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

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.

Four law enforcement officials, including two current police chiefs, are charged in connection with a scheme to fraudulently secure U.S. visas.