Coral Gables Woman Pleads Guilty to Impersonating Federal Immigration Official to Dismiss Removal Proceedings

MIAMI – A Coral Gables woman pleaded guilty to falsely impersonating a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official as part of a scheme to file fraudulent motions seeking the dismissal of immigration court proceedings.

According to court records, Ana Caridad Linares, 45, of Coral Gables, repeatedly held herself out as an employee of DHS and used that false identity to submit fraudulent filings to the Immigration Court.

“Ana Caridad Linares pretended to be a DHS official in formal court filings to obtain the unlawful dismissal of removal proceedings,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “Her conduct was a fraud on the Immigration Court and an affront to the rule of law. This was a brazen effort to corrupt lawful removal proceedings, and our Office will prosecute those who use fraud to undermine the integrity of our immigration system.”

Specifically, Linares represented herself in court documents as “Ana Linares, Legal Administrative Specialist, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” In February 2024, an Immigration Judge flagged as fraudulent a motion Linares had prepared and caused to be filed on behalf of an illegal alien in removal proceedings. The motion falsely purported to have been submitted by a DHS employee and sought dismissal of the removal case.

Linares caused at least three additional motions containing the same false title, language, and representations to be submitted to the Immigration Court. In each instance, Linares made the filings appear to be authentic DHS motions and accepted payment from clients for preparing and submitting them.

By falsely claiming to act on behalf of DHS, Linares sought to invoke prosecutorial discretion authority reserved by Department attorneys and employees. Through these fraudulent filings, she attempted to secure the dismissal of immigration proceedings involving illegal aliens who otherwise remained subject to removal proceedings. 

Linares pleaded guilty to false impersonation of a federal officer. She faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI Miami is investigating the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Roca Shaw is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20085.

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