US Flags Sham Staffing Firms, Fake Student Records In Visa Fraud

(MENAFN- IANS) Washington, Nov 10 (IANS) The State Department said fraudsters were using sham staffing firms, forged documents and fake student records to cheat the US visa system, detailing cases from several countries as the Trump administration widens its scrutiny of work and study visas used heavily by Indians.

"Fraudsters use sham staffing firms, forged documents, and fake student records to try to cheat the U.S. visa system," the department said in a thread on its official X account.

"Under President Trump and @SecRubio, the State Department is exposing these schemes, revoking fraudulent visas, and protecting our country from exploitation," it said.

In the first case, the department said petitioners in an unnamed Caribbean country "posed as 'staffing companies' and used unregistered agents to recruit foreign workers, charging thousands of dollars in illegal fees."

They placed workers in unauthorised jobs under exploitative conditions through falsified labour contracts, pushing up overstay rates by more than four times, the department said. It said the US Embassy flagged dozens of petitions covering hundreds of workers and helped launch criminal investigations.

A second case involved study and exchange programmes. "A recruiting agency ran a scheme to push unqualified applicants into U.S. exchange programs, using fake academic transcripts and lies about student status," the department said.

Consular Affairs tightened vetting and identified 30 more fraudulent agencies, leading to 250 visa refusals, according to the thread.

The department also cited immigrant visa applicants in an unnamed South American country who used fraudulent police, judicial and penal certificates to hide criminal histories. It said the embassy there moved to fully digital verification, and that a joint investigation with local police led to dozens of refusals and more than 15 arrests.

In a fourth case, it said fraud networks helped East African nationals, some of whom posed potential security concerns, falsely claim another country's nationality using bogus documents produced by corrupt "fixers".

The department urged the public to report suspected fraud through an online tip portal it launched on September 23. In announcing the portal, it said visa fraud "can include the use of falsified documents or travel plans, brokers arranging sham marriages, shell companies, fabricated job offers, engaging in or facilitating birth tourism, and more."

It said at the time that it would hold violators accountable, "including by revoking visas and referring fraud for further law enforcement investigation"

The focus on staffing firms and student records is closely watched in India, the largest source of both skilled workers and international students in the United States.

The State Department said on October 31 that it had revoked more than 300,000 visas under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing criminal activity, public safety concerns, immigration violations, fraud or misrepresentation.

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