Re: How Passport and Visa Fraud Relate to Identity Fraud

[whuds...@gmail.com]

On Oct 14, 12:43 pm, Don Gabacho <jpast...@nettaxi.com> wrote:
>         Under Secretary for Management
>         Bureau of Diplomatic Security
>         Investigating Passport and Visa Fraud
>         How Passport and Visa Fraud Relate to Identity Fraud
>
> How Passport and Visa Fraud Relate to Identity Fraud
>
> Testimony of Robert W. Starnes, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Houston
> Field Office, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Before the Texas State
> Senate, Infrastructure Development and Security Subcommittee; Houston,
> Texas, March 31, 2003
>
> Chairman Ogden and Senators:
>
> Thank you for inviting us here today to provide testimony related to
> Texas Senate Bill 944.
>
> My name is Robert Starnes. I serve as the Special Agent-in-Charge of
> the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Houston
> Field Office. I have been employed with the Diplomatic Security
> Service for the past 16 years. Prior to joining the Diplomatic
> Security Service, I was employed as a Texas Highway Patrolman. With me
> is Jay Smith, a Supervisory Special Agent-in-Charge of our Major
> Crimes and Protective Liaison Unit.
>
> The Diplomatic Security Service is the law enforcement and security
> arm of the U.S. Department of State. Diplomatic Security Service
> agents are posted in over 160 countries worldwide, in our headquarters
> in Washington, DC,  and in eight field offices throughout the United
> States. An important function allotted to Diplomatic Security Service
> by the United States Congress is the investigation into allegations of
> passport and visa fraud.
>
> The United States passport is one of the most important identity
> documents in our country. For most U.S. citizens, it will be the only
> document they ever hold that states unequivocally that they are in
> fact citizens of the United States. Upon the issuance of a passport,
> the United States State Department in effect certifies the passport
> holder to be a United States citizen. U.S. passports are legally
> recognized as proof of both a person's identity and citizenship. In
> fact, 22 U.S.C. 2705 provides that a valid maximum validity U.S.
> passport is proof of citizenship during its period of validity and has
> the “same force and effect as proof of U.S. citizenship as
> certificates of naturalization or of citizenship issued by the
> Attorney General or by a court having naturalization jurisdiction.”
> Consistent with this statute, at least one federal court has
> recognized that a fully valid U.S. passport issued to an individual as
> a citizen of the United States is not subject to collateral attack in
> administrative immigration proceedings but constitutes conclusive
> proof of such person's U.S.citizenship.
>
> Aside from offering proof of citizenship and identity as interpreted
> by U.S. courts, U.S. passports allow citizens free passage into our
> country with much less scrutiny than is given to foreign citizens.
> U.S. passports also allow our citizens visa-free passage into many
> countries around the world. These benefits obviously make our
> passports extremely valuable to criminals who operate on an
> international scale.
>
> Passport fraud is rarely a crime unto itself. Obtaining a U.S.
> passport fraudulently is almost always a crime intended to facilitate
> other crimes. Those other crimes will generally fall into one or more
> of the following categories:
>
>      1)  Illegal immigration contraband smuggling (i.e., narcotics,
> weapons, illegal aliens, etc.)
>      2)  Flight from justice
>      3)  Economic crimes (i.e., bank fraud, insurance fraud, credit
> card fraud, confidence scams, etc.)
>      4)  Hostile intelligence
>      5)  International terrorism
>
> A common nexus that exists with foreign terrorists who have conducted
> operations within the United States has been the use of fraudulent
> identity documents, including state driver's licenses and
> identification cards.
>
> To acquire a U.S. passport for the first time, the applicant must
> provide evidence of citizenship, such as a certificate of birth in the
> United States or a naturalization certificate. The applicant must also
> submit proof of their identity--in other words, they must show that
> the birth certificate pertains to them. Such additional documentation
> of identity might be a valid government-issued identification document
> (i.e., state driver's license, state identification cards, military
> identification, etc.) that includes a photograph and/or physical
> description of the holder. A nongovernment identity is accepted in
> some instances, (i.e., known companies, school identification, etc.).
> The most common form of identity evidence presented with a passport
> application is a state-issued driver's license or identity card. Those
