Immigration Fraud Sting Exposes Minnesota Prison Guard’s Alleged Decade-Long Fake Identity

A federal investigation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has revealed that a 45-year-old man who spent years working as a prison guard at the Minnesota correctional facility was leading a double life. Authorities said his time in the United States was built on false claims.

Authorities arrested Morris Brown (45) in Minneapolis and he is currently in federal custody. Investigations said Brown's life in the United States was built on a pattern of identity fraud and false military claims.

Federal officers said Brown is a native of Liberia who entered the United States on a student visa in 2014. The visa was terminated in 2015 after he stopped attending classes. Brown remained in the country and evaded immigration enforcement, authorities said. He later joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2014 and was reported absent without leave in 2015. He was not officially discharged until 2022.

Despite his military record, Brown claimed to be a U.S. citizen on employment paperwork to secure a job with the Minnesota Department of Corrections. He worked as a prison guard, a position that typically requires legal residency or citizenship.

Brown repeatedly sought immigration benefits over the years. In 2020 he applied for a green card but was rejected after the authorities discovered a false statement about his military service. Investigators said Brown applied again for citizenship in 2024 based on military service he never completed.

The arrest was part of the “Operation Twin Shield,” a multi-agency enforcement effort led by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that launched in 2025 to target immigration fraud in the Twin Cities region. Investigators said they found evidence of marriage fraud and repeated false claims of citizenship.

“Operation Twin Shield continues to deliver results as the Department of Homeland security relentlessly pursues those who seek to cheat our immigration systems,” USCIS director Joseph Edlow said.

Brown faces possible deportation and criminal prosecution. He is charged with immigration fraud and making false claims of U.S. citizenship, authorities said.

Officials said the case highlights concerns about individuals who obtain positions of trust despite lacking legal status.