Speech #990171701

In April 1985. eight defendants pled guilty and were sentenced. These cases. however. point out the problem the Service currently faces: lack of resources. Currently. the INS has less than 700 investigators nationwide to cover all types of immigration fraud. including but not limited to marriage fraud. In marriage fraud cases. they are only able to devote their efforts to marriage fraud rings. During fiscal year 1984 alone. the INS investigated 62 marriage fraud rings. There is another problem with current law in the area of fiance(e) petitions. Right now. an alien can enter the country as a fiance(e) as long as he or she intends to marry within 90 days. Section 214(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act8 U.S.C. 1184says that an alien may receive a temporary fiance(e) visa if the parties " * * have a bona fide intention to marry and are legally able and actual. ly willing to conclude a valid marriage in the United States within * 90 days after the aliens arrival." If the marriage takes place within 90 days. the alien may receive his or her permanent resident status within a matter of weeks. There is a gaping hole in the current statute which has helped create a large number of active and highly lucrative "mailorder bride" businesses. Because the current statute does not require that the two parties must meet each other prior to having a visa approved. a U.S. citizen may petition for someone he or she has never met. In fiscal year 1984 alone. 11.721 alien fianct(e)s were admitted to the United States. Of these. 4.935 adjusted their status to permanent resident status through marriage and 1.438 departed the United States. leaving 5.348 or nearly 45 percent unaccounted for.