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Tag: illegal immigrants
July 25, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Nationwide ICE Op Catches Arsonists, Pedophiles, Human Traffickers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has netted illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes, including child rape, arson, and human smuggling, during a nationwide operation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, and illegal immigrants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrests occurred Thursday in cities across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Yesterday, ICE arrested pedophiles, arsonists, and human smugglers. Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, these dirtbags are off our streets,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

🎯IMPACT: The arrests highlight ongoing efforts to remove dangerous illegal aliens from American communities.

IN FULL

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has revealed details of a nationwide operation conducted Thursday in which illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes were arrested. Notable arrests include Jacobo Argueta-Fuentes, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador, convicted of multiple sex crimes against children in New York; Rafael Manriquez-Mancia, a 45-year-old from Mexico, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Texas; and Abraham Eladio Pineda-Rocha, a 33-year-old from Mexico, convicted of alien smuggling in Texas.

Other arrests include Alfonso Lopez-Cabrera, a 48-year-old from Mexico, convicted of lewd acts with a child under 14 in California, and Wahota Allassane Ouattara, a 38-year-old from the Ivory Coast, convicted of arson in New York City.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Yesterday, ICE arrested pedophiles, arsonists, and human smugglers. Thanks to President Trump and [Department of Homeland Security] Secretary [Kristi] Noem, these dirtbags are off our streets. ICE law enforcement is doing what sanctuary politicians refuse to do: protect the American people.”

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July 25, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Immigration
UK

‘Get Your Act Together’ — Trump Laments ‘Horrible Invasion’ of Migrants ‘Killing Europe.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump arrived in Scotland and criticized Britain’s handling of illegal migration.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

📍WHEN & WHERE: July 2025, Glasgow Airport, Scotland.

💬KEY QUOTE: “You better get your act together or you’re not going to have Europe anymore.” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s comments add pressure on British leadership to address rising illegal immigration issues.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump arrived in Scotland for a four-day visit and immediately addressed Britain’s illegal immigration issues. He urged Britain to “get its act together” to stop what he described as a “horrible invasion” affecting Europe.

“You better get your act together or you’re not going to have Europe anymore,” he said shortly after landing. “You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that is happening to Europe, many countries in Europe.”

He continued: “Some leaders have not let it happen, and they’re not getting the proper credit… I could name them to you right now, but I’m not going to embarrass the other ones. But stop, this immigration is killing Europe.”

The America First leader highlighted his administration’s success in halting illegal entries, saying, “Last month we had nobody entering our country.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, of the left-wing Labour Party, faces increasing pressure to tackle illegal migration, with tens of thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats this year, with virtually none of them being deported. Many are being housed in often luxurious hotels at the taxpayers’ expense, despite being largely unvetted, with some committing crimes that have prompted riotous protests in recent weeks.

Trump plans to meet with Sir Keir and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during his British trip. Despite his critical stance on the British premier’s handling of immigration, Trump commended the Prime Minister for successfully negotiating a U.S. trade deal—only possible as a result of Brexit—stating, “He got a trade deal done… It’s a good deal for the UK.”

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July 24, 2025
William Upton
Immigration
Lawfare

Federal Court Strikes Down Trump Order Ending Birthright Citizenship.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has found President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order ending birthright citizenship unconstitutional and issued a nationwide injunction blocking the measure.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Supreme Court, and illegal immigrants and their children.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was handed down late Wednesday, July 24, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree.” — 9th Circuit’s majority

🎯IMPACT: The ruling marks a significant legal setback for the Trump White House; however, it does clear the path for the administration to bring the matter before the U.S. Supreme Court.

IN FULL

Late Wednesday evening, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a ruling declaring President Donald J. Trump‘s Executive Order ending birthright citizenship unconstitutional. The ruling marks a significant legal setback for the Trump White House; however, it does clear the path for the administration to bring the matter before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree,” the 9th Circuit’s majority wrote. In addition, the judges agreed with the plaintiffs, a coalition of Democrat governed states, that the matter fell under the exceptions laid out by the Supreme Court justices regarding their restrictions on nationwide injunctions: “We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in issuing a universal injunction in order to give the States complete relief.”

“We should approach any request for universal relief with good faith skepticism, mindful that the invocation of ‘complete relief’ isn’t a backdoor to universal injunctions,” Judge Patrick Bumatay wrote in dissent. The judge argued that it is unlikely the states have the proper legal standing to sue, but did not directly address the constitutionality of President Trump’s Executive Order.

The Constitution’s 14th Amendment states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains that the clause in the amendment stating “subject to United States jurisdiction” means it does not necessarily grant citizenship to a child simply for being born in the United States.

