False Claim Links Janelle Stelson Campaign to Undocumented Immigrant

Erroneous Administration Claim Tied to Congressional Candidate

A recent statement from the Trump administration has sparked controversy by inaccurately alleging that the campaign of congressional candidate Janelle Stelson employed an undocumented immigrant charged with a crime. The claim emerged from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on October 7, which mentioned Chimaobim Adedayo Igbojekwe, a Nigerian resident of Pennsylvania, as a "canvasser" for Stelson's campaign.

However, campaign finance laws require federal candidates to disclose all hired campaign staff, and Igbojekwe’s name was not included in any financial disclosures related to Stelson's campaign. In light of this misinformation, Stelson's campaign quickly countered the claims, asserting that they have no connection to the individual mentioned.

“This individual is not and has never been employed by the Janelle Stelson campaign,” stated campaign manager Alma Baker. “If he is an illegal immigrant who committed a crime, he should be deported. We never heard of him prior to the news of his arrest. We are grateful to law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest him.”

The origins of the misleading claim from the White House remain unclear, though its distribution was aided by several far-right social media figures. Reputable reports indicate that the DHS's assertion about Stelson's campaign stems from "local reporting" which has been found to be baseless.

Further examination shows that the original source of this false information is the Shore News Network, which has a conservative bias, and it references Scott Pressler, a far-right activist who is not affiliated with any official organizations.

Janelle Stelson is currently contending against Republican Representative Scott Perry in Pennsylvania's 10th District, a highly competitive race anticipated in the 2026 congressional elections.