To enter or remain in the United States and be eligible for various immigration-related benefits, aliens must comply with a number of document requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. Under the INA, an alien who uses, acquires, or produces fraudulent documents for immigration-related purposes may be subjected to civil penalties and denied certain immigration benefits, including the ability to enter or remain in the United States. Further, certain fraudulent actions may carry criminal penalties under both the INA and the United States Criminal Code. This report discusses the primary civil, criminal, and immigration-related penalties associated with immigration-related document fraud. It does not discuss criminal statutes generally barring fraud or identity theft (other than 18 U.S.C. § 1028) that could also potentially be used to penalize immigration-related document fraud. Other Immigration Consequences of Immigration-Related Document Fraud

Immigration-related document fraud has a number of other immigration consequences. Recent Legislative Activity

Immigration reform is likely to be an issue in the 111 th Congress, and it is possible that some legislative proposals will contain provisions addressing immigration-related document fraud.
In order to enter or remain in the United States and be eligible for various immigration-related benefits, non-citizens (aliens) must comply with a number of document requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Attempts to circumvent these requirements are generally prohibited. Under the INA, an alien who uses, acquires, or produces fraudulent documents for immigration-related purposes may be subjected to civil penalties and denied certain immigration benefits. Additionally, certain fraudulent actions may carry criminal penalties under both the INA and the United States Criminal Code. This report discusses the primary civil, criminal, and immigration-related penalties associated with immigration-related document fraud. It does not discuss criminal statutes generally penalizing fraud or identity theft (other than 18 U.S.C. § 1028), though these statutes could also potentially be used to penalize immigration-related document fraud.
Immigration reform was an active issue during the 110th Congress. Some legislative proposals contained provisions modifying the scope or penalties of laws restricting immigration-related document fraud, and it is possible that proposals addressing immigration-related document fraud will be introduced in the 111th Congress.
For a more general discussion of immigration-related fraud, see CRS Report RL34007, Immigration Fraud: Policies, Investigations, and Issues, by [author name scrubbed].