A recent immigration enforcement sweep in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area uncovered significant levels of immigration fraud, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow.
“Officers encountered blatant marriage fraud, visa overstays, people claiming to work at businesses that don’t exist, forged documents, abuse of the H1B and F1 visa systems, and many other discrepancies,” Edlow told reporters, according to the New York Post.
The Twin Cities has seen a sharp rise in Somali immigration, with more than 82,000 Somali residents now living in Minnesota.
The operation focused on areas in and around the district represented by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). An immigration official told the New York Post that “nearly 50 percent” of residents in the 1,000 homes targeted were linked to some form of immigration fraud.
“Our officers found indications of fraud, non-compliance, or issues that raised public safety and national security concerns,” Edlow said. “What they found should shock all of America.”
“Immigration fraud undermines our lawful immigration system, harms those who follow the law, & poses risks to national security & public safety.
Under @POTUS, we will leave no stone unturned, through partnerships like Operation Twin Shield.” @USCISJoe https://t.co/M90GzmV3N5
— USCIS (@USCIS) September 30, 2025
Among the cases cited:
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One immigrant entered a sham marriage with an elderly American who was later subjected to elder abuse and exploitation.
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Another immigrant admitted to paying $100 for a falsified Kenyan death certificate to end his marriage, despite his wife—the mother of five of his children—still living in Minneapolis.
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In another case, an individual confessed to marriage fraud only hours after insisting her marriage was legitimate.
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USCIS also discovered the son of a suspected terrorist who had overstayed his visa after being denied benefits for fraud.
The enforcement sweep, which took place from September 19–28, resulted in four arrests, according to KMSP-TV.
Officials said Minnesota was chosen as the starting point for the new operation due to multiple red flags in immigration cases. Other cities are expected to face similar sweeps in the future.
“When you look at concerning patterns of fraud, we’re seeing strong cooperation here, especially between our field offices and federal agents,” Edlow said. “It made sense to start in Minneapolis and St. Paul, where we could coordinate effectively and address the red flags we identified.”
He added: “At the end of the day, this is what the government should be doing. And when you see what has been uncovered by these diligent officers in less than two weeks, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Immigration fraud is not just a legal issue—it’s a national security and public safety threat that we must take seriously.”