That all comes together as components of who we are as nations and nationalities. But inside of us. we are all one people. And that is my belief. and it is my profound commitment to continue to support the religious workers visa. Now I get to the "or what?" And that is that I have seen a significant amount of fraud in these applications. And I want to point out that where we will be welcoming Pope Benedict XVI here in Washington. D.C.. and as I look through the statistics on the Catholic religious workers visas. the fraud rate is very. very low as a proportion to the overall applications. So there is no implication in my remarks with regard to Catholics in particular. and many other denominations from that standpoint. But the special immigrant religious worker visa program was created in 1990 and has been a magnet for people not only to come and share their faith with us. but also a magnet for people to be able to utilize the program in the system that it wasnt intended for. The State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs in September 2005 in their Fraud Digest reported that "religious worker visas are known as some of the most difficult to adjudicate." The Fraud Digest then goes on to discuss various cases in which people were prosecuted for fraudulent use of the program. So. for instance. in 2004 a Venezuelan national was convicted in Virginia of visa fraud. He had filed 179 fraudulent petitions for religious ministers. In addition to creating fraudulent certificates of ordination. diplomas and other supporting documentation. he also obtained a valid 501(c)(3) tax exemption from recognized religious organizations without their knowledge. The Immigration Subcommittee has long been aware of fraud in their religious worker visa program. In 1997. a GAO investigation was requested by our subcommittee. The State Department conducted a field inquiry.
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