The coalition of Democratic states points to the precedent established by the 1898 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark. In that decision, the high court held, “a child born in the United States, of parents of Chinese descent, who, at the time of his birth, are subjects of the Emperor of China, but have a permanent domicile and residence in the United States, and are there carrying on business, and are not employed in any diplomatic or official capacity under the Emperor of China,” was granted U.S. citizenship at birth.

However, the DOJ and critics of the United States’ birthright citizenship policies contend that the decision does not apply to the children of immigrants in the country illegally. The Supreme Court has not clarified whether this is the case.

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July 24, 2025
Immigration

Trump Admin Tagging 180,000 Illegals With Ankle Monitors: ‘If You Don’t Want to Wear One, Leave.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been instructed to increase the use of GPS-enabled ankle monitors for immigrants in the Alternatives to Detention program.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE personnel, immigrants enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

📍WHEN & WHERE: McLaughlin said that illegals who do not want to wear ankle monitors should leave the country on July 24.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If you are in America illegally, you may be ‘shackled’ with a GPS ankle monitor. If you don’t want to wear one, you should leave the country now.” — DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin 

🎯IMPACT: The policy could significantly expand surveillance and affect thousands of immigrants, with potential business impacts for private companies involved.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has increased the use of GPS-enabled ankle monitors for illegal immigrants, according to an internal ICE document. ICE has instructed personnel to apply these devices to all migrants in the Alternatives to Detention program—around 183,000 people, compared to only 24,000 who are tagged at present—wherever it is feasible. An exception is made for pregnant women, who will wear wrist-worn devices instead.

Critics of immigration controls in the Democratic Party, nonprofits, and corporate media argue the devices are stigmatizing, with The Washington Post suggesting illegals are being “shackled”—despite admitting they are only as heavy as a deck of cards.

The Trump administration is taking these criticisms in stride, with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responding on Thursday, “Yes. If you are in America illegally, you may be ‘shackled’ with a GPS ankle monitor. If you don’t want to wear one, you should leave the country now through the [CBP] Home app!”

ICE spokeswoman Emily Covington stated that ankle monitors are an “enforcement tool” to ensure compliance with immigration laws, adding that “more accountability shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

Image by Whoisjohngalt.

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Migrant Crime
July 22, 2025
Immigration
News

ICE Is Going After Bosses Who Exploit Illegal Immigrant Labour.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons discussed the agency’s focus on worksite enforcement actions targeting crimes like human trafficking and child exploitation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Todd Lyons, acting ICE Director, and ICE enforcement teams.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Remarks were made during a broadcast of NewsNation’s Cuomo this week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We want to go ahead and [tackle] those American businesses that are illegally taking credit off the men and women that they have working for them. We are going after the businesses as well.” – Todd Lyons

🎯IMPACT: ICE is emphasizing enforcement against businesses involved in illegal practices, alongside its focus on criminal warrants.

IN FULL

Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons has stated the agency’s current focus on worksite enforcement actions will see the agency go after bosses who employ and exploit illegal aliens. These operations are aimed at locations with potential human trafficking, child exploitation, or other criminal activities.

Lyons stated, “We hear all the time, from the left and the right, hey, we’ll support you if you have a criminal warrant, search warrant signed by a judge. And when you see a lot of the worksite that we’ve done, like the marijuana grow farm or the events on June 6 that led to the riots and the protesting of us in L.A., they were actual federal criminal warrants that ICE was going to a location that either had possible human trafficking, child exploitation, or some type of criminal event. That’s what ICE is focused on right now.”

He further explained that the agency is not solely focused on illegal immigrants working illegally. “We want to go ahead and [tackle] those American businesses that are illegally taking credit off the men and women that they have working for them. We are going after the businesses as well,” Lyons said.

The ICE raid of a marijuana farm in California earlier this month saw agents discover illegal immigrant children being exploited. Despite this, the state’s Democrat Governor, Gavin Newsom, took aim at ICE’s methods, complaining that they were using tear gas on women and children.

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Migrant Crime
July 21, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Second Illegal Immigrant Arrested for Shooting Border Agent.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The second suspect in an attempted robbery of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been taken into custody.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: A CBP officer, two male suspects, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Late Saturday night at Fort Washington Park in Manhattan, New York.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There’s absolutely zero reason that someone who is scum of the earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City.” — DHS Sec. Noem

🎯IMPACT: Both suspects have been apprehended and have been identified as Dominican nationals who illegally entered the U.S. and have extensive criminal records.

IN FULL

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Monday that the second suspect involved in the shooting of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been detained. The officer was attacked late Saturday night at Fort Washington Park in Manhattan by two men on a moped in what appeared to be an attempted robbery.

The incident, which occurred at approximately 11:50 PM, resulted in an exchange of gunfire. The off-duty CBP officer was shot in the face but managed to return fire, hitting one of the suspects. New York Police Department (NYPD) radio traffic indicated the officer was shot in the mouth during the altercation.

