US Citizen Wrongly Receives DHS Deportation Notice

A Connecticut woman who is a U.S. citizen by birth recently received an alarming email from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instructing her to leave the country. Lisa Anderson, a physician from Cromwell who was born in Pennsylvania, was shocked to receive the official notice stating, "It is time for you to leave the United States." After verifying the email's authenticity, Anderson realized this was not spam but an actual government communication erroneously sent to her.

This incident is not isolated, as two Boston immigration attorneys, who are also U.S. citizens, reported receiving identical deportation notices from DHS. A senior DHS official acknowledged the error, explaining that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been sending these notices to individuals without lawful immigration status. The official stated that if non-personal email addresses were provided by non-citizens, notices may have been sent to unintended recipients, and CBP would address issues on a case-by-case basis.

The mistaken notices have created significant concern for the recipients. Anderson now carries her passport based on legal advice and is seeking representation from an immigration attorney—a service she never anticipated needing as a natural-born citizen. She expressed worry about potential legal repercussions and is attempting to connect with the Boston attorneys who experienced similar situations to compare their experiences.

The incident raises questions about the accuracy of DHS communication systems and data management practices. Anderson has voiced concern that many other U.S. citizens might have received similar notices but dismissed them as spam, potentially leaving them vulnerable to immigration enforcement actions they shouldn't be subject to. The Department of Homeland Security has not provided a comprehensive response about how widespread the error might be or what specific measures are being taken to prevent such mistakes in the future.

Anderson is advising anyone who receives such notices to take them seriously and seek legal assistance rather than ignoring them. The situation highlights the potential consequences of administrative errors in immigration enforcement communications and the anxiety they can cause even for those who should be exempt from such proceedings. NBC10 Boston reported they have reached out to DHS for additional comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.