Work Permit Fraud in CNMI: 66 EADs Revoked, Deportations Begin
A man in the Northern Mariana Islands promised immigrants legal work permits — and charged them thousands of dollars for the paperwork. The applications were fake. Now 66 people have lost their work permits and are facing deportation, even though many may not have known they were part of a fraud scheme.
A man in the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) charged immigrants thousands of dollars to file fake applications for work permits — and now 66 people who received those permits are facing deportation. USCIS caught the scheme, revoked every work permit (called an EAD, or Employment Authorization Document), and began removal proceedings against the people involved.
What happened
Between September 23, 2023, and April 9, 2025, Venerando Aquino Martin, 56, a Filipino national living in the US illegally, submitted approximately 242 fraudulent applications to USCIS. He falsely claimed that applicants qualified for immigration benefits under the "Registry" provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This provision allows certain people who entered the US before January 1, 1972, to apply for a green card and receive a work permit while that application is pending. Martin charged applicants thousands of dollars for this service — even though nearly all of them did not qualify. Some were not even born before 1972.
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Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
A USCIS officer in Guam noticed a suspicious pattern in the cases Martin submitted. USCIS's Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate launched an investigation. Before the fraud was caught, 66 work permits were issued and used by people to work in the CNMI. USCIS has since revoked all 66 EADs. Martin was sentenced to 18 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 mandatory assessment fee. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
What this means for immigrants
Anyone whose work permit was obtained through Martin's scheme now faces removal proceedings — the formal legal process that can lead to deportation. Even if those people did not know the application was fraudulent, USCIS has revoked their EADs and started the process to remove them from the US. This case is a warning: paying someone to file immigration paperwork does not guarantee that person is qualified or honest. If your application was filed by someone who is not a licensed attorney or accredited representative, your case may be at risk.
What to do
- If you received a work permit through a paid preparer in the CNMI and are unsure whether your application was legitimate, contact a licensed immigration lawyer immediately to review your case.
- If USCIS sends you a notice revoking your EAD or starting removal proceedings, do not ignore it — you have the right to appear in immigration court and present your case.
- To report suspected immigration fraud, use the official USCIS Tip Form at uscis.gov.
- Only work with a licensed immigration attorney or a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)-accredited representative when filing any immigration application.
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People caught in a fraud scheme they did not knowingly participate in may still have options in immigration court — but they must act fast. If you receive a Notice to Appear (NTA), the document that starts removal proceedings, you have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge where you can present evidence of your good faith. USCIS's revocation of an EAD does not automatically end all immigration options, but the window to respond is narrow. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before your first court date.