During a press conference on Monday, Noem stated, “Fortunately for us today, our officer survived. He survived. He’s going through a very difficult time, and I would ask that you respect him and his family and his friend who was with him and what they have gone through.” She added, “We were able to bring the second individual in and have detained him as well, and he will face consequences and hopefully strong prosecution for his crimes and his involvement on Saturday night.”

Authorities identified the suspect as Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a Dominican national who re-entered the United States illegally in April 2023 and was released under the Biden government despite an active deportation order. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott confirmed that the second suspect had also been apprehended and released at the U.S. border prior to the attack.

“There’s absolutely zero reason that someone who is scum of the earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City,” Noem told reporters. She criticized sanctuary city policies, particularly those under Mayor Eric Adams, elected as a Democrat, for enabling such criminals, adding: “He was arrested four different times in New York City, and because of the mayor’s policies and sanctuary city policies, was released back to do harm to people.”

White House Border Czar Tom Homan added, “Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. President Trump is not going to tolerate it.”

Meanwhile, New York City’s Democratic Party mayoral candidate and self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani has remained silent on the shooting. Mamdani, who has previously called to defund the police and abolish prisons and opposes working with President Donald J. Trump to deport illegal immigrants, is currently in his birth country, Uganda, “in a personal capacity” to celebrate his marriage.

The “Twelver” Muslim stated he would return to New York City “by the end of the month.”

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July 18, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Dem-Backed Illegal Charged With Staging ICE ‘Kidnapping’ to Solicit Donations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Mexican illegal alien backed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) has been charged with allegedly staging her own “kidnapping” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to solicit donations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, her daughter, Karen Bass, and federal law enforcement agencies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Los Angeles, California, with events unfolding in June and July 2023.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public.” – U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli

🎯IMPACT: The scheme diverted valuable law enforcement resources, according to HSI Special Agent Eddy Wang.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is charging Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a 41-year-old Mexican illegal alien residing in South Los Angeles, with conspiracy and making false statements after she allegedly orchestrated her own “kidnapping” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to gain sympathy and solicit donations. The alleged conwoman had received the public backing of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D), who said in a July 1 social media post, “She’s a mother from LA—taken out of her car on her way to work, and then held in a warehouse as officers hoped she would ‘self-deport.’ No hearing. Just fear. This doesn’t make anyone safer.”

A press conference by Calderon’s attorneys and relations claimed she was abducted by uniformed men in unmarked vehicles on June 25. Attorney Stephano Medina alleged that Calderon was held by “bounty hunters” who attempted to coerce her into signing self-deportation documents. However, an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleges Calderon and others staged the incident as a hoax, with her daughter setting up a GoFundMe page to raise $4,500.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched an inquiry after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received a missing persons report. Investigators found inconsistencies, including calls Calderon allegedly made from “borrowed phones” that were traced back to her own number. Surveillance footage also contradicted claims of a forced abduction, showing Calderon calmly leaving the scene in a sedan without alerting nearby officers.

HSI agents eventually located Calderon in Bakersfield, California, where she continued to claim she had been “kidnapped.” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli criticized the false narrative, stating, “Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public.”

HSI Special Agent Eddy Wang emphasized the resource strain caused by the hoax, noting, “The real cost of a fraud like this is the amount of fentanyl not seized, child predators not removed from the communities, and human trafficking victims not rescued.”

Calderon faces up to five years in federal prison for each charge.

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July 17, 2025
Crime
Immigration

ICE Agent Dragged for a Block By Illegal Immigrant.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An illegal immigrant allegedly dragged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer with his van for an entire block during an attempted escape in Dallas, Texas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Honduran national Jose Melgar-Rivas and ICE officers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred in Dallas, Texas, with details posted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Attacks on our officers will NOT be tolerated. This resulted in multiple injuries to the officer’s body and ended with Jose Melgar-Rivas in cuffs.” – ICE via a post on X.

🎯IMPACT: The officer sustained multiple injuries, and Melgar-Rivas now faces charges of assaulting a federal officer alongside his existing removal order.

IN FULL

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was dragged for an entire block by a van driven by Honduran national Jose Melgar-Rivas during an attempted detention in Dallas, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detailed the incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

According to ICE, Melgar-Rivas attempted to flee by accelerating his vehicle, dragging the officer and leaving him with severe injuries, including bruising and friction burns. The DHS highlighted the case as an example of the growing danger federal officers face, noting an 830 percent increase in assaults on ICE personnel between January 21 and July 14 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. The agency attributed this rise in part to inflammatory rhetoric from “sanctuary” politicians, which incites hostility toward ICE agents.

“Attacks on our officers will NOT be tolerated,” ICE stated on X. “This resulted in multiple injuries to the officer’s body and ended with Jose Melgar-Rivas in cuffs.”

