Federal officials have uncovered extensive immigration fraud in a recent Minnesota immigration bust operation dubbed “Operation Twin Shield,” which targeted the Twin Cities metro area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The investigation revealed numerous cases of sham marriages, elder exploitation, and the use of fake death certificates, exposing a complex web of fraudulent activities designed to manipulate immigration benefits.
Scope and Results of Operation Twin Shield
Conducted over nine days by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Operation Twin Shield reviewed more than 1,000 immigration cases flagged for potential fraud or ineligibility. From these, officials identified 275 cases with suspected fraud, eventually narrowing down to 42 referrals for further ICE investigation, and four arrests have been made so far, though no charges have yet been filed.
Joseph Edlow, director of USCIS, emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the immigration system, noting that the uncovered cases represent just “the tip of the iceberg” in addressing immigration fraud. Among the specific examples revealed were sham marriages, including one involving the exploitation of an elderly U.S. citizen, and a case where a man fabricated a death certificate to falsely claim his marriage had ended, despite his spouse — the mother of his five children — being alive and residing in Minneapolis.
Types of Fraud Uncovered
The investigation uncovered several forms of immigration fraud:
- Sham marriages: Marriages arranged solely to obtain immigration benefits, some involving vulnerable elderly citizens.
- Fake death certificates: Used to fraudulently assert the end of a marriage, thereby enabling immigration claims.
- Forgery and document manipulation: Including forged documents to support fraudulent immigration applications.
These fraudulent activities undermine the legal immigration process and pose challenges for authorities working to protect the system’s legitimacy.
The operation is considered a pioneering effort given its scale and coordination between multiple federal agencies, marking a significant step in combating immigration fraud in the region.