The Trump administration is intensifying its crackdown on asylum fraud, targeting both migrants and immigration attorneys who exploit the system, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials speaking exclusively to Breitbart News. The push follows what DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin called “four long years of wide-open borders” under the Biden administration.
High-Profile Cases and Convictions
Recent months have seen a string of convictions related to asylum fraud. In Florida, five Cuban nationals and an American citizen were sentenced for operating an international smuggling ring involving fraudulent asylum claims and money laundering. Prosecutors said the scheme brought Cuban nationals to the U.S. using falsified visa applications, moving millions in illicit funds.
Other cases include Yuniel Lima-Santos, a Tampa man who pleaded guilty to running a smuggling operation that used fake travel authorizations to bring Cubans into the U.S. His group advertised services on social media, arranging flights and fraudulent visa waivers for clients.
Marriage Fraud and Terror Ties
In September, two individuals—Biqi Huang and Wentian Du—were indicted for allegedly faking a marriage to secure immigration benefits. That same month, Afghan national Nazira Haji Zada was deported after admitting she supported her son and son-in-law’s plot to carry out a terrorist attack on Election Day 2024.
Chicago businessman Jose Gregorio Sosa Cardona received a nine-year prison sentence in May for immigration fraud, among other charges. His firm, Delta Global Solutions, Inc., fabricated documents—including fake law enforcement reports—to bolster clients’ asylum claims.
Security Concerns and Policy Shifts
DHS officials credit stricter vetting for recent arrests, including that of Edwin Antonio Hernandez, an alleged MS-13 member who reportedly confessed to multiple murders in El Salvador. “If our asylum system is not secure, our nation is not secure,” Mullin emphasized.
The crackdown reflects a broader shift in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has prioritized prosecuting fraud and tightening asylum procedures after what critics describe as lax oversight during the Biden years.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/11/10/exclusive-trump-administration-carrying-out-war-on-asylum-fraud-after-bidens-wide-open-borders/