Particle.news

Download on the App Store

USCIS Sweep in Twin Cities Flags 275 Suspected Immigration Fraud Cases

USCIS says the Minneapolis effort, enabled by a newly finalized rule, will guide a national expansion with investigations still ongoing.

Overview

  • Operation Twin Shield ran from Sept. 19 to 28, targeting roughly 1,000 cases across Minneapolis–St. Paul in coordination with ICE and the FBI.
  • Officers reported fraud, non-compliance, or public-safety concerns in 275 cases after conducting more than 900 interviews and site visits.
  • USCIS cited findings that included sham marriages, forged documents, fake death certificates, visa overstays, and misuse of F-1 and H-1B visas.
  • The agency reported issuing 42 notices to appear and making two on-site arrests, while another account put arrests at four, with additional referrals expected as reviews proceed.
  • Examples highlighted included a $100 fake Kenyan death certificate used to claim a marriage had ended and unusually large sponsorships under the Uniting for Ukraine program.