Mercer County Couple Indicted for Operating Long-Running Fraudulent Asylum Application Scheme

Zuwairul and Claudette Ameer of Lawrence Township Face Charges of Conspiring to Commit and Committing Immigration Fraud; Business Operated Since 2007.

A Mercer County couple has been indicted on charges of conspiring to commit immigration fraud and committing immigration fraud, as announced today by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

In a case that has direct ramifications on the integrity of U.S. immigration policies, Zuwairul Ameer, aka “Zuwairul Thowfeek,” 61, and Claudette Ameer, aka “Claudette Pieries,” 63, of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, were indicted on August 29, 2023. Both are facing one count of conspiring to commit immigration fraud and another for the actual commission of immigration fraud.

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How:

Who: The indictment involves Zuwairul Ameer and Claudette Ameer, a couple residing in Lawrence Township, New Jersey.

What: The couple has been charged with preparing and submitting fraudulent asylum applications for non-citizen clients.

When: The couple has been running this fraudulent business since at least 2007 and was officially indicted on August 29, 2023.

Where: The indictment took place in New Jersey, but the couple’s clientele could potentially span multiple countries.

Why: According to U.S. Attorney Sellinger, the couple has been involved in the falsification of asylum claims, either by exaggerating stories of mistreatment in the applicants' countries of origin or by omitting Zuwairul Ameer’s name as the preparer of the applications.

How: Claudette Ameer acted as the primary contact for clients, arranged meetings, and mailed the completed applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Zuwairul Ameer then met with the clients to prepare their fraudulent applications.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI - New York Field Office, led by Assistant Director in Charge James Smith, and immigration officers of the USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, under the direction of Director Patricia Menges, for their involvement in the investigation.

In the U.S., applicants for asylum must demonstrate that they have either suffered persecution in their country of origin or have a well-founded fear of persecution should they return. Applications are initially reviewed by an asylum officer with the USCIS. If the application is prepared by someone other than the applicant, that preparer must disclose their identity.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman of the Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This indictment raises serious concerns about the exploitation of the asylum system, not just in Mercer County but potentially across broader regions. The charges, if proven, undermine the credibility of a process designed to offer sanctuary to those genuinely in need, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in reviewing such applications.