> attempting to obtain original U.S. passports fraudulently must
> generally first acquire one or more of these documents.
>
> The three most common schemes exposed by our investigations regarding
> attempts to secure original passports through fraudulent means are: 1)
> stolen identity; 2) counterfeit identity; or 3) true identity using
> counterfeited citizenship document. Regarding the third category,
> often during the course of our investigations, it has been discovered
> that aliens first acquire a legitimate state driver's license or
> identification card using their authentic foreign-issued proof of
> foreign citizenship documents. And then they obtain a stolen blank
> birth document, or doctor an existing form to match the identity. It
> is also common that a birth certificate used for an assumed identity
> will be provided as basis for issuance of a driver's license.
>
> Most nonimmigrants entering the United States must first apply for and
> receive a U.S. visa. Once issued, a U.S. visa allows the nonimmigrant
> to apply for entry to the United States under certain statuses (i.e.,
> visitor, student, work, etc.). Department of Homeland Security
> officials at ports of entry determine how long the nonimmigrant is
> permitted to stay in the United States. Those nonimmigrants who obtain
> visas through fraudulent pretense, in many instances, have no intent
> of returning to their own country. Once in the United States, in an
> effort to meld into our society, these individuals almost always try
> to obtain certain documents. In our experience, a state driver's
> license or identification card is one of the first documents these
> people attempt to secure. Once issued, these drivers' license and/or
> identification cards are used to open bank accounts, secure credit
> cards, obtain social security cards, acquire employment, secure
> residences, etc.
>
> In conclusion, whether acquiring their visas legitimately or through
> fraudulent means, most criminal aliens, to include terrorists, must
> assimilate themselves into our society in order to be successful in
> their unlawful endeavors. Most of these criminal aliens will overstay
> the time allotted on their visas. Since driver's licenses and state
> identification cards are an important part of everyday life in
> America, it is clear that measures that have the effect of curbing
> their use to further criminal schemes deserves serious consideration.
>
> Thank you.      Under Secretary for Management
>         Bureau of Diplomatic Security
>         Investigating Passport and Visa Fraud
>         How Passport and Visa Fraud Relate to Identity Fraud
>
> How Passport and Visa Fraud Relate to Identity Fraud
>
> Testimony of Robert W. Starnes, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Houston
> Field Office, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Before the Texas State
> Senate, Infrastructure Development and Security Subcommittee; Houston,
> Texas, March 31, 2003
>
> Chairman Ogden and Senators:
>
> Thank you for inviting us here today to provide testimony related to
> Texas Senate Bill 944.
>
> My name is Robert Starnes. I serve as the Special Agent-in-Charge of
> the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Houston
> Field Office. I have been employed with the Diplomatic Security
> Service for the past 16 years. Prior to joining the Diplomatic
> Security Service, I was employed as a Texas Highway Patrolman. With me
> is Jay Smith, a Supervisory Special Agent-in-Charge of our Major
> Crimes and Protective Liaison Unit.
>
> The Diplomatic Security Service is the law enforcement and security
> arm of the U.S. Department of State. Diplomatic Security Service
> agents are posted in over 160 countries worldwide, in our headquarters
> in Washington, DC,  and in eight field offices throughout the United
> States. An important function allotted to Diplomatic Security Service
> by the United States Congress is the investigation into allegations of
> passport and visa fraud.
>
> The United States passport is one of the most important identity
> documents in our country. For most U.S. citizens, it will be the only
> document they ever hold that states unequivocally that they are in
> fact citizens of the United States. Upon the issuance of a passport,
> the United States State Department in effect certifies the passport
> holder to be a United States citizen. U.S. passports are legally
> recognized as proof of both a person's identity and citizenship. In
> fact, 22 U.S.C. 2705 provides that a valid maximum validity U.S.
> passport is proof of citizenship during its period of validity and has
> the “same force and effect as proof of U.S. citizenship as
> certificates of naturalization or of citizenship issued by the
> Attorney General or by a court having naturalization jurisdiction.”
> Consistent with this statute, at least one federal court has
