Tag: immigration

Three Mexican Citizens charged with trafficking agricultural workers into servitude on farms in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida

Three Mexican citizens have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly running a human trafficking ring that lured agricultural workers from Mexico into forced labor on farms across Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.

A 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, alleges that Martha Zeferino Jose, 42; her son, Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23; and her partner, Jose Rodriguez Munoz, used a farm labor contracting company to exploit the H-2A visa program for financial gain, according to the Department of Justice, or DOJ.

Federal prosecutors say the group recruited workers with promises of legitimate employment through their company, Las Princesas Corporation. Instead, the defendants allegedly charged the workers illegal recruitment fees, saddling them with debt before they even arrived in the U.S.

“These individuals have been indicted for luring vulnerable workers with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said.

According to court documents, once the workers arrived, the defendants seized their passports and visas to prevent them from leaving. The workers were then allegedly forced to labor for long hours without adequate breaks or access to water while being housed in “crowded, unsanitary” residences that lacked heat, air conditioning, and hot water.

The indictment further alleges the following:

  • Climate of Fear: The defendants allegedly prohibited workers from leaving their residences alone or speaking to outsiders, threatening them with deportation if they complained.
  • Visa Fraud: Martha Zeferino Jose allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the government, falsely certifying that she would comply with labor laws she intended to ignore.
  • Obstruction of Justice: When the Department of Labor began an investigation, the defendants allegedly returned confiscated documents just before investigators arrived and ordered workers to lie to federal agents.

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina vowed to “find and eradicate any illegal immigration” and abuse of the system within the district.

The defendants face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit forced labor and alien harboring for financial gain. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of forced labor.

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

Keep reading

Trump DOJ Axes NY Immigration Judge Who Rubber-Stamped an Absurd 97 Percent of Asylum Claims

The Trump administration has fired New York immigration Judge Vivienne Gordon-Uruakpa, who boasted the highest asylum approval rate in the state at a staggering 97%.

The 66-year-old judge, known for her soft-on-asylum rulings, was terminated in September without fanfare, as part of a broader purge of lenient judges under Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Gordon-Uruakpa’s ousting came to light after she vanished from the downtown Manhattan courthouse website, where she had presided over cases.

A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed the site is up to date but declined to elaborate on the specific reasons for her firing, though an unnamed government official speaking to the New York Post pointed to her prolific record of granting asylum as the key factor.

Unlike lifetime-appointed federal judges, immigration court judges serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General and can be hired or fired, a power the Trump team is using as another tool to restore order.

Gordon-Uruakpa graduated from Fordham University and Howard University School of Law. Her courtroom became a virtual rubber stamp for asylum seekers, approving claims at a rate far exceeding her colleagues and contributing to the backlog of cases that critics say enabled illegal immigration under previous administrations.

This firing is not an isolated incident.

The Trump administration has axed more than 100 overly permissive immigration judges during his term.

Meanwhile, tougher judges like John Burns, known for denying asylum at high rates, have been promoted. He was named Acting Assistant Chief Judge in January.

The results are undeniable. Deportation rates are soaring, with nearly 80% of migrants seeking asylum being deported in the last quarter, according to Syracuse University’s TRAC program.

Illegal border crossings have also plummeted under Trump’s renewed enforcement policies.

Keep reading

Fake Immigration Law Firm Busted in Brooklyn Federal Indictment

A five-count indictment was partially unsealed in the Eastern District of New York that charged five defendants with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States.  

Three of the defendants, Daniela Alejandra Sanchez Ramirez, 25 of Ibagué, Colombia and Green Brook, New Jersey, Jhoan Sebastian Sanchez Ramirez, 29, of  Ibagué, Colombia and Green Brook, New Jersey, and Alexandra Patricia Sanchez Ramirez, 38, of Ibagué, Colombia, were arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Colombia with one-way tickets.  

Marlyn Yulitza Salazar Pineda, 24, of Ibagué, Colombia and North Plainfield, New Jersey, was arrested at a restaurant in New Jersey. 

A fifth defendant is not in U.S. custody.  

Daniela and Jhoan Ramirez, and Marlyn Pineda are immigration parolees, and Alexandra Ramirez is in the U.S. on a tourist visa. Daniela, Jhoan, and Alexandra Ramirez are siblings.  The four defendants who were arrested will be arraigned tomorrow morning at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D, Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and Ryan Hill, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, New York Field Office, announced the arrests and charges.

“As alleged, the defendants undermined the integrity of our immigration system by impersonating judges, law enforcement officers, and lawyers, and targeting vulnerable members of our community who sought to hire attorneys to help them navigate sensitive legal issues,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendants brazenly stole their victims’ money and deceived them by sending fictitious documents and holding sham court proceedings. I commend our Office’s prosecution team and the law enforcement agents whose hard work has disrupted this elaborate and outrageous scheme.”

Keep reading

DOJ Moves to Strip U.S. Citizenship From Former North Miami Mayor Over Immigration Fraud

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida have filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the U.S. District Court in Miami, against Phillipe Bien-Amie, also known as Jean Philippe Janvier, a native of Haiti who used two identities to procure immigration benefits — and eventually acquire U.S. citizenship — after illegally entering the U.S.

