U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents arrested 22 U.S. citizens and Kenyans in Iowa recently who were subsequently arraigned in federal court for allegedly participating in marriage fraud schemes designed to evade U.S. immigration laws.

According to indictments filed in federal court, participants in the sham relationships married only so that the Kenyan nationals involved could obtain permanent resident status, commonly referred to as having a “green card.” In return, the U.S. citizens were paid for entering into the fraudulent marriages.

In addition to the 22 currently in custody, 10 additional people have been indicted for conspiring to enter a marriage to evade immigration laws, marriage fraud, and making false statements, but have not yet been arrested.

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More than 30 undocumented immigrants were sent to federal custody recently after being discovered in a mobile home in Berino, New Mexico. All the immigrants were reportedly in good health.  There is no word on where the immigrants are from.

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