Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) is seeking an investigation from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Direct Kash Patel as to why a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela was allegedly able to impersonate a 16-year-old high school student for over a year. What Moreno describes in his Wednesday letter as a "horrifying situation" took place in Perrysburg, Ohio. "I ask that you take any and all lawful measures to enforce our federal immigration and criminal laws against an alleged Venezuelan illegal alien, adult male, that may have defrauded federal and state government agencies, while allegedly preying on minor(s) in Ohio," he also wrote early on in his letter.
🚨Meet Anthony Labrador—he's a 24-yr-old from Venezuela POSING as a 16-yr-old High School student in Ohio.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 21, 2025
He's been ILLEGALLY attending Perrysburg High School since 2023.
On May 14, 2025, the mother of his child reached out to his now “legal guardian” to disclose he was… pic.twitter.com/OWgXAeFfej
The Venezuelan, who went by "Tony Labrador" and is listed in reporting as Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, even competed on the boys' swimming team and participated in state sectionals, according to Fox News.
He did more than participate in swim meets, though, as the report mentions, but also used fraudulent documents:
Labrador Sierra was enrolled at Perrysburg High School under the name and age of a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor on Jan. 11, 2024, in accordance with federal and state requirements for enrolling students experiencing homelessness or without a legal guardian, the school said in a statement.
After a preliminary investigation, a fraud case was established and handed over to the department’s detectives for further investigation.
The man was charged with forgery and is being held on $50,000 bond. Perrysburg police said officials were contacted by Perrysburg Local Schools on Monday about possible fraudulent activity. Detectives worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and it was discovered that Labrador Sierra was a 24-year-old from Venezuela.
Investigators also learned Labrador Sierra used fraudulent documents to enroll in Perrysburg Schools and was posing as a 16-year-old student.
Between Jan. 11, 2024 and May 14, 2025, the school said Labrador Sierra obtained documentation and support, further complicating the situation. For instance, he obtained a state-issued driver’s license, social security number and Temporary Protective Status (TPS) from U.S. Immigration.
The school also said Labrador Sierra completed an application for a visa with help from Advocating Opportunities, which provides free legal assistance. The Wood County Juvenile Court granted guardianship of Labrador Sierra to a Perrysburg family.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News they have located Labrador Sierra's information under a different spelling of his name. They added that Labrador Sierra is a visa overstay who first came to the U.S. in 2019. DHS also confirmed Labrador has received TPS.
Labrador Sierra denied the allegation on May 15, the schools said. He was ultimately arrested during a traffic stop this week.
In his letter and in his post sharing such a letter to his X account, Moreno shares how he is certainly less than thrilled with the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) that Labrador Sierra was receiving, and the role the Biden-Harris administration played. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 earlier this week that the Trump administration can revoke that legal status.
"That a 24-year-old alleged illegal alien adult male was permitted to attend an Ohio high school for nearly a year and a half under allegedly false documentation, including potentially false immigration documentation, is shocking to say the least. As you may recall, I called for the revocation of TPS Status on January 10, 2025. On February 5, 2025, you rightly agreed with my request and decided to terminate TPS under the 2023 designation for Venezuela. However, a federal judge in San Francisco ordered the Department of Homeland Security to continue TPS status for Venezuela. I vehemently disagree with this dangerous decision. If the arrestee was granted TPS status, it is imperative for me to know why they were granted such status and the vetting that was conducted on the arrestee," Moreno's letter further mentioned.
Moreno is thus asking the following from Noem and Patel with their investigation:
(1) How and when the arrestee first entered the country;
(2) What vetting the arrestee received to enter the country;
(3) How the arrestee was able to pose as a minor for nearly a year and a half;
(4) Any and all allegations of sexual misconduct;
(5) How many state and/or federal government documents were fraudulently obtained; and
(6) How many state and/or federal benefits were fraudulently obtained.
"In January, Senator Moreno wrote to former President Joe Biden’s DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services directors blasting their 11th-hour decision to extend TPS designations for Venezuelan immigrants before President Trump took office," a press release from Moreno's office about the letter also reminded.
Unreal. Thanks to Joe Biden’s abuse of TPS, a 24 year old illegal alien was caught on a fake asylum claim pretending to be a teenager at a high school in Ohio.
— Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) May 21, 2025
Today, I am calling for a full investigation into this scandal and what is being done to keep our children safe. pic.twitter.com/Q1QloHh9vH
Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left's lies, new legislation wasn't needed to secure our border, just a new president.
Help us continue to report the truth about the president's border policies and mass deportations. Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member