Calling it a “federal crime”, the USCIS issued a warning on X that phony marriages intended just to obtain immigration advantages are detrimental to the system and carry severe penalties, such as deportation, arrest, and large fines.
The USCIS has urged citizens to report instances of misuse and marriage fraud in immigration benefits schemes.
“Marriage fraud damages the reliability of our immigration system,” the USCIS stated on X. “Getting married just to receive immigration benefits is a crime & can lead to deportation, arrest, & substantial fines.”
One major infraction of US immigration law is the staging of fraudulent marriages, which are done solely to get immigration benefits. Notably, the USCIS closely examines marriage-based Green Card applications, and any hint of fraud can jeopardize future opportunities with immigration officials in addition to halting ongoing petitions.
What to know about illegal marriages in US?
Marriage fraud is a federal offense in the United States and carries serious penalties. “Any individual who knowingly enters into a marriage to evade any provision of the immigration laws shall be imprisoned for not more than five years, or fined not more than $250,000, or both,” states Section 1325(c) of the Marriage Fraud Law.
Fraud marriages are alluring as they offer a comparatively quick path to citizenship. When foreign nationals marry US residents, they avoid waiting lines for visas and are not subject to any constraints on their status after a two-year probationary period. A person only needs to be a lawful permanent resident for three years to apply for citizenship.
Three types of marriage frauds include:
Marriage between a US citizen and a non-citizen in return for cash or favors.
Both people are intentionally getting married in a phony marriage.
One spouse is misleading the other by seeming to be in a real relationship in order to obtain immigration benefits.
USCIS launches new procedure to report immigration fraud
USCIS has introduced a structured procedure for anonymous reporting of suspected immigration fraud in an effort to bolster enforcement. Users can fill out the form with specific information about people or companies they believe are breaking immigration laws.
“You do not have to tell us your name or provide contact information,” the form reads. “However, if we need additional information and have no way to contact you, it may limit our ability to review your tip and take further action.”
Also Read: US immigration attorneys issue travel risk warning for Indian H-1B, F-1 Visa and Green Card holders
Four held for involvement in large-scale marriage fraud
Four Californians were convicted in federal court in Boston on March 16 for their involvement in managing a massive marriage fraud organisation that planned hundreds of fictitious marriages to deal with stringent immigration laws.
The FBI, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) probed into the case. The defendants, who were all Filipino nationals living in Los Angeles, were taken into custody. They were accused of conspiring to carry out immigration fraud on documents and marriage forgery with seven other people.
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