Feds arrest former MN corrections officer accused of being in US illegally

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File photo Lino Lakes prison in Minnesota. (FOX 9)

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Liberian man is facing removal proceedings and criminal prosecution after authorities say he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen while working for the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC).

Morris Brown, 45, has reportedly been in the country for years by first posing as a student, then briefly joining the U.S. military and working in the Minnesota prison system while claiming to be a citizen. 

DHS arrests former MN corrections officer 

Timeline:

Investigators say Brown was discovered during a "major enforcement operation that targeted suspected immigration fraud in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area last fall."

ICE arrested Brown on Jan. 15 in Minneapolis, accusing him of overstaying a student visa and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. 

Brown reportedly came to the U.S. in 2014 on a non-immigrant student visa. That visa was terminated in 2015 after he failed to enroll in a course of study.

Authorities say he also joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2014, but went AWOL the following year. He was apprehended and discharged under "other than honorable conditions in 2022."

Brown then applied for a Green Card in 2020 under the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness program, but was denied after officials found he didn't disclose his military service. 

Authorities say he then applied to be naturalized based on his military service in 2024.

Investigators say they also found evidence of marriage fraud and past false claims of being a U.S. citizen.

It was during this time that authorities found he had been working for the Minnesota Department of Corrections while falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.

The Department of Homeland Security says Brown is now facing removal proceedings and criminal prosecution.

Minnesota DOC responds

Dig deeper:

The Minnesota DOC said that Brown's employment with them ended in October 2025.

State officials say they "promptly provided the requested I-9 records and fully cooperated with federal authorities" during the investigation and that they followed federal document verification requirements during the hiring process.

The DOC adds that if the allegations against Brown are true, his actions represent "deliberate misconduct."

What they're saying:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow released the following statement: 

"Operation Twin Shield continues to deliver results as the Department of Homeland Security relentlessly pursues those who seek to cheat our immigration system. This alien tried every trick in the book to remain in the United States after losing legal status. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure he faces justice for his many violations of the law."

Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell shared the following statement: 

"If these federal allegations are accurate, this individual engaged in sophisticated efforts to misrepresent their identity, extending well beyond Minnesota. We are grateful to USCIS and ICE for their work in investigating and addressing immigration fraud. We will continue to comply with federal law and work professionally with our federal partners."