South Dakota filed felony charges against the former official who ran a program offering wealthy immigrants visas in return for investment, following an investigation of alleged financial misconduct, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Thursday.
Jackley said the official, Joop Bollen, turned himself in on an arrest warrant and has been freed on bond. Jackley’s statement didn’t detail the charges.
Bollen declined to comment when reached via telephone by The Associated Press on Thursday. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday in at the Brown County Courthouse in Aberdeen.
The charges center around SDRC Inc., a regional center handling South Dakota’s participation in the EB-5 immigration visa program, which recruits investment dollars from wealthy immigrants in exchange for easier entry into the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
I have lived in an area that is close to the border. This picture shows only 1 side of the problem. There are many middle eastern and North African students that come here on a student visa that never go home. Some show up in court for deportation, but by that time they have married American residents, had children and go to court to fight deportation. There are judges that don’t obey the law, allow them to stay and their life goes on. The US immigration does not keep tract of them, so they stay forever. Never having contact with their children because of divorce, etc. They become very wealthy because of a free education, international contacts. I know the US government sees them as a asset, but the are still illegal. Our immigration is a disgrace.
Sorry but they don’t get a FREE education. ALL colleges charge the students out of state or out of country rates – the highest rates allowed by their charter. The Chinese parents buy real estate for their kids housing and a group live together. So, not only are foreign students not getting a free ticket to a higher education their families have made an investment in the community their children are staying in. Which means the kids are less likely to get into trouble.
Our entire government is a disgrace and every intelligent person is well aware of this. There is mort cause for revolt now than when we revolted against the King of England but most of us are contented with the way things are and have no desire to rock the boat. Pathetic, isn’t it?
All illegal immigrants can be fit into categories, i.e., illegals who overstayed visas, are married to citizens and now have children, etc. Each category can be addressed separately. But, with determination, results can be obtained. No one has the will or disposition to enforce the law. Note the word, LAW. When we have an honest and patriotic government, we can solve all these immigration problems. It is not “rocket science.” It simply takes honesty, patriotism and GUTS.
No one in government seems to have the intestinal fortitude to carry out the law of the land, only when it is used against the US citizens. WE ARE DOOMED unless our government changes. I think I will open a berka factory
This why I am voting for Donald Trump. He is the ONLY ONE with the guts to fight for the laws being enforced on all people equally and stop this politically correct BS.
I am with you on that Roy.
I am voting for Trump too. The rest Arre on the gravy train. Trump is right we are going to be a third world country.