朋友们都知道，今年是EB-5的关键年，涉及到EB-5区域中心计划的延期，而不知道是有意还是无意，美国的政界和媒体都从今年起，加大了对EB-5计划指责的力度，所以，今年以来EB5Sir首次看到EB-5频频出现在美国的主流媒体之上，尤为热闹，当然负面占据绝大多数。
之前，EB5Sir已经报道过，2015年3月24日，国土安全部（移民局上级部门）检察长办公室发布了对于前移民局局长Alejandro Mayorkas（现国土安全部副部长）的调查报告，指控其操纵EB-5项目的审批速度及结果。该报告的出炉，引起非常大的震动，并且引发了一系列政坛的争议，并被认为是影响希拉里竞选之路的一个绊脚石。
今天，EB5Sir带朋友们看一篇新的报道，来自最近半年一直在跟踪报道并且指责EB-5计划的ABC News（美国广播公司），本报道发表于6月11日，由业内朋友义务翻译，特此感谢。
DHS（国土安全部）举报者如是说：为外国富人提供签证已经是“对国家安全的严重挑战”
周三，一位高级联邦探员成为第一个公开向外界披露对给予外国富人绿卡担心的内部人士，她表示给外国富人提供绿卡这个本身具有争议的移民方案已经给国家带来了严重的安全隐患。
高级特别探员，Taylor Johnson，说她所知的DHS对签证的调查覆盖中国、俄罗斯、巴基斯坦和马来西亚，这些地方的签证申请即使在明显“缺乏最基本的法律文件”的情况下，还是可以最短在16天获得签证申请通过。
“EB- 5项目是对国家安全的严重挑战，这在我的调查过程中变得非常清楚”她说。
她的调查结果与今年ABC News的一系列主要针对外国富人可以有机会以投资50万美元到美国换取绿卡这一具有争议的计划的报道不谋而合，这一系列报道是基于广泛的采访以及其他5个举报者的信息而得出的。ABC News调查中发现，尽管一些外国申请人存在涉嫌诈骗、洗钱、伪造和其他罪名，但是他们仍然成功获得了EB - 5签证。在一个案例中，一位正在被调查参与走私的伊朗商人，也因为做了EB-5项目而顺利的得到了新的签证。
这个被叫做EB-5的签证计划，是让外国人投资50万美金到被认可的美国企业中，旨在创造数以千计的就业机会。相对应的，美国政府会向投资人先提供临时绿卡，最终可以换取永久绿卡。不过通过2次ABC News调查结果显示，该计划已经成为吸引那些寻求避开传统的移民的审查过程的人士的首选。
周三，Johnson在美国参议院听证会上提出，希望可以对那些试图报道真相的探员一些关注，因为他们现在只要向前一步就会面临报复。Johnson说，当她的报告涉及一些DHS官员的时候，她得到了一系列准确无误的信息——离这个事情远一点！
“在披露了一个腐败的EB-5计划，存在的显而易见的管理不善、浪费和欺诈，且威胁公众和国家安全后，我受到了大量的骚扰和报复”约翰逊说。
“我被调离此项调查，在这之后的调查只是表面功夫，并且在2013年他们最终终止了这项调查,”她告诉参议员。
DHS发言人没有直接回应Johnson的指控，称不对具体的人事问题给予评论。
“DHS对举报者的人身安全是非常重视，同时也支持举报者有权利使用保护计划,” DHS的发言人玛莎卡顿说，“同样，国土安全部对不当行为的指控相当重视。。。当对不端行为的指控和举报者提出要求保护个人安全同时发生时，DHS将遵循法律妥善解决这些问题。”
根据ABC News的调查，由检察长发表的一项内部调查显示，有证据显示在EB-5的项目中存在政治干预，同时DHS的内部举报者也证实这一信息。美国参议院的高级参议员在上周提议新的立法，旨在更好地保护EB - 5项目不被滥用。
即便一些鲜为人知的关于移民程序的内部问题逐渐浮出水面，但是仍没有一个举报者公开站出来说话。ABC News采访的人强烈的表示，如果他们公开说明情况，他们将面临报复。国土安全部检查长John Roth在出席三月于众议院国土安全委员会作证之前也在这个问题上表达了类似的担忧。
“当一个举报者是相当危险的”Roth说。
个人认为，DHS内部举报者，在参议院听证指责EB-5计划的安全问题，是在非常时刻的非常敏感敏感之举，尚不清楚对于EB-5新提案的走向有何严重影响。但是，可以明确的是，整个大舆论环境确实对EB-5计划特别不利，且看今年EB-5计划如何挺过这些政治媒体风雨了。
原文作者：MATTHEW MOSK和BRIAN ROSS，原文来源：abcnews.go.com。
Visa Program for Wealthy Foreigners Has ‘Serious Security Challenges,’ Homeland Whistleblower Says
Jun 11, 2015, 12:49 PM ET
By MATTHEW MOSK and BRIAN ROSS
A senior federal agent became the first insider Wednesday to publicly expose what she said were serious national security concerns surrounding a controversial immigration program that has been providing Green Cards to wealthy foreigners.
