania. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.