Feds target marriage fraud

[YuAndDan 153]

WASHINGTON - Enter a bogus marriage to help an immigrant stay in the United States and you could get paid thousands of dollars.

If a new effort by federal agents works out, you could also wind up in prison.

Facing what authorities say is a surge in fraud, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, is targeting phony-marriage rings, document counterfeiters and other large-scale operations that try to evade laws about who can get permission to work legally in the United States. Task forces to combat fraud have been set up in 10 cities, modeled after one that started in Washington, and ICE is planning a second wave soon in more locations. Phoenix, the largest city in the state with the most undocumented-immigrant crossings from Mexico, could be considered.

Agents are focusing some of the new attention on organizations that make fake matches between U.S. citizens and immigrants and help them apply for benefits married couples qualify for under immigration law.

The spouse of a citizen is entitled to a visa that gives him or her legal permanent residence. Known as a "green card," a spouse can obtain one without worrying about the annual visa caps faced by those who are sponsored by other relatives or by employers.

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit, which oversees the task forces. "You can come and go as you please without any worry or regard to law enforcement coming to arrest you."

Agents aren't combing through wedding announcements looking for fraud. Rather, they are concentrating on large and lucrative marriage-fraud rings that may set up scores of phony unions a year. Patterns of suspected fraud spotted by government workers or tips from private citizens start most investigations.

Recent busts have included one in northern Virginia that officials say took in as much as $6,000 from immigrants paying for bogus weddings.

One in Utah generated nearly $1.3 million in illegal fees, while a Santa Ana, Calif., fraud organization arranged 75 sham marriages. Another based in New York City reportedly netted more than $1 million.

Agents investigated some of those cases for a year or more before making arrests.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/n...rriage1014.html

[Fandango 1,440]

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit

Someone call this James character and tell him what a tool he is!

And he works for ICE??????

[Saddle Bronc 124]

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit

Someone call this James character and tell him what a tool he is!

Did you mean "tool" or "fool"?

And he works for ICE??????

He makes a good argument for my NOT having taken this approach earlier (when I was on a TN-1, and stuck in a "hurry up and wait" time with approved I-140)--basically, I thought getting extra migraines with INS (of which I had plenty already) was not worth the risk for a potentiall fruitless search (as the only US citizen compatible with me would be Born-again Christian ex-FOB desi--hardly in high supply); ICE personnel like Spero only prove my point.

Edited October 14, 2006 by CherryXS

[sparkofcreation 0]

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit

Someone call this James character and tell him what a tool he is!

And he works for ICE??????

I think he meant "an automatic green card." Being married to a US citizen is pretty much an automatic green card (how many are ever denied? not many), although not instantaneous.

[rebeccajo 14]

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit, which oversees the task forces. "You can come and go as you please without any worry or regard to law enforcement coming to arrest you."

Oh yeah? It's been 11 months since we filed for AOS. Instantaneous? I could have given birth quicker.

All rights and priveleges of a US citizen? How about constitutional rights? Is that a big enough category of missing rights?

Come and go as you please? As long as you don't stay too long - they might not let you back in.

No worry about law enforcement coming to arrest you? Sure - commit a crime and see if local law enforcement are the only ones at your preliminary hearing.

This guy is a moron. Unfortunately much of the American public believes what uninformed talking heads like this guy say.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit, which oversees the task forces. "You can come and go as you please without any worry or regard to law enforcement coming to arrest you."

Oh yeah? It's been 11 months since we filed for AOS. Instantaneous? I could have given birth quicker.

In government circles (any country), "instantaneous" only means "sometime before doomsday".

All rights and priveleges of a US citizen? How about constitutional rights? Is that a big enough category of missing rights?

Spero got away on this one through use of the word "virtually"; you've seen this in the comic strip "Foxtrot" where Peter's claims of being "virtually done" means having name and date on the paper.

Come and go as you please? As long as you don't stay too long - they might not let you back in.

No worry about law enforcement coming to arrest you? Sure - commit a crime and see if local law enforcement are the only ones at your preliminary hearing.

This guy is a moron. Unfortunately much of the American public believes what uninformed talking heads like this guy say.

It looks like ICE may have an IQ requirement--anything BELOW a certain value "basic qualifies" applicant for the position.

[Fandango 1,440]

"What you get when you marry a U.S. citizen is essentially an instantaneous green card, and with that green card, you enjoy virtually all the rights and privileges of a U.S. citizen," said James Spero, chief of ICE's identity and benefits fraud unit

Someone call this James character and tell him what a tool he is!

