Exclusive: U.S. authorities pursuing a sweeping fraud investigation suspect some 4,000 Iraqis of filing fraudulent applications for resettlement in the U.S. as refugees, according to State Department reports reviewed by Reuters
More than 500 Iraqis already admitted as refugees have been implicated in the alleged fraud and could be deported or stripped of their U.S. citizenship, according to one document sent to members of Congress. It said there was "no indication to date that any of these 500+ individuals have ties to terrorism."
"The discovery, investigation, and prosecution of individuals involved in the scheme demonstrated the U.S. government's commitment to ensuring the integrity of the program while upholding our humanitarian tradition," the spokesperson said. "Those who would seek to take advantage of America's generosity in welcoming the most vulnerable people will be held accountable."
But there "are a lot of reservations" about expediting the resettlement of Afghans as refugees in the United States, said the State Department official, citing the problems with the Iraqi program. The State Department reports, the unsealed indictment and court documents do not categorically state the alleged scheme's purpose.
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