Prosecutors said the chiefs and other officials exploited a program that offers immigrant victims of violent crime a pathway to residency and citizenship.

Four law enforcement officials, including two current police chiefs, in Louisiana are accused of fabricating police reports in a scheme to illegally obtain U.S. visas for immigrants, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Three current or former Louisiana police chiefs were arrested following a federal investigation into an alleged scheme that involved false police reports being sold to immigrants lacking permanent legal status and used to try to secure a visa, authorities said Tuesday.