Immigration fraud arrests under Trump administration

The Justice Department said on August 12 that federal authorities arrested 10 people and charged 11 in what prosecutors called a decade-long immigration marriage-fraud scheme centered in New York and extending nationwide. The two-count indictment, unsealed in the Southern District of New York, alleges the defendants arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages so foreign nationals could seek lawful immigration status in the United States. The case appears to be the enforcement action referenced in a widely shared September 7 social-media post about immigration-fraud arrests under President Donald Trump’s administration. The post itself did not identify defendants or cite court records, but the Justice Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services publicly named the case and the people charged. ### Which arrests match the viral immigration-fraud post? The August 12 Justice Department release is the clearest match to the social-media claim because it involved a large arrest count and an immigration-fraud case announced by federal authorities. Prosecutors said 10 defendants were arrested that morning and were expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court. The 11th defendant was also charged in the indictment. (justice.gov) The Southern District of New York identified the defendants as Amy Cheng, also known as Amy Zhou; Xiao Mei Chan, also known as Carmen; Christine Lu, also known as Lily; Jing Yan Ye, also known as Serene; Xiao Yan Chen, also known as Anna; Gang Zheng, also known as Michael or Mike; Anthony Cheng; Michelle Duenas; Angela Duenas; Sigrid Cetino; and Erika Johnson. (justice.gov) ### What do prosecutors say the defendants did? Federal prosecutors said the group operated from at least 2016 through July 2026 and arranged sham marriages between U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, primarily citizens of China. According to the indictment described by the Justice Department, the organization matched clients with U.S. citizens, prepared immigration paperwork, coached participants before interviews and staged photographs to make marriages appear legitimate. (justice.gov) The Justice Department said some foreign nationals paid up to $100,000 for a sham marriage. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly ran a “multimillion-dollar” scheme that abused immigration laws for profit. ### Who investigated the case? U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said its personnel played a role in the investigation, alongside federal prosecutors and local authorities. (justice.gov) The Justice Department release also credited Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace in announcing the case. USCIS has separately publicized other immigration-fraud cases in recent days, including a September 2 announcement in Kansas City that an aunt and her U.S. (justice.gov) Airman nephew were arrested in another alleged immigration-fraud scheme. That case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and is distinct from the New York marriage-fraud prosecution. (uscis.gov) ### Is this the only immigration-fraud case announced recently? Federal agencies have announced several immigration-related fraud cases in 2026, but the New York marriage-fraud prosecution stands out for the number of defendants and the scale alleged by prosecutors. Other recent cases have involved visa fraud, fake legal services, asylum fraud and employment-related document fraud. (uscis.gov) The Justice Department’s August 12 case is also one of the few recent announcements to pair a double-digit arrest count with a specific allegation of more than 1,000 sham marriages. That combination likely explains why it was widely recirculated online weeks later. This is an inference based on the public record and the timing of the social-media post. (justice.gov) ### What charges were filed, and where can readers check the next step? The indictment unsealed in White Plains charged the defendants with conspiracy counts tied to the alleged marriage-fraud operation, according to the Justice Department. Court proceedings were set in the Southern District of New York, where arraignments were expected before Judge McCarthy. (justice.gov) The next public milestones would be docket entries and court appearances in the Southern District of New York, where the case was filed. USCIS and the Justice Department have both posted releases naming the defendants, the charges and the court where the case is proceeding. (justice.gov 1) (justice.gov 2)