Fake Passport Holders: Fraud Victims Or Conspirators?

[FlyAway]

Found this article last night. How can these people say they were "Victims"? Seems kind of clear to me when you decide to stay past your 6 month tourist visa (fake or not) you had ill intentions of following the law anyway.The lady used in the example is very lucky to still be walking free on US soil. People wonder why it is so difficult and time consuming to get a tourist VISA to the US. It is people like her that give the honest potential tourists a bad rap.http://globalnation....or-conspiratorsThere are many Filipinos facing deportation before United States immigration courts for having committed immigration fraud. What is astonishing is that many do not even realize the severe consequences of their fraudulent actions. When faced with a question about the use of a fraudulent or assumed name to enter the US, there are those who respond in a manner that indicates no remorse in their actions. In these circumstances, one would think twice whether the individual involved is a victim or a conspirator to the fraud. Tammy, for example, recently graduated from college with a Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration. As part of her graduation gift, her auntie introduced her to a travel agent who would be able to assist her in obtaining a visa to visit the US. Tammy’s auntie paid almost P200,000 to this travel agent. After a few weeks, Tammy was called by the travel agent and was informed to prepare to leave for the US. She was surprised because she did not have her passport yet and neither had she been to the US Embassy to apply for her visa. Still the travel agent, specified the time and date of Tammy’s departure. She was told that her passport and visa would be given to her at the airport. Tammy was advised by her auntie to follow the instructions of the travel agent. At a designated place at the airport, she met the travel agent. Tammy was handed a Philippine passport with a US visa stamp. When Tammy looked closely, she discovered that the passport was not in her name but had her picture. The travel agent said that it was okay for Tammy to travel with that passport even if it was not in her name. Fake passport racket Faced with the predicament of whether to proceed using the fake passport or just abandoning her plan to visit the US, Tammy decided to go ahead using the fake passport. She was able to enter the US and was given six months to stay as a tourist. At the end of the authorized six months, she decided to remain for good in the United States. Tammy worked as a caregiver and was not questioned about her immigration status by her employer. After working for three years, she met Joel, a US citizen, at her place of work. Joel and Tammy dated for five months before they finally got married. Tammy gave birth to two wonderful children who are now aged seven and nine. A petition for an immigrant visa was filed by Joel for Tammy. This petition was approved. However, Tammy’s application for the adjustment of her status to become a lawful permanent resident was denied. She was found inadmissible, or not eligible for immigrant status because she entered the US with a fraudulent visa. An application for waiver was filed so that despite the fraud, she would still be allowed to obtain her immigrant status. But the waiver was also denied and now Tammy is facing deportation proceedings. During her hearing, Tammy related to the judge how she obtained her fraudulent passport. Tammy explained every detail of how she acquired her passport. She said that the travel agent “manufactured” the visa and that she was just a “victim” of fraud. Unfortunately, her response lacked credibility. At the next hearing, Tammy had a completely different tone when asked about her fraudulent entry to the US. This time she cried and admitted her mistake. She begged for a second chance, saying her US citizen children and her spouse were everything in the world to her. Fortunately this time, the judge was swayed by her emotional grief and finally granted her a waiver of the fraud that she committed upon entering the US. Judgment was rendered giving her legal permanent resident status. Extreme hardship waiver An application for waiver of fraud may be filed when an individual has qualifying US relatives who will suffer “extreme” hardship. Qualifying relatives refer to a spouse or parents who are US citizens or green card holders. The court will take into account various factors in determining whether there are favorable factors to grant the waiver. There is an increasingly high rate of denial of these waiver applications. While the decision in the illustrated case of Tammy was granted favorably, there are many others similarly situated who are denied because of efforts by the US Department of Homeland Security to curb the use of fraudulent documents. Not a “normal” course The motivations for going to the US vary. Unfortunately, there are some who skip the normal process of obtaining visas to the extent of engaging in misrepresentation. Whether one’s reason is to seek better economic opportunities or family unification or just plain avoidance of visa delays, the use of fraudulent documents to enter the United States is never an excuse and is obviously illegal. What is becoming a serious concern is that an applicant for a visa may find this scheme a “normal” process without realizing the severity of the consequences of fraud. False assurances that some unscrupulous “travel agents” give to travel applicants—that it is okay to use assumed names and fraudulent travel documents—is a cruel deception. One should avoid falling into these types of deceptions lest one be charged as conspirators and face severe consequences.

