MOGADISHU, Somalia — A federal immigration sweep across Minneapolis and St. Paul uncovered widespread immigration fraud, much of it concentrated in Somali-majority neighborhoods, officials said.
The two-week operation, dubbed “Twin Shield,” was led by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with support from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officers visited 1,000 homes and found that nearly 50% of those reviewed were involved in some form of immigration fraud.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said investigators encountered sham marriages, visa overstays, fake employment records, forged documents, and misuse of both work and student visa programs.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, with more than 82,000 Somali immigrants and refugees, many of whom arrived during the 1990s following civil war in Somalia.
Officials did not release demographic breakdowns of those found in violation, but said most fraud cases were identified in areas with high concentrations of Somali residents.
In one case, a Somali man allegedly used a forged death certificate to remarry, while still living with his wife and five children in Minneapolis.
Another man, the son of a suspected terrorist on the U.S. no-fly list, reportedly attempted multiple sham marriages and is now in custody awaiting deportation.
A third immigrant is accused of marrying an elderly American woman under false pretenses. Officials said the woman now fears retaliation following their divorce.
Officials declined to provide a specific number of arrests, stating that “multiple individuals” were detained and investigations remain ongoing.
Edlow said the operation was based on data showing the Twin Cities as a hotspot for immigration fraud and that similar actions may follow in other U.S. cities.
“We have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the immigration system,” he said. “Operations like this will continue.”