Woman Arrested in Connection With 'Green Card Marriage' Craigslist Ad

[mawilson 2,133]

There are tons of ads like that on craigslist! Most of them are not financial exchanges of money. But more and more USC's want EU passports. So they offer to marry a EU citizen and offer to "switch" so both get a new passport.

Not a bad idea actually Except it's very unfair but not too bad of an idea

Why is it unfair?

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Everyone knows its a crime to marry for a greencard. EVERYONE. Period. Dipshits...

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

Everyone knows its a crime to marry for a greencard. EVERYONE. Period. Dipshits...

Take a chill pill.

[Craneman 2]

This is the exact reason it is such cunbersome and time consuming process for the rest of us.

Ignorance is now a defense.

Put them both in jail.

LOS ANGELES — At least she was being honest.

Yuliya Kalinina, 24, spelled out exactly what she was looking for in a husband in her Internet ad:

"Green Card Marriage — Will pay $300/month. Total $15,000," the Russian national wrote in an ad placed on the Craigslist website. "This is strictly platonic business offer, sex not involved."

The ad caught the attention of the man who would eventually marry her on Feb. 17, 2006. But it also alerted agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Kalinina, from Russia, and her 30-year-old husband, Benjamin C. Adams, were arrested last week for what federal prosecutors allege was a sham marriage.

Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of ICE investigations in L.A., says it is the first criminal case he is aware of in which people allegedly used the Internet to engineer a sham marriage for a green card.

Attorney Dale Rubin, who is representing Kalinina, said she didn't know it was illegal to marry for a green card, which he said was evidenced by the blatant language in her ad.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315821,00.html

[Fandango 1,439]

Eh, I'm not so sure how I feel about this, tbh...I've been thinking about this a lot since that person asked me if I'd marry his friend for money....of course, that's sooooo not for me and I'd never do that, BUT the USC is still filling out an affadavit of support in this instance & to me, that's a lot better than just being illegal. USCIS doesn't define a marriage as requiring love....I suppose the money aspect of it is the problem...but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

I would also say this straightforwardness is a lot better than the foreign born so duping the USC into thinking it's a traditional, love filled marriage.

Edited December 9, 2007 by LisaD

[eric&gen 0]

I brough items on craigslist but not a wife lol they should block those kind of ads

[Caladan 19]

Eh, I'm not so sure how I feel about this, tbh...I've been thinking about this a lot since that person asked me if I'd marry his friend for money....of course, that's sooooo not for me and I'd never do that, BUT the USC is still filling out an affadavit of support in this instance & to me, that's a lot better than just being illegal. USCIS doesn't define a marriage as requiring love....I suppose the money aspect of it is the problem...but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

I would also say this straightforwardness is a lot better than the foreign born so duping the USC into thinking it's a traditional, love filled marriage.

It just means the USC is party to the fraud, unfortunately. USCIS doesn't require that a couple love each other or really speak the same language or prove that they've spent enough time together or plan to have kids or understand each other's culture or anything, but they DO require that the marriage not be entered into primarily to secure permanent residency.

It's morally marginally better than convincing some poor dupe she wants him, but legally, it's worse.

[Fandango 1,439]

Eh, I'm not so sure how I feel about this, tbh...I've been thinking about this a lot since that person asked me if I'd marry his friend for money....of course, that's sooooo not for me and I'd never do that, BUT the USC is still filling out an affadavit of support in this instance & to me, that's a lot better than just being illegal. USCIS doesn't define a marriage as requiring love....I suppose the money aspect of it is the problem...but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

I would also say this straightforwardness is a lot better than the foreign born so duping the USC into thinking it's a traditional, love filled marriage.

It just means the USC is party to the fraud, unfortunately. USCIS doesn't require that a couple love each other or really speak the same language or prove that they've spent enough time together or plan to have kids or understand each other's culture or anything, but they DO require that the marriage not be entered into primarily to secure permanent residency.

It's morally marginally better than convincing some poor dupe she wants him, but legally, it's worse.

Yeah I getcha....but is it really much worse than an IMB? Seriously, if a couple doesn't speak the same lang...isn't it kinda implied that there's at least a visa benefit to the non-USC?

Edited December 9, 2007 by LisaD

[one...two...tree 2,762]

but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

The stereotype couple you described are NOT committing marriage fraud as they intend to stay married. ...and who is to quanitify whether any couple here 'loves' each other beyond the evidence to support a bonafide marriage to immigration?

[Caladan 19]

but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

The stereotype couple you described are NOT committing marriage fraud as they intend to stay married. ...and who is to quanitify whether any couple here 'loves' each other beyond the evidence to support a bonafide marriage to immigration?

As long as they intend to marry for reasons other than immigration benefits, USCIS doesn't care if they're miserable, or if the benefits aren't love. Or if the couple is deluding themselves. Or even if the couple getting married is a profoundly bad idea.

A lot of people seem to be under the impression that USCIS is judging the fitness of their spouse or the fitness of the relationship, but they're not.

[Fandango 1,439]

but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

The stereotype couple you described are NOT committing marriage fraud as they intend to stay married. ...and who is to quanitify whether any couple here 'loves' each other beyond the evidence to support a bonafide marriage to immigration?

I'm not quantifying whether people 'love' each other or not...since love is not a prereq to a 'bonafide' marriage in the eyes of USCIS, it's superfluous to this conversation. I wasn't implying that so and so doesn't love each other.....I'm just saying that with an IMB, surely the non-foreign SO looking for 'an American' is doing so at least partially for immi benefit.

This particular story was blatant, and yes, morally wrong as there's money being exchanged. But at the same time, all I'm saying is I see some shades of grey.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

The stereotype couple you described are NOT committing marriage fraud as they intend to stay married. ...and who is to quanitify whether any couple here 'loves' each other beyond the evidence to support a bonafide marriage to immigration?

I'm not quantifying whether people 'love' each other or not...since love is not a prereq to a 'bonafide' marriage in the eyes of USCIS, it's superfluous to this conversation. I wasn't implying that so and so doesn't love each other.....I'm just saying that with an IMB, surely the non-foreign SO looking for 'an American' is doing so at least partially for immi benefit.

This particular story was blatant, and yes, morally wrong as there's money being exchanged. But at the same time, all I'm saying is I see some shades of grey.

I agree with that. I think that's true for all laws, though....shades of grey.

[Ursa Tripudio 2]

You only hear about the stupid ones.

Great comeback!!!

[chispas 0]

:angry:How'd she get here in the first place would be my question.

[diadromous mermaid 36]

but it's on par (imo) with a well off older man marrying a young, gorgeous woman from an impoverished nation. They may not love each other, but they both mutually benefit from the marriage.

The stereotype couple you described are NOT committing marriage fraud as they intend to stay married. ...and who is to quanitify whether any couple here 'loves' each other beyond the evidence to support a bonafide marriage to immigration?

I'm not quantifying whether people 'love' each other or not...since love is not a prereq to a 'bonafide' marriage in the eyes of USCIS, it's superfluous to this conversation. I wasn't implying that so and so doesn't love each other.....I'm just saying that with an IMB, surely the non-foreign SO looking for 'an American' is doing so at least partially for immi benefit.

This particular story was blatant, and yes, morally wrong as there's money being exchanged. But at the same time, all I'm saying is I see some shades of grey.

But why does an inability to communicate in the same language preclude natural attraction and attactment developing between two people? The universal language is spoken worldwide!