> recognized that a fully valid U.S. passport issued to an individual as
> a citizen of the United States is not subject to collateral attack in
> administrative immigration proceedings but constitutes conclusive
> proof of such person's U.S.citizenship.
>
> Aside from offering proof of citizenship and identity as interpreted
> by U.S. courts, U.S. passports allow citizens free passage into our
> country with much less scrutiny than is given to foreign citizens.
> U.S. passports also allow our citizens visa-free passage into many
> countries around the world. These benefits obviously make our
> passports extremely valuable to criminals who operate on an
> international scale.
>
> Passport fraud is rarely a crime unto itself. Obtaining a U.S.
> passport fraudulently is almost always a crime intended to facilitate
> other crimes. Those other crimes will generally fall into one or more
> of the following categories:
>
>      1)  Illegal immigration contraband smuggling (i.e., narcotics,
> weapons, illegal aliens, etc.)
>      2)  Flight from justice
>      3)  Economic crimes (i.e., bank fraud, insurance fraud, credit
> card fraud, confidence scams, etc.)
>      4)  Hostile intelligence
>      5)  International terrorism
>
> A common nexus that exists with foreign terrorists who have conducted
> operations within the United States has been the use of fraudulent
> identity documents, including state driver's licenses and
> identification cards.
>
> To acquire a U.S. passport for the first time, the applicant must
> provide evidence of citizenship, such as a certificate of birth in the
> United States or a naturalization certificate. The applicant must also
> submit proof of their identity--in other words, they must show that
> the birth certificate pertains to them. Such additional documentation
> of identity might be a valid government-issued identification document
> (i.e., state driver's license, state identification cards, military
> identification, etc.) that includes a photograph and/or physical
> description of the holder. A nongovernment identity is accepted in
> some instances, (i.e., known companies, school identification, etc.).
> The most common form of identity evidence presented with a passport
> application is a state-issued driver's license or identity card. Those
> attempting to obtain original U.S. passports fraudulently must
> generally first acquire one or more of these documents.
>
> The three most common schemes exposed by our investigations regarding
> attempts to secure original passports through fraudulent means are: 1)
> stolen identity; 2) counterfeit identity; or 3) true identity using
> counterfeited citizenship document. Regarding the third category,
> often during the course of our investigations, it has been discovered
> that aliens first acquire a legitimate state driver's license or
> identification card using their authentic foreign-issued proof of
> foreign citizenship documents. And then they obtain a stolen blank
> birth document, or doctor an existing form to match the identity. It
> is also common that a birth certificate used for an assumed identity
> will be provided as basis for issuance of a driver's license.
>
> Most nonimmigrants entering the United States must first apply for and
> receive a U.S. visa. Once issued, a U.S. visa allows the nonimmigrant
> to apply for entry to the United States under certain statuses (i.e.,
> visitor, student, work, etc.). Department of Homeland Security
> officials at ports of entry determine how long the nonimmigrant is
> permitted to stay in the United States. Those nonimmigrants who obtain
> visas through fraudulent pretense, in many instances, have no intent
> of returning to their own country. Once in the United States, in an
> effort to meld into our society, these individuals almost always try
> to obtain certain documents. In our experience, a state driver's
> license or identification card is one of the first documents these
> people attempt to secure. Once issued, these drivers' license and/or
> identification cards are used to open bank accounts, secure credit
> cards, obtain social security cards, acquire employment, secure
> residences, etc.
>
> In conclusion, whether acquiring their visas legitimately or through
> fraudulent means, most criminal aliens, to include terrorists, must
> assimilate themselves into our society in order to be successful in
> their unlawful endeavors. Most of these criminal aliens will overstay
> the time allotted on their visas. Since driver's licenses and state
> identification cards are an important part of everyday life in
> America, it is clear that measures that have the effect of curbing
> their use to further criminal schemes deserves serious consideration.
>
> Thank you.
>
> http://www.state.gov/m/ds/investigat/c10680.htm

How long will America tolerate the presence of these stinking illegal
aliens?

Walt

http://www.numbersusa.com/ Numbers USA