Robert Bratt, the man assigned by Attorney General Janet Reno to fix the troubled naturalization program has been removed from his assignment and assigned to a desk job at the Justice Department after the Justice Department's inspector general, Michael Bromwich, told Reno about an investigation into Bratt's activities during an earlier assignment. Bromwich reportedly told Reno that Bratt, a twenty year Justice Department veteran, allegedly used improper influence to secure visitors' visas for two female Russian translators he employed during an assignment in Moscow. Bratt admits to having paid the visa application fees for the two employees, but denies using any influence to obtain the visas.

The Justice Department has formally denied that Bratt has been demoted and that the decision to move Bratt was not based on any adverse findings against him Nevertheless, the Department has failed to articulate the reasons for his removal.

A number of INS and Justice Department officials have come to Bratt's defense. Also, Representatives Lamar Smith and Harold Rogers, two of the most powerful Congressmen dealing with immigration, have announced their support for Bratt. Others in Congress, including Senator Spencer Abraham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have expressed frustration over the lack of information they are receiving from the Justice Department on the Bratt removal.