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Immigrants Posed As Church Workers To Gain Visas

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peejay Mentor

peejay   327

Posted
Filed: Country: Belarus
 Timeline
Posted

Immigrants Posed As Church Workers To Gain Visas

Nov 15, 2006 8:46 pm US/Eastern

(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON Dozens of Pakistani immigrants who came to the United States posing as religious workers were arrested Wednesday, authorities said, as Homeland Security agents tried to close a commonly exploited avenue for illegal immigration.

Immigrants who were supposed to be teaching or conducting religious ceremonies were arrested across the East Coast, where authorities said many worked as gas station attendants, taxi drivers, landscapers and factory workers.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been scrutinizing the religious worker visa program, which a 2005 review found was rife with problems. Homeland Security officials found fraud in one of every three religious visas they reviewed.

"What we see are religious institutions such as churches that may exist only on paper but are sponsoring people," ICE spokesman Dean Boyd said. "Our concern is we don't know who these people

are. They're obviously not who they say they are and they don't have religious training."

Those arrested include a textile factory worker in Atlanta, a truck driver in Philadelphia and a gas station attendant in New York, officials said. Most of the 33 people were from Pakistan.

Though most were not performing religious work, authorities said two Massachusetts imams were arrested for using fraudulent documents.

In the report released last year, officials found cases where workers could not be found and addresses could not be verified. In one incident, the address on the visa application was found to have been used by a terrorist suspect, though Boyd said there was no indication of a terrorist threat in Wednesday's case.

He said the aliens paid large fees to get people or organizations to sponsor them for visas.

Arrests were made in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

In June, Washington state pastor Dong Wan Park was convicted of helping South Korean nationals file fraudulent religious visa applications. None of the applicants was ever employed at the church.

The aliens arrested Wednesday were held on immigration violations and could face criminal charges.

Boyd said the agency is committed to the visa program, which is said is important for legitimate religious institutions, but said it must not be exploited.

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_319205211.html

"Credibility in immigration policy can be summed up in one sentence: Those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave."

"...for the system to be credible, people actually have to be deported at the end of the process."

US Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (D-TX)

Testimony to the House Immigration Subcommittee, February 24, 1995

mmb Collaborator

mmb   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Scotland
 Timeline
Posted
Lots of Indians & Pakistanis pretend to be Christian to get visas to come here.

Common knowledge back there.

Do you think my K1 will be easier if I pretend to be Christian?

K-1 Visa

Event Date

Service Center : Vermont Service Center

Consulate : London, United Kingdom

I-129F Sent : 2006-09-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2006-09-28

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2006-10-18

NVC Received : 2006-10-20

NVC Left : 2006-10-23

Consulate Received :

Packet 3 Received : 2006-11-06

Packet 3 Sent : 2006-12-02

Packet 4 Received : 2006-12-07

Interview Date : 2007-01-31

Visa Received : 2007-02-03

US Entry : 2007-03-06

Marriage : 2007-03-30

aliciaandfran Enthusiast

aliciaandfran   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Nicaragua
 Timeline
Posted

Lots of Indians & Pakistanis pretend to be Christian to get visas to come here.

Common knowledge back there.

Do you think my K1 will be easier if I pretend to be Christian?

Just a guess...but, no...I think everybody waits in the same boat pretty much! :)

Lots of Indians & Pakistanis pretend to be Christian to get visas to come here.

Common knowledge back there.

Do you think my K1 will be easier if I pretend to be Christian?

Just a guess...but, no...I think everybody waits in the same boat pretty much! :)

I'm just looking at your timeline..and you were approved SUPER fast...wow.

Alicia (United States) + Juan Francisco (Nicaragua) = AMOR

Timeline:

06-??-05: Met on mission trip in El Salvador...

07-28-05: Said goodbye...sniff, sniff

05-19-06: He was denied the tourist visa by the Embassy in Managua...

06-15-06: I couldn't wait any longer...flew to see him in Managua...

07-??-06: We got engaged.

07-13-06: I flew back to the U.S.

10-03-06: I-129F sent certified express mail

10-06-06: Notice Left, October 06, 2006, 11:29 am, MESQUITE, TX 75185 (um..maybe tomorrow?!)

10-10-06: Your item was delivered at 6:40 am on October 10, 2006 in MESQUITE, TX 75185 to INS . The item was signed for by M S.

10-16-06: NOA1 date...no email...but this is the date on the official copy that they sent to me (it's so pretty!).

10-19-06: Check posted (online banking).

10-20-06: Received NOA1 snail mail.

01-04-07: NOA2 (93 days)

01-11-07: Received NOA2 snail mail.

01-20-07: Letter from NVC: Case will be on its way to Managua within 1 week. (Date on letter: Jan 16).

01-26-07: Fran receives packet three and INTERVIEW DATE.

03-13-07: Interview date. Visa granted! Gracias a Dios.

03-18-07: We fly back to the U.S.

03-22-07: We get married!

06-??-07: We file I-485.

Hold up b/c notice of biometrics appointment doesn't arrive to our never changed address!

I don't really remember the dates b/c I am filling this in half a year later!

12-24-07: We find out we are expecting a little one!

01-??-08: Fran receives his green card.

JaJo Community Regular

JaJo   1

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Brazil
 Timeline
Posted
Do you think my K1 will be easier if I pretend to be Christian?

If it works, please come back and tell us. I'd be willing convert to any religion to be with him. :hehe:

The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.

peejay Mentor

peejay   327

Posted
Filed: Country: Belarus
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted
Lots of Indians & Pakistanis pretend to be Christian to get visas to come here.

Common knowledge back there.

It appears the charade may be ending soon and the chickens are coming to roost. The fake marriage scam seems to be getting extra scrutiny from ICE too. Coming here on a fraudulent visa doesn't seem to pay off anymore.

The only way left to scam the system seems to be illegal entry, illegal work, and a pie in the sky hope for the coming illegal alien amnesty. And that is something that shouldn't happen, but the moon and the stars are not aligned to stop it.

"Credibility in immigration policy can be summed up in one sentence: Those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave."

"...for the system to be credible, people actually have to be deported at the end of the process."

US Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (D-TX)

Testimony to the House Immigration Subcommittee, February 24, 1995

 

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