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Two Boston Imams accused of participating in visa scheme
November 16, 2006

BOSTON --Two imams from Boston-area mosques have been charged with being involved in a scheme that secured religious worker visas to immigrants who instead got secular jobs.

Breaking News Alerts Hafiz Abdul Hannan, the leader of the Islamic Society of Greater Lowell in Chelmsford and Muhammed Masood, leader of the Islamic Center of New England in Sharon, were arrested Wednesday after a six-month, nationwide investigation, according to Paula Grenier, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In all, 33 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the scheme, including two other Massachusetts residents, Grenier said.

"This was a nationwide religious worker visa-fraud scheme designed to help illegal aliens," Grenier said. "These people had to be solely engaged in religious employment, and in many cases were not."

The visas were obtained under the Religious Worker Program, which provides thousands of the permits every year to churches, synagogues and mosques so they can fill vacancies. The workers, whose visas can lead to green cards or permanent residency, are not allowed to hold secular jobs.

But according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, many of those arrested were not involved in religious employment. Instead they were working as gas station attendants, truck drivers and factory workers. Some were religious workers, according to the department, but they obtained their visas fraudulently.

Grenier said most of those arrested were Pakistani and will face deportation hearings and in some cases, criminal charges.

People who knew the two imams said they were distressed.

"I hope this is not one of those witch hunts, that this is not something against the religion itself," said Tahir Ali of Westborough, who is a member of the American Muslim Alliance.

Grenier said the investigation was not related to homeland security, and that people of other faiths have been arrested for similar alleged violations.