Latest news with #HomelandSecurityTaskForce
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- The Hindu
Indian-origin businessman charged with committing visa fraud in U.S.
An Indian-origin businessman and four U.S. law enforcement officials, including three police chiefs, were charged with committing visa fraud in Louisiana. Chandrakant Patel, a resident of Oakdale, along with Chad Doyle, Glynn Dixon, Tebo Onishea, and Michael Slaney, a city marshal, was indicted in Lafayette on Wednesday (July 16). They were charged for creating false crime reports to support visa claims of immigrants under the U.S. government's U visa programme, according to a court document. "The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse," according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. Also Read | 'Unscrupulous' agents provide short-term loans to U.S. visa applicants to convince Embassy officials Immigrants contacted Patel to be named as victims in police reports alleging that an armed robbery had occurred, so that they could apply for U visas, the document said. Patel would ask his co-conspirators to write false police reports after charging immigrants thousands of dollars. Patel is the owner of two stores in Louisiana, one in Glenmore and another in Oakdale. He also operated a fast-food restaurant franchise in Oakdale. Patel was himself granted a U-Visa in 2023, based on his alleged status as a victim of armed robbery. The case is being investigated and prosecuted by a Homeland Security Task Force established by President Trump as part of Operation Take Back America, the USCIS said in a press release.
The Hill
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Louisiana police chiefs arrested in alleged visa fraud schemes
Multiple Louisiana law enforcement officials, including two city police chiefs, have been charged following an FBI investigation into an alleged visa fraud and bribery scheme that prevented immigrants from being deported. The U.S. Attorney's Office for Louisiana's Western district said in a news release that Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Forrest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon and former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea were part of a conspiracy to get nonimmigrant 'u visas' by making false police reports about bogus violent crimes against immigrants in exchange for thousands of dollars. Also charged in the alleged scheme were Oakdale City Marshall Michael Slaney and Oakdale businessman Chandrakant 'Lala' Patel. The U nonimmigrant status prevents some immigrant victims of crimes in the U.S. from being deported. A grand jury indicted Doyle, Dixon, Slaney, Onishea and Patel this week. According to their indictments, immigrants seeking U-Visas would allegedly contact Patel, who would help them be named as 'victims' in police reports alleging armed robbery. The prosecutors allege that the immigrants paid Patel thousands of dollars to get the law enforcement officials to write false police reports and provide certification as supporting documents for their U visa applications. The officials allegedly were compensated in return. Authorities alleged that the scheme stretched as long as a decade and continued until last month. The officers face various counts of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. Patel also faces a bribery charge. If convicted, each faces a sentence of up to five years in prison on each of the conspiracy charges; up to a decade on the visa fraud charges; up to 20 years on the mail fraud charges; and Patel faces up to 10 years on the additional bribery charge. They also could be fined up to $250,000 on each count. Federal authorities have moved to seize some of their personal property, including bank accounts and vehicles. President Trump's administration has focused heavily on deportations since his return to office in January. Trump and his allies also have long backed efforts to cut the U visa protections to prevent potential misuse. The investigation into the Louisiana visa case was led by Trump's new Homeland Security Task Force, created to facilitate his immigration crackdown.
American Press
16-07-2025
- American Press
UPDATE: Oakdale police chief, marshal accused of exploiting immigration system for personal profit
Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment against several current and former law enforcement officers, including Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle and Oakdale City Marshal Michael 'Freck' Slaney. These two are among five individuals accused in a year-long investigation into exploiting the U.S. immigration system for personal profit, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook. The investigation is part of 'Operation Take Back America. Also indicted are Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon, former Glenmora police chief Tebo Onishea, and Oakdale businessman and Subway restaurant owner Chandrakant Patel. Patel was booked into a Rapides Parish correctional facility, while all others were released. During a press conference Wednesday, Van Hook emphasized that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The 21-page indictment includes 62 counts against the five individuals, with allegations of immigration fraud, visa fraud, mail fraud, bribery and. money laundering. According to the U.S. Attorney General's Office, the individuals allegedly used profits from this scheme to purchase vehicles, real estate and other luxury items. Those assets are subject to seizure, Van Hook said. The U.S. Attorney General's Office, Homeland Security Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigations and Internal Revenue Service began investigating the alleged conspiracy to fraudulently obtain hundreds of U-Visas last July, after receiving a tip from another law enforcement officer. The investigation concluded on Tuesday with several arrests and search warrants being executed by multiple law enforcement agencies in Allen and Rapides parishes.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
USCG Cutter Vigorous returns to Portsmouth after 46-day border security mission
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Crew from the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous are back home following a 46-day border security patrol off the coast of Florida. According to a release, the Vigorous was deployed to the Florida Straits to support the Homeland Security Task Force with alien interdiction — or the detection and monitoring of migrant smuggling vessels — and border security operations. While deployed, the crew worked alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations and Homeland Security Investigations. Vigorous returned to its homeport of Portsmouth on Wednesday, March 5. Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
