In an unprecedented large-scale enforcement operation, federal officials have unearthed a startling level of immigration fraud in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The operation, dubbed "Operation Twin Shield," ran from September 19 to September 28, 2025, and was the first of its kind to concentrate on a single city region to this extent.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow described the findings from the operation as a wake-up call for the nation. "Officers encountered blatant marriage fraud, visa overstay, people claiming to work at businesses that can't be found, forged documents, abuse of the H1B visa system, abuse of the F1 visa, and many other discrepancies,” Edlow stated on Tuesday. He added, “What they found should shock all of America.”
“What they found should shock all of America,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, emphasizing the extensive nature of the immigration fraud encountered.
During the operation, fraud detection officers conducted nearly 1,000 site visits across the Twin Cities and identified 275 cases—44 percent of those interviewed—with evidence of fraud, compliance issues, public safety concerns, or national security risks. Four individuals were arrested, and 42 others were referred to ICE for further enforcement action, according to reports by OANN.
Minnesota's Somali immigrant population has recently surpassed 82,000 residents, many of whom live in districts represented by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). These demographic shifts, along with unspecified red flags, prioritized the region for this focused enforcement effort. Among the elaborate schemes uncovered was one where an individual purchased a Kenyan death certificate to falsely claim his previous marriage had ended while his wife and children resided in Minneapolis.
Visa violations featured prominently in the findings. Investigators discovered numerous instances of overstays, fraudulent documentation, and misuse of both H1B and F1 visas. In one notable case, the son of a suspected terrorist had overstayed his visa and was denied benefits due to fraud. Edlow emphasized that such abuses pose a significant threat to both public safety and national security.
The operation showcased effective coordination between USCIS officers and federal agents. “It just makes sense to start in a city where we have a sense of what’s going on and where we can try to make an impact on certain things, like the immigration fraud from marriages and things of that nature,” Edlow remarked. He also stressed that this operation is the beginning of a broader crackdown on immigration fraud, which he equates to a threat to national security and public safety.
USCIS has signaled that similar enforcement initiatives may be launched in other cities based on emerging patterns of fraud. Edlow vowed to relentlessly pursue those undermining the integrity of the immigration system and laws. Federal officials with USCIS, ICE, and the FBI have announced the results of "Operation Twin Shield," marking a significant step in addressing immigration fraud. Authorities investigated 1,000 target cases involving 900 people in the Twin Cities, as reported by FOX 9.
