{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=04EC48AB-1A28-49BC-9038-1204C513A885", "Hatch Presses Administration for Answers on Immigration Failures", "2016-09-21", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Orrin Hatch", "H000338", "www.hatch.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u2014Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the senior Republican in the United States Senate, joined fellow members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to send a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Attorney General Loretta Lynch following a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General\u2019s report that revealed that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted citizenship to at least 858 individuals who were marked for deportation.\r\n\u00a0The senators wrote, \u201cCitizenship is a privilege that cannot be obtained through fraud, accident, or oversight. Yet, according to this IG report, that is precisely what has happened.\"\r\n\u00a0\u201cAccording to the report, USCIS granted citizenship despite not having digital fingerprint records to aid with the necessary identity verification,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cThus, these applicants, many of whom lied on their applications, may not have been eligible for citizenship.\u00a0 This is particularly troubling given these new citizens\u2019 ability to obtain security clearances, serve in law enforcement, sponsor other aliens\u2019 entry into the United States, and hold positions of public trust.\u00a0 In fact, the report found that one citizen is now a law enforcement official and at least three obtained licenses to conduct security sensitive work.\u201d\r\n\u00a0Last January, Hatch called for increased vigilance in enforcing our nation\u2019s immigration laws. Hatch said, \u201cAs recent terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and elsewhere have made clear, the Islamic State and its followers aim to infiltrate our country and kill innocent Americans. In confronting the refugee crisis in the Middle East, we need to ensure that in welcoming refugees our nation isn\u2019t taken advantage of by terrorists.\u201d\r\n\u00a0In their letter, the senators pressed for specific answers on what the administration will do to correct the error and avoid repeating the same mistake in the future.\r\nThe full letter, as prepared for transmission, is attached:\r\n[Letter PDF]", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=04EC48AB-1A28-49BC-9038-1204C513A885"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6841460019350052, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}