USCIS: Be careful of false advertisements

USCIS: Be careful of false advertisements

Wednesday, 09 December 2009 00:00 By Gemma Q. Casas - Reporter

OFFICIALS of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said some people may take advantage of Guest workers, foreign investors and employers gathered on Friday at American Memorial Park’s Visitors Center to listen to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials discuss federal immigration law. CNMI’s new immigration system in the wake of reports that some individuals in China are falsely claiming that foreigners can get U.S. permanent residency status or a green card in the commonwealth.

David Gulick, district director of the USCIS, said if the information sounds too good to be true, don’t believe it.

“What we want to make people aware of is when people promise you something that seems too good to be true, like everybody will get a green card on Nov. 28, don’t believe it,” he told the Variety.

Marie Thérèse Sebrechts, Department of Homeland Security-USCIS regional media manager for Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and the CNMI, said people should be very wary about rumors and should be alert for immigration fraud.

Her warning came after a person inquired about a false advertisement circulating in an undisclosed part of China wherein certain individuals are selling their services to assist Chinese to get into the CNMI which was described as a place where they could get a green card.

“I told that individual that’s not true,” she said.

“This can happen at a time when there’s confusion, some people will believe if someone says, ‘You pay me $5,000 or $10,000 I can get you a green card,’ ” she added.

The USCIS said there are no confirmed victims yet of the false advertisements in China.

“The message is be very careful. Please use the resources that are available. Use the .gov site. We have appointments, come in. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you want legal help hire an attorney,” Sebrechts said.

The USCIS officials also noted that all forms from their office are free and that people should only get information from the official Web sites of federal agencies.

“All U.S. government web sites end in .gov. Downloading forms is free,” said Sebrechts.
Information about the CNMI’s new immigration system can be accessed at www.uscis.gov.

The USCIS said it has published the E-2 investor rule, transitional worker rule, the conforming rule, and other information materials on its CNMI Web site.