Before he became a U.S. citizen under the name Philippe Bien-Aime, the defendant used a fraudulent, “photo-switched” passport to enter the U.S. under the name Jean Philippe Janvier. In 2001, Bien-Aime was placed in removal proceedings and ordered removed under the Janvier identity. 

He appealed the removal order, but he withdrew the appeal, representing that he had returned to live in Haiti. In reality, Bien-Aime remained in the U.S. and, using the new name and date of birth, married a U.S. citizen to obtain permanent resident status. The marriage was fraudulent and invalid because he was already married to a Haitian citizen. After making numerous false and fraudulent statements in adjustment and naturalization proceedings, he was naturalized in 2006 under the Bien-Aime identity.   

The man served as the mayor of North Miami. 

“This Administration will not permit fraudsters and tricksters who cheat their way to the gift of U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The passage of time does not diminish blatant immigration fraud.”

The complaint, filed on Feb. 18, alleges that Bien-Aime illegally procured naturalization for several reasons. 

First, he was subject to a final removal order, which disqualified him from naturalization and precluded the former Immigration and Naturalization Service from considering his application for permanent resident status. Second, the removal order prohibited U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from considering his naturalization application and granting U.S. citizenship. 

Keep reading

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Canada’s Liberal Government Opens Military Ranks to Foreign Nationals for Fast-Track Immigration

In yet another reckless move by the far-left Liberal government, Canada is now throwing open the doors of its military to foreign nationals, offering them a fast-track path to permanent residency.

Under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s regime, skilled immigrants from around the world can now snag jobs in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as doctors, nurses, or even pilots, and get expedited immigration status in return.

Additional reporting indicates applicants may be required to:

  • Have extensive prior service in a recognized foreign military
  • Secure a multi-year CAF job offer
  • Possess post-secondary credentials before being admitted under the program.

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced this disastrous policy on Wednesday, touting it as a way to “attract highly skilled foreign military applicants” and “strengthen our armed forces.”

“Finally, we are creating a new category for skilled military recruits to attract highly skilled foreign military applicants. Eligible recruits with a job offer from the Canadian Armed Forces, including doctors, nurses, and pilots, can be invited to apply for permanent residence.

“They will be subject to the same security and military requirements. This new category will support our government’s commitment to strengthen our armed forces, defend our sovereignty, and keep Canadians safe.”

Keep reading

Muckraker Goes Undercover in NYC: Board of Elections Worker Caught on Hidden Camera Admitting Non-Citizens REGISTER TO VOTE — “We Accept Anything That Comes Over the Counter” and “That’s Not My Job to Report Anyone”

Conservative investigative journalist Muckraker just dropped a bombshell undercover video that should terrify every American concerned about election integrity.

Posing as a Canadian green card holder (a non-citizen), Muckraker walked into the New York City Board of Elections office at 200 Varick St #10 and was told, on camera, that the office routinely accepts voter registration applications from non-citizens, will process them, and will not report the illegal attempt.

Muckraker posted the explosive footage on X:

“CAUGHT ON HIDDEN CAMERA: We went undercover at NYC Board of Elections posing as a non-citizen. The Board of Elections worker we spoke to admitted non-citizens register to vote and said he’d submit our (illegal) application and not report it.

‘Once in a while… we have people come in here… and they register, they weren’t a citizen…’

‘That’s not my job to report anyone.’

‘We accept anything that comes over the counter.’

How many non-citizens are registered to vote in the United States?”

The interaction is jaw-dropping.

Muckraker tells the worker outright: “I’m a green card holder from Canada.”

Instead of stopping the process or reporting it, the employee replies:

“No, no, no, no, we accept anything that comes over the counter.”

He then admits: “We have people coming here and they have legal situations, and they register, they weren’t a citizen. Boom, boom, boom.”

When asked how often it happens, the worker shrugs it off and later tells Muckraker:

“I can’t tell you what to do. If you want to fill it out, fill it out… but we accept anything that comes over the counter.”

And when directly asked if he would report the illegal registration attempt:

“No, no I’m not. No we don’t report anyone… That’s not my job to report anyone. My job is just to collect the application and put it and submit it to the Department.”

Keep reading

Analysis: Before Trump, U.S. Annually Imported Migrants from the Most Corrupt Countries in the World

The United States once regularly resettled migrants from the most corrupt nations in the world across American communities, a new analysis details. Last year, though, President Donald Trump halted much of this immigration via executive orders.

The analysis, published by the Center for Immigration Studies, looked at countries whose nationals Trump’s executive orders have either entirely or partially banned from immigrating to the United States.

In particular, the analysis highlights corruption levels on a nation-by-nation basis, showing that in Fiscal Year 2024, and likely prior years, the U.S. issued visas to tens of thousands of foreign nationals from the most corrupt countries in the world.

South Sudan, for example, is ranked as the most corrupt country in the world, according to a study by Transparency International, while Somalia is ranked as the second most corrupt country in the world.