Senior Special Agent Taylor Johnson said her Homeland Security investigation uncovered visa applicants from China, Russia, Pakistan and Malaysia who had been approved in as little as 16 days, even though their applications “lacked basic necessary law enforcement” screening.
“During the course of my investigation it became very clear that the EB-5 program has serious security challenges,” she said.
Her findings echo those reported in a series of stories this year by ABC News about the controversial program that gives wealthy foreigners the chance to turn a $500,000 investment into a U.S. Green Card – reports that were based on extensive interviews with five other whistleblowers. The ABC News investigation uncovered records showing foreign applicants had successfully obtained EB-5 visas despite allegations of fraud, money laundering, forgery, and other crimes against them. In one case, an Iranian business man was able to gain recertification to participate in the program even as he was under active investigation for smuggling.
The program, known by the visa designation EB-5, is designed to create thousands of jobs by offering temporary residency and eventually Green Cards to foreigners who agree to invest more than $500,000 in approved American ventures. The two-part ABC News investigation found, however, that the program had become a magnet for those seeking to sidestep the scrutiny of the traditional immigration process.
Johnson came forward Wednesday as part of a U.S. Senate Hearing that was convened to bring attention to the plight of federal officials who have tried to report wrongdoing in their agencies, only to face retaliation for stepping forward. Johnson said she said she was sent an unmistakable message by senior Homeland Security officials when she began to report them up the chain of command – back off.
“After disclosing gross mismanagement, waste and fraud that threatened the general public’s safety, National Security Risks and public corruption surrounding an EB-5 project, I was subjected to a significant amount of harassment and retaliation,” Johnson said.
“I was removed from the investigation, a shoddy follow-up review was conducted and then in 2013, ultimately, the investigation was shut down,” she told senators.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security responded without directly addressing Johnson’s allegations, saying the agency does not comment on specific personnel matters.
“The Department of Homeland Security takes whistleblower protection very seriously and supports the rights of whistleblowers to engage in protected activity,” said Marsha Catron, a DHS spokeswoman. “Similarly, the Department takes allegations of misconduct very seriously ... When both an allegation of misconduct and a claim of whistleblower protection occur, the Department follows the law to resolve these issues appropriately.”
Following the ABC News investigation, an internal investigation by the Inspector General was published which revealed evidence of political meddling in the program, also relying heavily on whistleblowers from inside Homeland Security. Senior members of the U.S. Senate last week proposed legislation aimed at better protecting the EB-5 program from abuse.
Following the ABC News investigation, an internal investigation by the Inspector General was published which revealed evidence of political meddling in the program, also relying heavily on whistleblowers from inside Homeland Security. Senior members of the U.S. Senate last week proposed legislation aimed at better protecting the EB-5 program from abuse.
As all of the internal problems with the little-known immigration program have surfaced, however, none of the whistleblowers had stepped forward to talk in public. Those interviewed by ABC News expressed strong concerns that they would face retaliation if they spoke out. Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth expressed a similar concern when he testified on the issue before the House Homeland Security Committee in March.
“Being a whistleblower is seen to be hazardous,” Roth said.