View of the entrance steps of the US Federal Courthouse in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Saipan.
Photo: AFP / Yuichi Yamazaki
A Filipino national was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a US federal court in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) after admitting to a scheme that fraudulently secured work permits for undocumented migrants in the US territory.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands said Venerando Aquino Martin, 56, was sentenced on 27 May by the US District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for visa fraud against the United States.
The CNMI is a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific, north of Guam.
Saipan, where the case was prosecuted, is the CNMI’s capital and home to a large Filipino community working in tourism, construction, health care, and service industries.
According to federal prosecutors, Martin submitted around 242 fraudulent Form I-765 applications, or applications for Employment Authorisation Documents, between 23 September 2023 and 9 April 2025.
An Employment Authorisation Document, commonly called an EAD or work permit, allows certain foreign nationals in the US and its territories to legally work for a specific period.
Prosecutors said Martin falsely claimed the applicants qualified for employment authorization under US immigration laws.
Authorities said the fraudulent applications resulted in 66 EADs being unlawfully issued. These permits were later used by undocumented migrants to obtain jobs in the CNMI.
US attorney Shawn Anderson said the scheme undermined the integrity of the US immigration system.
“Martin engaged in fraudulent conduct at every step of his scheme,” Anderson said in a statement released by federal authorities.
He added that all 66 recipients of the unlawfully issued work permits had their authorizations revoked and are either already in removal proceedings or awaiting deportation cases.
“We will aggressively enforce immigration violations to ensure that foreign nationals meet the qualifications of our work visa programs,” Anderson said.
Homeland Security Investigations Saipan also warned migrants and facilitators against attempting to circumvent US immigration laws.
“Visa fraud weakens our immigration system and puts our communities at risk,” CJ Ammons said.
“We’re keeping a close eye on everyone and everything crossing our borders. If you violate our customs or immigration laws, you will face consequences,” Ammons added.
Aside from the prison term, the court ordered Martin to serve one year of supervised release and pay a mandatory assessment fee of US$200.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Saipan and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Garth R. Backe.
