Federal agents found a document-forging lab in his apartment that had allegedly produced over 10,000 fake social security cards, drivers licenses and immigration-related documents. Federal prosecutors say Merecias-Lopez, 24, of Woodburn, Ore., was part of a criminal conspiracy based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Many agricultural employers say it’s not their responsibility — and that they lack the expertise — to determine if the documents are genuine. The arrest on Sept. 21, 2017, of Miguel Merecias-Lopez in a fast-food restaurant parking lot in Woodburn reveals how, in many cases, such documents are produced. Merecias-Lopez, 24, moved to Woodburn from Oaxaca in January 2017, long after the fraud ring began operating.

Source: thestar March 05, 2019 23:40 UTC