Melgar-Rivas, who already had a final order of removal, now faces additional charges of assaulting a federal officer.

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July 17, 2025
Immigration

These GOP Lawmakers Are Pushing Amnesty, ‘Dignity’ for Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: At least 11 GOP legislators are backing a de facto amnesty bill, The Dignity Act, which would increase immigrant inflows and grant multiple paths to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) is leading the effort, alongside other GOP House lawmakers and some Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bill was announced on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I don’t think that we should be arresting [illegal immigrants] who have been in the country more than five years, don’t have a criminal record, are good for the economy, and they are needed in construction, hospitality, and agricultural,” said Rep. Salazar.

🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the bill would harm American workers, weaken the GOP coalition, and benefit businesses relying on cheap foreign labor.

IN FULL

Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) and at least 10 other GOP legislators are pushing The Dignity Act, a controversial immigration bill that includes multiple paths to amnesty for illegal immigrants. Despite Salazar’s denial of the term “amnesty,” the bill offers legal status to various immigrant populations, including individuals who have illegally voted in federal elections.

The bill also revives past proposals, such as President Joe Biden’s “Labor Neighbors” program and President George W. Bush’s 2001 “Any Willing Worker” plan, which would open the door to an unlimited influx of foreign workers. Among its provisions, the bill proposes creating immigration centers in Latin America and granting O visas to STEM PhD graduates from U.S. universities, allowing them to remain in the country.

Notably, Rep. Salazar’s legislation has cropped up several times in Congress, with a previous iteration, mostly backed by Democrats, being introduced in January this year. The National Pulse, at the time, provided a breakdown of the bill, which was then and is now tantamount to an amnesty measure.

Critics argue Salazar’s bill prioritizes business interests over American workers. It has drawn support from GOP lawmakers Don Bacon (R-NE), Mario Rafael Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Young Kim (R-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), and David Valadao (R-CA). A number of Democrats, including Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), are also supporting.

However, pro-American legislators, including Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), are pushing back, denouncing the proposal as a “wage-cutting, coalition-breaking giveaway.”

Image by World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

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July 16, 2025
William Upton
Crime
Immigration

Businessman, Police Chiefs Indicted for Obtaining Visas for Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors have filed a 62-count indictment against a Louisiana businessman and four senior law enforcement officials over an alleged scheme to use false police reports to obtain U-Visa status for illegal immigrants who paid them tens of thousands of dollars.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Local Louisiana businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel; Chad Doyle, Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, Chief of Police for the City of Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, former Chief of Police for the City of Glenmora; Michael “Freck” Slaney, Marshal of the Ward 5 Marshal’s Office in Oakdale; and unnamed illegal immigrants.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The indictment was revealed on July 16, 2025; the scheme is alleged to have taken place from at least December 26, 2015, until July 15, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), “[T]he defendants each face a sentence of up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years on the visa fraud charges; up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge; and Patel faces up to 10 years on the bribery charge. In addition, they could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. “

🎯IMPACT: The federal charges raise questions regarding the legitimacy of U-Visa status and the potential for the program’s abuse.

IN FULL

The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana has moved to indict three local Louisiana police chiefs, a city marshal, and a prominent business leader over an alleged immigration fraud scheme that gamed the U nonimmigrant status (“U-Visa”) system.

According to the 62-count indictment, local Louisiana businessman Chandrakant Patel—also known as “Lala”—conspired from at least December 26, 2015, until July 15, 2025 with Chad Doyle, Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, Chief of Police for the City of Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, former Chief of Police for the City of Glenmora; and Michael “Freck” Slaney, Marshal of the Ward 5 Marshal’s Office in Oakdale to fabricate crimes in which illegal immigrants or legal immigrants with expiring status would be named as victims or witnesses. This allowed the immigrants to falsely obtain a U-Visa, allowing them to remain in the United States legally.

Federal prosecutors allege that illegal and legal immigrants would contact Patel either directly or through an intermediary to request to be named as “victims” in false police reports, paying Patel tens of thousands of dollars for the criminal act. Subsequently, after payment, Patel would proceed to contact either Doyle, Slaney, Dixon, or Onishea in order to have a false police report, usually regarding armed robbery, created with the immigrant’s name listed as the victim or witness. This would then allow the immigrant to file an application for a U-Visa, with the police report nearly guaranteeing they would secure status.

Notably, the U nonimmigrant status or U-Visa was created in 2000 through Congress’s adoption of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. The law’s intent is to aid law enforcement investigations by granting the ability to provide certain legal protections to illegal immigrants who are either victims or material witnesses to a crime—effecively removing the threat of deportation in exchange for their cooperation.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), “[T]he defendants each face a sentence of up to 5 years in prison on the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years on the visa fraud charges; up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge; and Patel faces up to 10 years on the bribery charge. In addition, they could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. “

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