Yet in Fiscal Year 2024 nearly 1,800 nationals from South Sudan and Somalia were issued visas to come to the United States.

Venezuela, which has been partially banned from visa issuance, ranks as the third most corrupt country in the world. Despite this, the Biden administration, in Fiscal Year 2024, admitted almost 2,600 Venezuelans to the United States after issuing them visas.

The Center for Immigration Studies’ Ronald Mortensen writes that vetting for nationals in such corrupt countries is nearly impossible for U.S. officials.

Keep reading

The Arrogance of Migrants Is Something to Behold

There are few things more natural than people from different places and cultures being suspicious of one another. Human beings are tribal by nature, and tribes have always been exclusive. 

As human societies grew larger, the “tribe” to which we are loyal has expanded, and the characteristics we use to identify who belongs to it can shift beyond mere proximity and familiarity. We can even have allegiances to different tribes at the same time. Texans tend to see themselves as members of their local community, Texas, the “tribe” of their favorite sports teams, and as Americans. Sometimes the tribal allegiances overlap, and sometimes not. 

I guarantee you that Floridians and Texans worry about the influx of people from Blue states changing their politics, so imagine what happens when a person from a different country, culture, religion, and who behaves very differently from you, horns in and demands that you change for their benefit. 

And, by the way, demands that you pick up the tab for their new lives. 

Keep reading

The Department of Justice under Trump Expands Federal Proceedings to Revoke Citizenship from Naturalized Foreign Nationals Who Concealed Crimes or Committed Immigration Fraud

The administration of President Donald Trump has decided to intensify legal procedures aimed at revoking U.S. citizenship from foreign-born individuals who obtained it through fraud, deliberate concealment of relevant information, or ties to serious criminal activity.

The measure, confirmed by the Department of Justice, is part of the broader immigration enforcement strategy advanced by the White House and reinforces the priority placed on national security and strict compliance with federal law.

Under current legislation, U.S. citizenship may be revoked if it is proven before a federal court that it was obtained through material misrepresentation or deception. This is not a new legal mechanism.

Denaturalization has historically been used in cases involving war crimes, terrorism, or proven immigration fraud. What changes now is the operational scope: additional resources, greater coordination among federal agencies, and a clear prioritization of these proceedings within the administration’s immigration strategy.

Who could be affected? Naturalized citizens who, during their application process, concealed criminal records, affiliations with criminal organizations, or substantial information that would have prevented the granting of citizenship.

What is being expanded specifically? Investigative capacity and the number of federal prosecutors dedicated exclusively to these cases.

When does it take effect? Immediately, as it is an internal administrative directive.

Where will it be enforced? In federal courts across the country.

Why now? Because the administration maintains that immigration fraud cannot go unpunished and that public trust in the system requires clear consequences.

How will it be carried out? Through civil lawsuits in which the government must present solid evidence before a federal judge.

Keep reading

Mamdami Demands U.S. Immigration Policy Start Obeying Islam

At New York City’s Interfaith Breakfast last week, Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not merely criticize federal immigration enforcement — he reframed it as a religious and moral transgression. Invoking the Islamic doctrine of hijra, he urged New Yorkers to “stand alongside the stranger” in permanent, unqualified solidarity, elevating prophetic example above constitutional sovereignty. 

“Islam [is] a religion built upon a narrative of migration,” Mamdani declared. “The story of the Hijra reminds us that Prophet Muhammad … was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina.” He then universalized the narrative into a binding civic command: “The obligation is upon us all … to look out for the stranger.” 

In this framework, federal enforcement is not lawful authority but cruelty. Immigration officers become “masked agents, paid by our own tax dollars,” who “violate the Constitution and visit terror upon our neighbors.”  

“If these are not attacks upon the stranger among us, what is?” Mamdani asked. “There is no reforming something so rotten and base.” 

This is an inversion of moral authority. 

Mass migration is framed as a moral and civilizational imperative, demanding compassion and openness, while serious pushback on enforcement is recast as intolerant, unjust, or even xenophobic. This framing mirrors elements of the Muslim Brotherhood’s doctrine of tamkeen (institutional entrenchment) outlined in strategic writings such as the 1991 Explanatory Memorandum and the 1982 Project, which describe a phased civilizational strategy built on population presence, parallel institutions, resistance to full assimilation, and long-term influence over policy, law, and public narrative.  

The result is a classic hypocrisy cost in the weaponization of mass migration: Constitutional states, bound by professed commitments to human rights and compassion, must either enforce borders and absorb accusations of cruelty, or abandon enforcement to preserve a humane self-image — while the advancing cause bears no reciprocal burden of allegiance, assimilation, or responsibility to the political community whose resources it claims. 

In his speech Mamdani invoked Islamic doctrine to define civic obligation and delegitimize lawful, constitutional authority, largely without media critique — even as hosts of voices on the left regularly decry any invocation of Christianity in the public square. In doing so he transformed Islamic narrative into civic mandate and federal enforcement into sacrilege, which will inevitably cause a gradual dissolution of constitutional sovereignty. 

Keep reading