The Trump administration has discovered significant immigration fraud in many cases examined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fraud investigators.
During a Congressional hearing this week, USCIS Director Joe Edlow informed lawmakers that the agency’s efforts to combat immigration fraud have led to the identification of a concerning number of instances where immigrants obtained visas or green cards through dishonest practices.
“In the past year, USCIS has implemented strict measures to identify, prevent, and address fraud throughout the immigration system,” Edlow mentioned to Congress.
Since January 20, 2025, USCIS has forwarded around 33,000 fraud cases to the Office of Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, marking a 138% increase from the average yearly referrals under the previous administration. Our Fraud Detection and National Security team has investigated over 21,000 cases and found that 65% involved fraud. In total, we conducted over 7,000 field visits and approximately 26,000 social media checks to address concerns related to national security, public safety, fraud, and anti-American activities. [Emphasis added]
Edlow specifically pointed out USCIS’ Operation Twin Shield, initiated last year to address marriage fraud, H-1B visa fraud, and student visa fraud in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
“Operation Twin Shield concentrated on over 1,000 cases exhibiting signs of fraud or ineligibility, which included more than 2,000 on-site visits and nearly 1,500 in-person interviews,” Edlow stated.
This operation led to the rejection of various immigration benefits, the issuance of many notices for individuals to appear before immigration judges to initiate deportation, and the arrest of close to a dozen individuals. This was done in collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Additionally, we gathered vital evidence that contributed to Operation Paris (Post-Entry Refugee Verification and Integrity Enhancement) in Minnesota. [Emphasis added]
As Edlow explained, USCIS’ Operation Paris is currently examining thousands of refugee cases from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which includes a significant number from Somalia.
“Our initial focus is on the 5,600 refugees in Minnesota who have not yet received their legal permanent residency,” Edlow stated. “The new screening center at USCIS is actively involved in Operation Paris, where judges thoroughly review background checks, conduct re-interviews, and assess asylum application merits.”
