Man Selling Fake Social Security Cards Arrested by ICE
March 26, 2025
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A Brazilian man faces up to 15 years in prison after being charged over allegations he twice sold undercover officers fake Social Security cards and green cards.
Newsweek contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for further comment via email outside of normal office hours on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Under President Donald Trump, ICE agents are cracking down on illegal immigration as Republicans plot to carry out what they call the largest mass deportation in U.S. history.
As ICE’s crackdown ramps up, the market for counterfeit green cards could increase.
The Trump administration this week suspended certain green card applications, affecting thousands of refugees and asylum seekers. This pause, attributed to two executive orders signed by President Trump, aims to enhance vetting procedures. Consequently, many applicants face extended waits for permanent residency, leaving some in legal limbo and at risk of deportation.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. Alex Brandon/AP
What To Know
Brazilian national Liene Tavares De Barros, Jr., allegedly sold one Social Security card and one green card for $250 in October last year, before allegedly selling two additional Social Security cards and green cards for a total of $500 in December.
The 39-year-old, living in Woburn, Massachusetts, was arrested on March 18 and has been charged with the unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature.
If found guilty, he could face up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, ICE said in a news release issued Tuesday.
Tavares De Barros, was previously deported by ICE in 2010 and 2022, “will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed,” the release said.
Customs and Border Protection sources told Newsweek there has been no increase in counterfeit green cards in recent months.
Two brothers of the Venezuelan man, 27-year-old Jose Ibarra, who killed Georgia nursing student Laken Riley are set to be deported, along with their former roommate, after pleading guilty to possessing fake green cards, the Justice Department said on March 19.
Diego Ibarra, 29, was arrested after providing a counterfeit green card to a police officer investigating the February 2024 killing, the Department said in a news release.
Agents discovered counterfeit Social Security cards belonging to Argenis Ibarra, 25, and former roommate Rosbeli Flores-Bello, 29, in the apartment they shared with Diego and Jose Ibarra, the release added. Both Argenis and Flores-Bello admitted to possessing fake green cards.
What Happens Next
Tavares De Barros will make his first appearance in federal court in Worcester, reports the Brazilian Times, a newspaper for the Brazilian community in the United States.
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