What appeared to be a violent gas station robbery in northwest Houston has been exposed as a meticulously planned act aimed at exploiting immigration policies for a “U nonimmigrant” visa. The staged event tragically ended with the death of the supposed robber. The botched act has been revealed to be part of a complex scheme involving staged crimes that take advantage of U.S. immigration law.
On January 27, bystanders at a Chevron gas station witnessed a man, later identified as Rasshauud Scott, 22, seemingly attempting a robbery at gunpoint. The situation escalated when Scott was shot and killed by a witness, later revealed to be Jesus Vargas, as he tried to flee the scene. The Houston Police Department (HPD) at first saw what appeared to be a typical case of local crime. As officers investigated, the strange plot devised to manipulate immigration law came into focus.
NEW: The gas station ROBBERY that ended with a bystander KILLING the suspect was STAGED as part of a VISA scheme; police say
HPD says Winfrey and Scott staged multiple similar robberies dating back to 2023 to aid alleged victims in obtaining visas
"The person qualifies for a… pic.twitter.com/qG2EFr1nev
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) April 9, 2024
Court documents and text messages between Scott and an accomplice, William Xavier Winfrey, suggest that the robbery was staged to enable the participants to file for a U visa, a type of immigration status available to victims of certain crimes. This status not only protects the individual from deportation but also permits them to work in the U.S. while their case is being considered. Winfrey appears to have directed Scott in the scripted event. Police believe the pair had executed the same plan several times previously. Winfred is now being held on felony murder charges.
As the depth of the plot behind the killing became clear, the scheme behind it has raised concerns about how to properly enforce existing regulations designed to protect victims of serious crimes.
The tragic death in Texas points to the growing challenge presented by organized criminal activities exploiting immigration loopholes. The sort of criminal scheme recently gone awry in Houston points directly to the need for serious vetting and border enforcement to bring an end to Biden’s border disaster as soon as possible.
