Amara Dukuly, a former immigration officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, pleaded guilty on Mar. 25 before United States District Judge John M. Younge to aiding and abetting the bribery of a public official in exchange for an official act, according to United States Attorney David Metcalf.
The case is significant as it involves allegations of corruption within a federal agency responsible for handling sensitive immigration matters. According to court filings, Dukuly used his position from around 2015 until his arrest in June 2025 to solicit bribes from individuals seeking help with their immigration status.
On April 4, 2025, Dukuly accepted a $6,000 bribe from an individual who wanted references to “terrorist” activity removed from their immigration file. Dukuly assured the individual that once those references were eliminated, the file would be “clean.”
Dukuly is scheduled for sentencing on July 14 and could face up to 15 years in prison if given the maximum penalty.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Anita Eve and Robert Livermore.
