FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2015
EB-5 INVESTMENT COALITION STATEMENT ON GAO REPORT
WASHINGTON, DC – The EB-5 Investment Coalition (EB-5IC) released the following statement on a report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report, conducted at Congressional request, examines the risk assessments and processes in place for addressing fraud, verifying job creation, and reporting the economic benefits of the EB-5 program within the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
“Robust oversight and transparent processes are critical to ensuring the EB-5 Regional Center Program can continue to serve its fundamental purpose of creating jobs for Americans. While the USCIS has taken important steps to root out bad actors, address needed programmatic changes and ensure more accountable metrics within the program, we support additional efforts in the areas of fraud deterrence and information sharing.
The EB-5IC has been and will continue to advocate for common-sense reforms that enhance national security, compliance and accountability within the program. This includes efforts to implement a more stringent screening process for vetting regional centers, documenting projects and reforms to clarify the economic impact of the program.
In the weeks ahead, the EB-5IC will continue to work closely with the Senate and the House to ensure the concerns raised in today’s report are addressed in the program’s pending reauthorization legislation and look forward to advancing an even stronger EB-5 program for America’s businesses and entrepreneurs.”
For more information on reforms endorsed by the EB-5IC in support of a stronger, more effective EB-5 program, please visit: eb5coalition.org/resources/eb-5-reform-fact-sheet/
About the EB-5 Investment Coalition:
The EB-5 Investment Coalition (EB-5IC) is a broad-based organization of businesses, industry leaders, trade associations and elected officials mobilizing around the shared mission of putting Americans to work by reauthorizing and strengthening the critical EB-5 Regional Center Program. For more information, please visit: www.eb5coalition.org.