What to know about the DOJ's massive marriage fraud blitz

• President Trump has been targeting birth tourism and citizenship in recent weeks, focusing on parents who misrepresent how they gained access to the United States.
• Like the DOJ, the Trump administration at large has been sounding the alarm on potential national security threats from foreign countries, including alleged interference by China in American elections.

What they're saying: "Anyone willing to lie, cheat or steal their way to legal immigration status is a direct threat to America's national security," U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Joseph Edlow said in a statement.

Marriage fraud scheme and arrests

Driving the news: The DOJ said more than 1,000 sham marriages helped individuals, including citizens from China, fraudulently obtain immigration status, putting America's security interests at risk.

• The defendants were expected to be arraigned Wednesday on the charges.

The 11 individuals were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.

• They were also charged with one count of conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the U.S., which carries a maximum prison penalty of 10 years.
• It's alleged sham marriage took place from 2016 to 2026 in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, as well as in Vanuatu and China.

The alleged scheme featured recruiters who sought out Americans to participate, and individuals who filled out paperwork for immigration and green card applications.

• The DOJ alleges the operation required "marriage officiants, attorneys, tax preparers, insurance providers, and other service providers."

How did the marriage fraud scheme happen?

How it works: According to the DOJ, foreign nationals paid facilitators about $100,000 to help set up sham marriages and for help in obtaining lawful permanent resident status.

• The facilitators allegedly paid participating Americans about $30,000.
• Recruiters were allegedly given commissions of about $5,000 for each citizen they recruited, according to the DOJ.

The defendants arranged marriages between foreign nationals and participating U.S. citizens, the DOJ alleges.

• "The individuals would often meet for the first time immediately before obtaining a marriage license, arranging sham wedding ceremonies, and staging photographs designed to make those marriages appear legitimate," according to the DOJ.
• Participants allegedly created fraudulent evidence to make the marriages appear real, including staged photos or filing joint tax returns, the DOJ alleges.

By the numbers: The DOJ said the charged individuals caused "at least hundreds of fraudulent Green Card applications and supporting documents to be submitted to USCIS."

Federal crackdown on marriage fraud

The DOJ's latest arrests come amid a series of actions by federal law enforcement actions targeting alleged marriage fraud schemes.

• In August 2025, the USCIS began tightening restrictions on family-based immigration by enhancing screening and vetting of family petitions. USCIS said the changes were intended to address national security concerns and strengthen the integrity of the immigration system.
• The USCIS' Operation Twin Shield, which began in September 2025, targeted alleged marriage fraud operations in Minnesota, among other fraud claims.
• In February of this year, the DOJ charged 11 individuals in an alleged nationwide conspiracy that included U.S. citizens — some military members — being recruited to marry Chinese nationals for money.

Go deeper: Trump targets birth tourism and citizenship in new executive orders