A woman in Houston has been charged with defrauding migrant families of thousands of dollars promising expedited citizenship after allegedly posing as a federal immigration officer.
According to a report by KPRC, Irma Aidde Hernandez, 45, faces a felony charge of aggregate theft in Harris County. Prosecutors allege she stole at least $18,515 from four victims between late July and September last year.
She was released from custody on a $20,000 surety bond four days after being charged on 5 February.
According to the charging complaint, Hernandez approached one woman outside the Taco food truck in south Houston after noticing Mexican licence plates on her vehicle.
The woman, who had been struggling to to secure green cards for herself and her husband, was allegedly told that Hernandez worked at the local immigration office and could expedite the process for $12,000.
Investigators say a series of payments were made to Hernandez via Zelle over the following three months.
In October, she further dragged the process persuading the complainant to drive her to Laredo to collect immigration documents, before demanding an additional $300.
When the woman told Hernandez she would contact the police, she allegedly threatened her family.
When investigators visited Hernandez’s apartment complex, they encountered two other individuals seeking her.
They claimed they too had met her at the same food truck and had paid nearly $2,000 after being promised expedited citizenship paperwork.
Court documents state that Hernandez impersonated herself as an employee of a federal immigration division, claiming links not only to the US government but also to Mexican authorities and even criminal cartels.
A fourth victim also alleged she had paid Hernandez $4,565 between June and August for expedited immigration paperwork in a complaint filed at the Pasadena Police Department in early February.
Further complainants have since come forward. Investigators now believe the total sum taken may be closer to $40,000, the outlet reported.
