Feds uncover false marriages, fake death certificates in immigration fraud operation in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Federal officials say they've uncovered what they call "blatant" fraud, including sham marriages, fake death certificates, and forged documents, during an immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.

Fraud operation in MN

What we know:

Federal officials with United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), ICE, and the FBI announced the results of "Operation Twin Shields," which worked to uncover immigration fraud. Authorities investigated 1,000 target cases involving 900 people in the Twin Cities.

The operation was underway between Sept. 19 and Sept. 28, and officials say it uncovered fraud, including sham marriages, fake death certificates, forged documents, abuse of F-1 and H-1B visas, and visa overstays.

However, despite the wide-spanning operation, only four people were arrested as part of the operation – though USCIS says it issued 42 notices to appear in immigration court.

Dig deeper:

One case highlighted by federal officials involved concerns with a program called "Uniting for Ukraine" helping Ukrainians flee the Russian invasion. Under the program, officials say one individual filed to sponsor more than 100 people and an organization that sponsored hundreds.

Another case involved a man who admitted to obtaining a fake death certificate from Kenya for $100 to prove he was no longer married.

"In reality, his wife is alive, living here in Minneapolis, and is the mother of five of his children," said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. "And incidentally, he has another wife living in Sweden with whom he has an additional three children."

Data led them to Minnesota

What they're saying:

The operation in the Twin Cities is something USCIS expects to expand nationally, in other cities. But, officials said red flags led them to believe Minnesota would be a good place to start.

"When you look at what we're seeing as concerning patterns of fraud, we're seeing good cooperation here, especially among our field office working with our federal agents," Edlow explained. "It just makes sense to start in a city where we have a sense of what's going on and where we can try to make an impact on certain things, like the immigration fraud from marriages and things of that nature."

"We knew Minneapolis and Saint Paul were a good place to start to get that coordination and to start addressing the red flags that we found," added Edlow.

Edlow also championed the fraud crackdown operation, which he said is critical to maintaining national security.

"At the end of the day, this is what the government should be doing," said Edlow. "We have a responsibility to keep this system legitimate. And when you see what has been uncovered by these diligent officers over the past two weeks, less than a two-week period, that's only the tip of the iceberg to what we're actually dealing with when it comes to immigration fraud. That ultimately is, in my opinion, the same thing as a threat to our national security, a threat to public safety, and something that we've got to take seriously."