Overview
- Operation Twin Shield ran Sept. 19–28 across Minneapolis–St. Paul, with officers reviewing roughly 1,000 cases and conducting about 900 site visits and interviews.
- USCIS reported suspected fraud or noncompliance in 275 cases—about 44%—with 42 referrals or notices to appear and four on-site apprehensions, and no criminal charges reported to date.
- Allegations included sham marriages, forged documents, visa overstays, and reported misuse of H‑1B and F‑1 categories, with examples such as a $100 fake Kenyan death certificate and exploitation of an elderly spouse.
- Officials cited irregularities in Uniting for Ukraine sponsorships, including an individual who filed to sponsor more than 100 people and entities sponsoring hundreds.
- The agency signaled ongoing investigations, potential rescission of previously granted benefits, expanded neighborhood checks by newly empowered special agents, and plans to replicate the operation in other cities, while surprise visits near the University of Minnesota stirred concern among international students.