Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program - Fact Sheet

The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), through its Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program (Fraud Program) in EOIR’s Office of the General Counsel, is committed to identifying and combatting all forms of fraud in order to protect the integrity of EOIR’s immigration proceedings. Pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 1003.0(f)(2), the Fraud Program:

• Serves as a central location to receive information relating to instances of suspected immigration fraud, including asylum fraud and other application fraud (e.g., benefit and visa applications), scams against noncitizens, and the unauthorized practice of law.
• Combats immigration fraud before the immigration courts and Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), including asylum and application fraud, by referring individuals who commit fraud for criminal prosecution or other discipline.
• Coordinates with and provides assistance to federal and state law enforcement entities and disciplinary authorities to ensure that cases of fraud and abuse are appropriately investigated and prosecuted.
• Coordinates with EOIR’s Attorney Discipline Program and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) disciplinary counsel in cases that call for the discipline of immigration attorneys and non-attorney practitioners who represent individuals before the immigration courts, the BIA, and USCIS.
• Conducts Fraud Program training for adjudicators, other EOIR employees and contractors, and provides guidance and resource materials to staff on an ongoing basis.
• Receives referrals regarding fraudulent activity by practitioners, noncitizens and others. Referrals come from many sources including immigration judges and court staff, BIA appellate immigration judges and staff, other government agencies, private attorneys, individuals in removal proceedings, and the general public.
• Disseminates information to the public about immigration fraud and scams.

Complaints may be sent to the Fraud Program via email at EOIR.Fraud.Program@usdoj.gov. See also Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program (justice.gov).