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A Los Angeles immigration lawyer said she received an email from the Department of Homeland Security telling her to leave “quickly” despite being a US citizen.
When Harriet Steele opened an email sent by a federal agency on April 10, she said she was surprised, “It’s time for you to leave the United States.”
“The first time I read it, I was surprised,” she said.
A part of the email said, “DHS encourages you to leave yourself immediately. DHS has ended your parole. Don’t try to stay in the US – the federal government will find you.”
The agency warned that recipients could face criminal prosecution, civil fines and penalties.
Email immigration attorney Harriet Steele told her to leave the United States “quickly” after receiving it from the Department of Homeland Security. (Harriet Steel) Los Angeles-based immigration lawyer Harriet Steel will speak to KTLA’s Sara Welch on April 24, 2025. (Harriet Steel)
Steele said he was confused about receiving the letter and was worried that he was targeting his clients instead.
“We don’t have any specific information about who the intended recipient is,” she said. “I think it’s scary for someone who attends law school and doesn’t have the privilege of the parents of two US citizens, born in the US.”
The number of people who accidentally received the DHS notification is unknown.
In a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times, DHS said the US Customs and Border Patrol used each immigrant’s known email address in its notification.
“If an alien provides impersonal email, such as contact with American citizens, a notification may have been sent to an unintended recipient,” the statement read. “CBP monitors communications and addresses issues on a case-by-case basis.”
Steel believes the email is in line with the current White House administration’s focus on its deportation plan.
“I think this is in line with a lot of the policies we’ve seen over the past three months. These are confusing and intimidating, and are meant to threaten people to communicate,” Steele said.
Steele represents unaccompanied minors in her daily work, and although DHS emails said she is fearful and concerned about some of her clients, she focuses on her work in immigration law.
“I’m terribly hoping everyone will receive emails like this, American citizens or not,” Steele said. “I’m not going to be threatened by this. I’ll continue working for the organization I work for. [as] We continue to work with clients in the communities we serve. ”
According to the LA Times, Stee is not the only US citizen to receive a DHS email. Massachusetts immigration lawyers and Connecticut doctors also received letters from DHS.
KTLA has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment and is waiting for a response.
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