Morris Brown, 45, a former Minnesota Department of Corrections employee, was arrested on January 15 in Minneapolis by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of Operation Twin Shield, a federal initiative targeting suspected immigration fraud.
Brown, originally from Liberia, entered the U.S. in 2014 on a non-immigrant student visa, which was terminated in 2015 for failure to maintain enrollment. Federal authorities allege he made false claims to U.S. citizenship, misrepresented prior military service in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, and committed marriage fraud.
Despite lacking legal immigration status, Brown worked as a corrections officer in Minnesota from May 2023 to October 2025. Investigators said he applied for a Green Card in 2020 under the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness program, which was denied due to misrepresentations, and later attempted naturalization in 2024 based on false military service claims.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow praised the investigation, stating that Brown “tried every trick in the book to remain in the United States” and emphasizing that federal authorities would hold him accountable.
DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell confirmed that the department fully cooperated with federal authorities and verified employment eligibility documents at the time of hiring.
Brown now faces removal proceedings and potential federal prosecution for immigration fraud, false claims to U.S. citizenship, and related offenses.
