Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Federal Agency’s Termination Notice of SD’s EB-5 Program Evidence of Republican Corruption
Sioux Falls, SD (October 20, 2015)-
Reports indicate that on September 28, 2015 a federal agency sent South Dakota government officials notification of the federal agency’s intent to end South Dakota’s EB-5 visa program.
The termination is sought by the federal agency because numerous instances of improper conduct in administration of the funds and improper filings even after management of the EB-5 program was returned to state government. Five million dollars are unaccounted for and millions of other dollars were mishandled.
South Dakota Democratic Party Executive Director Suzanne Jones Pranger said, “The federal government’s move to terminate South Dakota’s participation in the EB-5 program provides even more evidence of the mismanagement of public funds that has occurred in South Dakota under Republican leadership.” Jones Pranger continued,
“South Dakota’s one party Republican rule has bred corruption and complacency in state government and resulted in cronyism, significant self-dealing, and vastly inadequate oversight of state and federal funds. These problems are clearly evidenced by the all-too-often reoccurring scandals in South Dakota government, including most notably ‘EB-5’ and ‘Gear Up.’ South Dakotans deserve more from their government.
Democrats will continue to push for a state ethics commission, as Democratic legislators have in the past, to help ensure South Dakota government is run in accordance with the ethical principles voters expect and deserve.”
The United State Citizenship and Immigration Services is taking steps to terminate South Dakota’s EB-5 regional center status, which will have the effect of ending South Dakota’s utilization of the EB-5 program.