USCIS uncovers sham marriages, fraud in Minneapolis sweep
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services led a coordinated enforcement operation called "Operation Twin Shield" across the Minneapolis–St. Paul area Sept. 19–28, targeting roughly 1,000 cases and conducting more than 900 site visits. USCIS, working with ICE and the FBI, identified fraud or public-safety concerns in 275 cases, referred 44 cases for notices to appear or ICE action, detained two individuals on site, and cited examples including sham marriages with alleged elder exploitation and fabricated death certificates. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow framed the action as part of a broader shift under Executive Order 14161 and a new rule expanding USCIS law-enforcement authority; investigations and additional referrals are ongoing.
🔍 Key Facts
- Operation Twin Shield ran Sept. 19–28, 2025 across the Minneapolis–St. Paul region.
- USCIS targeted ~1,000 cases, visited more than 900 sites, and flagged fraud/non-compliance in 275 cases.
- Outcomes so far: 44 referrals/NTAs, 2 detentions; officials expect more NTAs and adverse adjudications as investigations continue.
📍 Contextual Background
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executes search warrants at residences and family homes as part of criminal investigations.
- New York City has sanctuary city status.
- The Rapid Response Legal Collaborative had funding of $500,000 (as reported in the article).
- The New York Immigrant Family Unit Program had funding of $16,000,000 (as reported in the article).
- The Immigrant Opportunity Initiative had funding of $20,000,000 (as reported in the article).
- Video footage captured an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer pushing a visibly upset Ecuadoran woman to the ground outside an immigration court at the 26 Federal Plaza building in Manhattan.
- The Department of Homeland Security released a statement saying the officer was being relieved of current duties while a full investigation was conducted and denouncing the officer's conduct as unacceptable.