Did you mean "tool" or "fool"?

tool. it's slang, not a typo

[I'm Gone 60]

I think it's well and good that the government is going after people with phoney marriages, but then why does Bush and a large number of members of Congress want to make millions of people that crossed the border illegally or overstay their visas legal and give them a shot at U.S. citizenship. Seems hypocritical to me that marrying to get here is bad, but if you got here some other way we will give you a pass.

At least the people that married to get here illegally had a medical exam and criminal back ground check.

[clloyd 0]

Besides voting, and being allowed to be President, I was not able to find any real evidence of a difference in consitutional rights. I said this in a different thread, and no one gave me any evidence to the contrary there.

[Hornet 2]

I'm sure glad they're wasting their time and our money catching a few for marriage fraud!

It's not like the Mexican Border is wide open with no control!! <----sarcasm

Like this!!

http://www.rajforcongress.com

[Caladan 19]

The recent bill passed by Congress is thought by many legal scholars to suspend habeas corpus for foreign nationals accused of aiding terrorist groups. Specter & other Republicans are on record as believing that it's unconstitutional. So, yeah, significant difference. Less controversially, there's some tax & inheritance laws that become more complicated if one partner isn't a citizen.

On the topic, I think that it's great they're targetting marriage fraud, but I do wish they'd be more careful when they say 'instantaneous' when they mean 'virtually guaranteed', as I'm having a hard enough time convincing my mother that yes, I do indeed need to go through all of this paperwork.

('But Mrs. [X] down the street says all you need to do is get married and he'll be a citizen!!' Grrrrr. 'But he's Canadian!' Yes, I know.)

[Mirorgate 0]

Phoenix, the largest city in the state with the most undocumented-immigrant crossings from Mexico, could be considered.

could be? either it is, and they state this to throw ppl off.... or their typical gov'ment workers... mediocrity is their battle cry...

[meauxna 15]

I do wish they'd be more careful when they say 'instantaneous' when they mean 'virtually guaranteed',

Except it *is* instantaneous. Spouses of USCs are immediately eligible for an immigrant visa number. Everyone else (except parents and children) wait, often a long time.

Our wait as USCs is nothing.. paper pushing, if you will. I know it sucks and I hear what you guys are saying, but I completely see his point and agree with it. In Immigration Speak, this is what instantaneous looks like.

PS: on the 'But he's Canadian!' thing (and understand that I'm half Can too) I always laugh at that because if the situation were ANYthing else, the Canadians would be saying "We are a separate country and culture--totally different! Don't co-opt the term 'American', we're Americans too!" and generally proclaiming their differences from the US....

Until someone wants to move here.

[peejay 327]

I think it's well and good that the government is going after people with phoney marriages, but then why does Bush and a large number of members of Congress want to make millions of people that crossed the border illegally or overstay their visas legal and give them a shot at U.S. citizenship. Seems hypocritical to me that marrying to get here is bad, but if you got here some other way we will give you a pass.

At least the people that married to get here illegally had a medical exam and criminal back ground check.

Why? Because going after a few hundred clowns gaming the system makes it look like the government is doing its job while in reality it is just a spit in the ocean compared to the real corruption that is going on.

Meanwhile millions cross the border illegally, openly working illegally, use identity theft, use bogus documents, and it all enriches politically connected people. This ain't a conspiracy theory, it is irrefutable fact.

The problem these corrupt bastards are having now is how to let the party continue for as long as possible. Their lies and stalling tactics are wearing thin as illegals have migrated to every corner of the USA.

Have you ever seen a government work so slow on a problem that is so blatantly obvious? We have close to 250,000 illegal aliens in the Houston area alone (I just read that in the newspaper).

The USA won the war against Germany, Japan, and Italy in roughly 4 years and the present idiots say they can't (or won't) have operational control of the border for years, if ever.

Yes, I'm overwhelmed with joy that Uncle Sugar is hot on the trail of marriage scammers.

[Caladan 19]

Oh, it's nothing compared to the longer waits, but it still just isn't the case that the green card and the citizenship comes with the 'and you may kiss the bride' like the neighbors think it should be. Other than that you're quite right that this is largely back-ground paper-pushing, and slightly less troublesome than applying to college, except that colleges are better about getting you receipts.

The Canadian thing is sort of funny, because I'm not convinced that my parents and neighbors really believe it's a separate country. 'You can get there with a driver's license and a birth certificate.' 'Your sister went to Toronto on a trip and they accepted American money.' 'Why does he need a work permit? Illegals don't.' 'Are you sure you researched the process right?'