Attorney tells committee that U‑visa, SIJ and marriage‑based filings are susceptible to fraud; victims urge appeals right

An attorney who represents U‑visa and other fraud victims told the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration that certain humanitarian and family‑based immigration programs have been exploited and that U.S. citizens harmed by fraud need stronger remedies.

Cody Brown, managing attorney at Codias Law, testified that federal programs intended to protect crime victims and abused spouses can be misused by fraudsters. He described his own case in which an accusation coincided with an attempt to obtain an immigration benefit. "Congress has created several victim visa programs that empower federal bureaucrats to act as judge and jury over whether a U.S. citizen committed a crime. These are secret trials," Brown said, and he asked the committee for a reliable appeals path to the Board of Immigration Appeals for people who allege fraud.

Jessica Vaughn and other witnesses said the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification and the U‑visa program have experienced large spikes in filings and are vulnerable when local determinations are difficult to verify. Vaughn testified that SIJ filings have increased to more than 50,000 a year and that some applicants claim abuse or abandonment in ways that are nearly impossible to corroborate. She recommended congressional changes to tighten eligibility and verification, and to establish consequences for overstays and sponsors when fraud is discovered.

Members from both parties acknowledged the equities: the visa programs are designed to protect genuine victims, but witnesses and some members argued the system should reduce opportunities for fraud while preserving protections. Committee members asked agency witnesses (not at this panel) for data and inspector general reports and signaled interest in proposals that would add anti‑fraud staff, restore interviews in marriage‑based adjudications, and create clearer appeal routes for alleged victims of fraud.