Law and Justice
(2009-10-23)
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SEATTLE, WA
(KPLU) -
A federal judge in Seattle is sending two people to prison for conspiring to commit immigration fraud. They admitted to coaching would-be immigrants to lie as a way to receive asylum in the U.S.
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Prosecutors say during the nine years Steven and Helen Mahoney operated an immigration consulting business in Kent, they advised dozens of eastern European clients to lie on their asylum applications. Over that time at least 99 people claimed they were seeking refuge because of persecution, either for being gay or for being Jewish.
Ye-Ting Woo is an assistant U-S Attorney in Seattle, and helped prosecute the case. She says the Mahoney's took part in at least 99 fraudulent applications. Most of these clients received some form of residency status.
According to Woo, "Nearly all of them did, as a result of those false representations. If not a green card, equivalent to a green card, many have led to U.S. citizenship."
Woo says it's up to immigration authorities to track them down. She says few would likely be prosecuted, but could have their citizenship revoked. She says this type of fraud injures legitimate asylum seekers, slowing down application reviews and potentially leaving vulnerable people in harm's way.
Gary Davis, KPLU News, Seattle.
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