The Trump Administration has repeatedly and consistently attacked immigrants and immigrant communities. Among many other things, the president has falsely accused immigrants of being more likely to commit crimes and he has proposed harsh new rules to restrict access to green cards for any immigrants who use public benefits.
The president and his allies have also claimed — without providing any evidence — that immigration fraud is rampant in the United States. Soon after he assumed office, President Trump took significant steps to root out immigration fraud, which, in his view, was supposedly very common. The reality has proved to be far different. According to a new report published in Bloomberg Law, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are finding “shockingly” few cases of immigration fraud.
Aggressive Federal Investigation; Little Immigration Fraud Found
The Trump Administration has previously claimed that immigration fraud is rampant at U.S. worksites. In 2017, the president signed an executive order that, among other things, increased efforts to investigate and prosecute immigration fraud efforts. The administration targeted two types of employment immigration fraud: H-1B Visas, which are for workers who have specialized knowledge and skills, and H-2B visas, which designed are for seasonal employees. In addition to the employment visas, the administration also targeted supposed fraud that was occurring within the EB-5 immigrant investor program.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an anonymous ‘tip’ system for possible immigration fraud related to any of these programs. In the 2018 fiscal year, ICE dramatically increased the amount of enforcement-based worksite visits that were being made based on these tips. In fact, over this twelve-month period, ICE made more than 23,000 visits to U.S. worksites to ensure full compliance with the immigration regulations.
The results: Immigration fraud is not nearly as common as the Trump Administration has led people to believe. Most of the tips received by ICE have not led to any type of enforcement action at all. As stated in the Bloomberg Law article: “most employers are following the law”. Similarly, little abuse has been uncovered within the EB-5 immigrant investor program.
Immigrants Face Unfair, Harmful Discrimination
The president’s rhetoric and his policies are causing serious harm. Immigrants face demonization based on the (false) argument that they are more likely to break the law, that they place a burden on public funds, or that they are defrauding the immigration system. Yet, when any of these claims are investigated, the anti-immigrant views simply do not hold up to even the slightest bit of scrutiny.
Get Help From an Experienced Immigration Attorney
If you need immigration law guidance, it is crucial that you have an experienced legal advocate by your side. At Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our law firm is committed to helping our clients find effective, reliable solutions for themselves and their family. For a fully confidential review of your case, please do not hesitate to call our Los Angeles law office today.
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