'Buying' American spouse won't get you US citizenship, Trump admin warns

Trump administration warns immigrants that fake marriages won’t lead to US citizenship, as crackdown on marriage fraud takes centre stage

 

Buying a spouse doesn’t make you a US citizen — that was the blunt message from the Trump administration on Tuesday as it took to X, formerly Twitter, to mock a Chinese national’s attempt at immigration fraud.

 

In a sharp-tongued post, the White House said: “Jiejun tried to finesse a wedding for a free pass — BUT ICE SAID NAH AND SWIPED RIGHT. No dress. No vows. No citizenship. JUST DEPORTED. IT'S A MATCH.”

 

The post referred to the deportation of Jiejun Shen, who was accused of entering into a fake marriage. According to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Shen had a criminal history involving extortion — specifically, an intent to extort marriage. He is now being removed from the country.

 

 

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a warning too. “Our officers are expertly trained to catch these sham marriages,” it said.

 

In a separate case from May 28, 2025, 29-year-old Aakash Prakash Makwana, an Indian national, pleaded guilty in federal court to orchestrating a fake marriage to gain a green card.

 

Makwana had entered the US on November 23, 2019, on a J-1 visa meant for temporary hospitality work. The visa expired a year later, but he stayed on illegally.

 

By August 2021, he agreed to pay a US citizen $10,000 (around ₹8.3 lakh) to marry him. They registered their marriage on September 3, 2021, but fabricated documents to suggest they were living together.

 

Among the falsified evidence was a lease agreement, utility bills, and shared bank statements. He even forged the property manager’s signature — leading to an additional charge of aggravated identity theft.

 

Fake wedding, real consequences

 

Marriage-based green cards are a common route to permanent residence in the US, but the government has made it clear that any fraud — especially by people who are already out of status — can result in removal proceedings.

 

“If you’re out of status and apply for a marriage-based green card — or if you fall out of status while your case is pending — a denial could land you in deportation court,” Abhisha Parikh, a US-based immigration lawyer said in a social media post.

 

Sham marriages can take different forms, according to US-based Herman Law Firm:

 

• Paying someone to marry solely for immigration benefits

• Mutual agreements where both parties know the marriage is not genuine

• Entering marriage under false pretences, tricking one party

 

“First, make sure you’re not entering marriage to boycott the US immigration law, which is punishable by law,” the firm said.

 

A marriage certificate is only the starting point. USCIS requires additional proof — shared leases, joint bank accounts, and communication history are some common checks. “Every piece of information, every deadline, and every piece of evidence can make or break your case,” the firm added.

 

Crackdown under trump gains voter support

 

President Donald Trump’s administration has made immigration fraud one of its top priorities since returning to office.

 

A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released Monday found 60 per cent of voters back Trump’s move to close the US border. Support ran high among Republicans (89 per cent), independents (55 per cent), and even a third of Democrats (34 per cent).

 

Three in four respondents said they supported the deportation of individuals with criminal records who are in the country unlawfully. This included 93 per cent of Republicans, 70 per cent of independents, and 59 per cent of Democrats.

 

The Trump administration has already committed billions of dollars towards what it describes as an aggressive immigration enforcement agenda