[Call me bubba]

I am not a "ROCKET SCIENTIST " but if i am given a "FAKE VISA/FAKE PASSPORT" I would know thats its wrong and if caught I would suffer the consequences . and this person knew it was wrong. YET She went ahead with her actions, BUT this woman had a Good attorney who helped her win her status adjustment (even marcos wife had a GOOD Lawyer and look what he did. same w/the Juice .)Without bashing the RP or its people, why do they do such things? knowing They will or could get caught? is it knowing the US has a "soft heart"? They dont have "true" remorse or feelings of Guilt?please others enlighten me. so i will further understandor should i just write dear abby or "dear mr.lee" :devil:

[gapotwo]

For a lot of people in third world countries, the USA. is like heaven ,and will do almost anything to get there.i mean what have they got to loose.what is the worst thing the USA.will do if caught? deport them back to their country? In my time back in the pinas, i had lots of offers of moneys from ladies from well to do families in manila, for marriage of convenience when they found out that i am a US. citizen. i never did it because it is wrong. and some could not understand where i was comming from.i guess its like just anouther day of doing business in the wild wild east. tanks EJ.:devil:

[Dave Hounddriver]

Almost everything in the Philippines can be accomplished by 'fixers' for the right price. How would an average filipina know that a US passport and visa cannot be 'fixed' in the same way as a Philippine passport and visa can be?

[Art2ro]

Here’s a differnt twist besides fake passports and a true story that my Mom told me long ago back in the early 60s. When military bases were still in the Philippines and military personnel could travel from base to base just using their official military travel orders without a passport! My Mom knew of a young Filipino man by no family relations, who faked some official military travel orders and a military I.D. card by the help of a friend of his who knew the ropes by working on base in admin, threw on a Navy uniform and hopped on a military space-A flight from Subic to Hawaii and then on to another military space-A flight to a military installation in California! Back in those days a military space-A flight only cost $10 and $1.50 for an in-flight box lunch or meal - they also served MREs (Meals Ready to Eat - just add water), which means one didn't need a whole lot of money to travel from base to base! After he got outside of the military installation, he was a loose illegal alien and blended in the crowd for awhile until he learned the ropes in obtaining employment and got paid under the table by his illegal employer! All that was important to him was that he was able to earn enough money to support himself in the U.S. and send money to his family in the Philippines! Since he qualified under the illegal alien amnesty program in the late 80s, he was able to be a legal immigrant and stay in the U.S. and work legally as long he didn't have a criminal record in the Philippines! I'm sure by now, his family is with him in the U.S.! My point is, when Filipinos are desperate enough and have the know how, they will do almost anything in order to survive, passport or no passport, but that was way back in the early 60s! It would be impossible to do that now!This was just my story of a different twist verses fake passports!

Edited June 13, 2011 by Art2ro

[gapotwo]

Here’s a differnt twist besides fake passports and a true story that my Mom told me long ago back in the early 60s. When military bases were still in the Philippines and military personnel could travel from base to base just using their official military travel orders without a passport! My Mom knew of a young Filipino man by no family relations, who faked some official military travel orders and a military I.D. card by the help of a friend of his who knew the ropes by working on base in admin, threw on a Navy uniform and hopped on a military space-A flight from Subic to Hawaii and then on to another military space-A flight to a military installation in California! Back in those days a military space-A flight only cost $10 and $1.50 for an in-flight box lunch or meal - they also served MREs (Meals Ready to Eat - just add water), which means one didn't need a whole lot of money to travel from base to base! After he got outside of the military installation, he was a loose illegal alien and blended in the crowd for awhile until he learned the ropes in obtaining employment and got paid under the table by his illegal employer! All that was important to him was that he was able to earn enough money to support himself in the U.S. and send money to his family in the Philippines! Since he qualified under the illegal alien amnesty program in the late 80s, he was able to be a legal immigrant and stay in the U.S. and work legally as long he didn't have a criminal record in the Philippines! I'm sure by now, his family is with him in the U.S.! My point is, when Filipinos are desperate enough and have the know how, they will do almost anything in order to survive, passport or no passport, but that was way back in the early 60s! It would be impossible to do that now!This was just my story of a different twist verses fake passports!

I hear you ART. Subic was big on that. not to mention the bidding wars in front of the US NAVYrecruiting office there. the highest bidder got in the US NAVY,and more money got him a comission.the recruiter lived in my hood, and was very rich.and a US NAVY officer.then one day AFP. OPM. and NIS. raided his house and no one heard from him since.not even his wife or family. now lets snap our arss back on topic!! tanks ej.