An immigration officer from Delaware County allegedly promised people help with their cases in exchange for money.
Prosecutors say Amara Dukuly, 43, used his position at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to solicit bribes. The Brookhaven man promised people help adjusting their immigration status even though he did not have the authority to do so, according to the criminal complaint. His role, based in Philadelphia, was to investigate fraud and national security concerns.
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The court documents detail six instances in which Dukuly solicited bribes, promising to get citizenship applications approved or help immigrants avoid deportation, among other favors. The individuals involved apparently gave Dukuly thousands of dollars in cash and, in one case, a 2014 Ford Fusion for his "services." Some asked for their money back after it became clear Dukuly was not intervening on their behalf, the complaint claims, but he returned only a small portion of the sum or threatened to call the police.
The most recent case, per the court documents, involved a confidential FBI source who wore a recording device during his meeting with Dukuly in March. The source told Dukuly that he had crossed the U.S. border in 2020, gone to court in 2024 and had a new court date approaching in 2028. According to the complaint, Dukuly offered to help but expected a payment of $6,000, the first of several installments, the following month. Video and audio recordings of the second meeting captured Dukuly promising to "fix" the source's "papers" and accepting the cash.
According to prosecutors, Dukuly offered these services at a cost between roughly 2015 and 2025. The Department of Homeland Security began investigating him in 2017.
Dukuly is now facing federal bribery charges. He was arrested Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security and FBI are still investigating the case. Agents are asking anyone with information on Dukuly, or other government employees soliciting bribes, to call 1-866-347-2423, select prompt No. 2 and mention Homeland Security investigations Philadelphia.
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