USCIS Operation Finds Fraud Indicators in 44% of Targeted Minneapolis–St. Paul Immigrant Cases; Local Investigations and Federal Response Follow

A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) operation carried out in 2025 targeting more than 1,000 immigration-related cases in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area found indications of fraud, non-compliance or public safety and national security concerns in 275 instances, or roughly 44 percent of the cases interviewed, according to a report cited by The Gateway Pundit. USCIS officers reportedly conducted over 900 site visits and in-person interviews during the operation.

The agency’s findings were described in a summary passed along on social media and cited in local reporting. “Over the course of the operation, our officers found indication of fraud, non-compliance, or public safety and national security concerns in nearly, a little less than 50% of the cases interviewed,” the post quoted USCIS as saying. The same account relayed a more detailed description of the types of irregularities encountered: “Focusing on a list of over a thousand target cases involving more than 900 individuals, our officers encountered blatant marriage fraud, visa overstays, people claiming to work at businesses that can’t be found, forged documents, abuse of the H-1B visa system, abuse of the F-1 visas, and many other discrepancies.”

The USCIS summary identified several common categories of alleged violations. Those included “blatant marriage fraud,” visa overstays, forgery of documents, claims of employment at businesses that could not be located, and alleged abuses of H-1B and F-1 visa programs. The summary also listed “fake death certificates” among the discrepancies flagged by investigators.

The report and its dissemination on social media came prior to a December 2025 video published by independent investigator and YouTuber Nick Shirley that focused on alleged fraud in Somali-run child care centers in Minnesota. The Gateway Pundit article notes that Shirley’s reporting spurred federal agencies to increase their presence in the state and that federal funding for some childcare centers was subsequently frozen. The article does not provide independent documentation of the funding actions but describes them as part of the broader response following the investigative reporting.

The Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area hosts one of the largest Somali populations in the United States, and some reporting has focused on Somali-operated institutions within the community. The Gate way Pundit article emphasized that concentration and connected the USCIS findings and later local reporting, though it did not provide a breakdown of the USCIS investigation by nationality, religion or specific community groups.

In addition to the USCIS operation and the Shirley video, the Gateway Pundit piece referenced prior coverage relating to U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar. The outlet recounted earlier reports and commentary by other conservative sources alleging marriage-related immigration irregularities involving Omar, citing a 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi and other material previously published by outlets such as Power Line. Those earlier reports document questions raised in the past about Omar’s marriage history and related immigration paperwork; the Gateway Pundit article repeats those references but does not present new evidence in this latest piece.

Federal authorities mentioned in the coverage include the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to the Gateway Pundit account, both agencies increased their presence in Minnesota after the December 2025 reporting; the article does not provide direct statements from DHS or the FBI in connection with the USCIS operation. The USCIS findings, if substantiated and corroborated in public agency releases, could have implications for ongoing enforcement priorities, oversight of federally funded programs and local community relations.

The USCIS summary and subsequent reporting prompted debate on social media and among local stakeholders about the scale of alleged fraud and the appropriate balance between immigration enforcement, community trust and support for vulnerable populations. Officials from USCIS, DHS and the FBI would be the primary sources to confirm the scope and legal outcomes of any investigations that originated from the 2025 operation. The Gateway Pundit article presents the USCIS figures and related reporting as evidence of widespread irregularities in the Twin Cities, but independent verification and follow-up from federal agencies and local authorities would be needed to establish final findings and any resulting legal actions.