Marriage fraud in united states has been happening for decades. A non us citizen marries a us citizen to get green card in exchange for money. And the amount for this fraud varies from $50,000 to $70,000.
Recently 100 people have been charged in Texas marriage fraud scheme to get Green Cards.
Muhammad Afzal spoke to a young woman in Long Island with the similar story.
Right Now, I am in Hicksville, a city of Long Island with huge south Asian community. The stores, restaurants, and the markets represent beautiful culture of south Asian countries. I’m on my way to meet a girl, who is 19 and only arrived in America six months ago from India.
I had to change her name at her request. So, Sash came to America with big ambitions, she wanted to start her college right away, and has been a bright student in India. Her certificates and awards from high school in her room shows her achievements.
“It was great at the start, I loved it. I met my parents after 5 years. I also came with the mindset of helping them financially. So, we could be a little happy family again”
But her parents are still not American citizen. So, they had different plans for her.
“They applied for an asylum, but the problem is, it still hasn’t been approved and doesn’t seem like, it will be any time soon”
So, they found an easy and the fastest way to get the green card, which was marrying their daughter with an American Citizen.
“It started about a month ago, they were like, O No, it’s time for you to get married. And I was like, but I am still too young, I haven’t even started my college yet. At first, they were trying to make me understand nicely. But then things got rough, they started forcing me too much, it was emotionally draining”.
Sash has still not agreed to marry yet, she is still trying to convince her parents. But this is not the story of just one girl. I met a woman who has been married for 5 years for the same reason. But most marriages in South Asian communities are not for the money, there is not money exchange. If a girl or a boy marries someone, they do it for the life, even if the purpose is to get the green card.
“I was married 5 years ago, have 2 kids now. I wasn’t married specifically for green card, or we didn’t give any money to my husband, but the goal was to come to united states”.
She was doing her bachelors back home, when her parents to decided to marry her abroad hoping for her better life.
“I was a bit reluctant at first, because I didn’t know the guy much, we talked for few months over the phone, I liked him, so I said yes, i am very happy with him”.
Marriages like these cannot be proven wrong, because there is no money exchange. But, is it morally right or wrong is the question to ask?
Thanks for watching. This is CNN Morning News.
I am Muhammad Afzal. Have a Great Day!