MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has announced the successful completion of Operation Twin Shield, a large-scale immigration fraud detection initiative carried out in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region from Sept. 19 to Sept. 28, 2025.
During the operation, USCIS immigration officers uncovered suspected fraud in 275 cases. The effort included over 900 site visits and in-person interviews, focusing on applicants and petitioners with pending immigration benefits who matched identified risk factors. Fraud or ineligibility indicators were found in 44 percent of cases reviewed.
The types of benefit applications investigated included marriage and family-based petitions, employment authorizations, and parole-related requests. USCIS has already issued 42 Notices to Appear (NTAs), referred multiple cases to ICE, and confirmed the arrest of four individuals. Additional enforcement actions are expected as administrative reviews continue.
Examples of fraud uncovered include:
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A fabricated death certificate purchased in Kenya to falsely claim the termination of a marriage, despite the spouse being alive and residing in Minneapolis.
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An applicant with ties to a known or suspected terrorist, who had overstayed a visa and previously committed marriage fraud.
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A petitioner who admitted to marriage fraud only hours after swearing to the validity of the marriage in an official USCIS interview.
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A case of marriage fraud involving elder abuse and exploitation of a U.S. citizen spouse.
“USCIS is declaring an all-out war on immigration fraud. We will relentlessly pursue everyone involved in undermining the integrity of our immigration system and laws,” said USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow. “With help from ICE and the FBI, Operation Twin Shield was a tremendous success—hundreds of bad actors will be held accountable.”
Operation Twin Shield marks the first time USCIS has deployed resources at this scale in a single metropolitan area. The initiative supports Executive Order 14161, aimed at protecting the United States from foreign terrorists and other national security threats.
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