H-2B Fraud Ring Busted in Utah
08/06/2009
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An alleged H-2B visa fraud ring operated in Utah for at least four years from July 2005 to June 2009. The Salt Lake Tribune has done a series of stories about the conspiracy, and KSL TV 5 has an excellent video news report of the story (link below). [4 visa fraud suspects appear in federal court, by Geoffrey Fattah, Deseret News (Salt Lake City),August 3, 2009]

Investigators say the Alcala Law Firm lied on applications to help employers in Utah to get work visas for ineligible foreign workers. Many of the foreigners were illegal aliens, who by law cannot get an H-2B visa. It is estimated that the Alcala Law Firm issued more than 5,000 fraudulent work visas. The types of companies that were in on the deal include landscaping, construction, painting, roofing, steel, and property-maintenance.

Some of the companies were coached on how to run fake jobs ads for positions that were already filled by illegal aliens. The DOJ (link below) describes in detail how the job ads were faked. It's the best source of information for those of you that want to know more of the specifics. There is a 31 page legal indictment document that is worth reading for even more detail (link below).

One of the conspirators was Carlos Vorher, 43, a former U.S. Border Patrol agent.

Four men were recently ordered released from jail as long as they wear ankle bracelets. Extradition is being attempted to bring two others in Mexico to the U.S. for prosecution.

The Alcala website can be viewed by going here: http://www.visasusa.com

The logo they have in the upper left corner is very appropriate—it looks like a bandito or Pancho Villa.

There are apologists for the banditos who invade our country and steal our jobs. Like for instance, Juan M. Ruiz, president of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce in Utah, who used the fraud story as an excuse to take a stab against Utah bill No. 81 that will crack down on employers of illegal aliens. His argument is that if Utah starts enforcing the law, there will be more lawbreakers. Duh!

Ruiz worries these types of abuses will be even more commonplace with the passage of Senate Bill 81, which requires public employers to verify the legal status of workers and asks local police to help enforce federal immigration statutes.

"All of these people that are afraid are a little more prone to fraud," Ruiz said. "There's a really good chance that there will be predators."

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