Immigration Official Gave Special Treatment to Politcally Connected

By Walter F. Roche Jr.


A top U.S. immigration official intervened and gave favorable treatment to companies with strong Democratic Party ties in a program allowing foreign investors to become U.S. citizens.
In a 99-page report, the Inspector General in the Department of Homeland Security found that Alejandro Mayorkas, now second in command at DHS, personally intervened in three separate cases and reversed decisions by agency officials by giving approval for applications under the investor visa program.
According to the report one of the firms getting favorable intervention was headed by former Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe. Also benefiting from Mayorkas' actions was a Las Vegas company which had the backing of U.S. Senator Harry Reid. A third case was reversed following pleas from a Democratic governor, Pennslvania's Edward Rendell.
"In three matters before" his agency, the report states," Mr.Mayorkas communicated with stakeholders on substantive issues, outside of the normal adjudicatory process and intervened with the career USCIS staff in ways that benefited the stakeholder."
The IG concluded that in each case were it not for Mayorkas' intervention "the matter would have been decided differently."
The report states that McAuliffe, now the Virginia governor, was the chairman of a car company, Gulf Coast Funds, seeking approval for an investor visa program. Reid, the report states, sought assistance for a Nevada company, the Las Vegas Regional Center, building a casino and hotel. The third firm, the Los Angeles Films Regional Center, was based in Los Angeles and was seeking backing for Sony films.
According to the report, Mayorkas' actions caused widespread concern among career employes at the immigration agency. Though he is now a deputy secretary at Homeland Security, Mayorkas was director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time the cases were being adjudicated.
Mayorkas, who filed a 32-page response to the report, told the IG his sole intention "was to strengthen the integrity of the program."
The IG found that 15 employees at different levels and different locations within the agency cited unprecedented levels of intervention by Mayorkas.
"The number and variety of the witnesses is highly unusual," the report states, adding that employees are often fearful of engaging in whistleblowing.
"Many employees concluded, not unreasonably, that the pressure exerted on them was because the individuals involved were politically connected," according to the audit.
The report concludes that Mayorkas' actions "created an appearance of favoritism and special access."
Under the investor visa program, foreign residents can get a green card by investing as little as $500,000 in a U.S. company.
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