Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the arrest of Haoren Ma and Minghan Dong, owner and employee of Los Angeles based New Arrival Immigration Service. The two were charged with immigration benefit fraud and failure to disclose their role as immigration preparers. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. The charges allege the defendants charged $3,500 to $6,000 to prepare and file fraudulent asylum applications claiming that Chinese clients fled China in fear of persecution for their Christian beliefs. Suspicions regarding the company first arose in January 2009. Over 800 asylum cases were filed be the company since 2000, making the allegations one of the largest asylum fraud cases based in the Los Angeles area. The arrest directly impacts many individuals currently in immigration proceedings as a result of the fraud. Related Links ICE, News Release, Los Angeles-area immigration consultants charged in asylum fraud scheme Men allegedly filed bogus asylum applications for hundreds of Chinese aliens on religious grounds.
