Rep. Collins (R-Ga.) asks ICE and CBP to continue investigating illegal Korean worker scheme

In May 2020 ICE and CPB foiled an intricate scheme by a large group of Korean nationals to utilize fraudulent employment letters to work in the United States, Rep. Collins (R-Ga.) is now asking for continued enforcement in Atlanta, as the scheme appears larger than initially expected.

In May, Senior CBP officials said quick action by their officers protected significant employment opportunities for Americans in the Atlanta area during a difficult economic climate.

“This criminal network sought to exploit American companies and take jobs away from our hard working citizens,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan. “We are experiencing difficult economic times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and had CBP not acted, more Americans would have suffered economic hardship at the hands of this fraudulent group of Korean nationals. CBP remains vigilant in protecting our border, facilitating legitimate trade and travel, and protecting the economic security of the American people.”

In total, 33 Korean nationals who had planned to use fraudulent employment letters were encountered by CBP Atlanta and were refused entry into the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program.

Now, Rep. Collins is asking for ICE and CPB to continue their efforts in this case as new evidence points to the scheme being larger than initially thought.

In his letter, Collins thanked the departments for their commitment to protecting Americans and their employment opportunities. He went on to state:

Since CBP’s announcement, I have been contacted by a constituent who believes to have additional information related to the event referenced in CBP’s May press release. This constituent has informed me that he has observed additional Korean nationals already illegally working at the facility in Georgia. In fact, according to my constituent — who has been to the facility on multiple occasions — the 33 Korean nationals intercepted by CBP in May represent only a small fraction of the workforce on this project that have systemically and illegally been brought to the United States to displace American workers.

If true, these actions not only hurting American workers, many of whom are currently eager for work, they are illegal and must be stopped. Therefore, I ask that CBP and ICE commit whatever investigative resources necessary to determine whether and to what extent there are foreign workers illegally employed at the facility in Georgia

To read the CBP release pertaining to the original scheme, please click here.
To read Rep. Collins’s complete letter, please click here.