Exclusive | Pennsylvania Dem Sen. Bob Casey backed by group helping Chinese nationals obtain US residency, citizenship

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) has received financial support from a group lobbying to expand a visa program known to benefit Chinese nationals seeking entry into the United States, Federal Election Commission filings show.

Casey accepted a June 24 $5,000 donation from the Immigrant Investors Association/Invest in the USA PAC, which seeks to increase the number of available visas through America’s EB-5 immigrant-investor regional-center program.

Casey is the only 2024 Senate candidate to have accepted a campaign contribution from IIUSA PAC, per FEC filings.

EB-5 visas offer permanent American residency to foreigners who invest in “qualified job-creating projects,” the Wall Street Journal reported last year.

The program has led to “greater interest from wealthy Chinese seeking a way out of their country” as their economy struggles and their government grows more authoritarian, the WSJ noted.

Chinese citizens have historically constituted the largest nationality of those seeking visas through the EB-5 program.

Mainland Chinese nationals scored 6,125 out of the total 10,855 in fiscal year 2022. Hong Kong got another 142.

The State Department announced Friday it had reached the limit of EB-5 visas it could grant in fiscal year 2024. Dependents of lucky investors are also given residence.

Documents from Commonwealth Strategic Partners — a DC bipartisan lobbying firm — show Casey was at a June fundraiser hosted by one IIUSA PAC lobbyist and attended by another.

Both of the lobbyists, Commonwealth managing partners Keith Pemrick and George McElwee, have been involved extensively with EB-5 issues.

The revelation comes just days after The Post reported Casey has a three-cent stake in Chinese fentanyl manufacturer Yichang Humanwell through an index fund that’s part of a 529 Plan mutual fund for his family. He does not exercise direct control over the investment.

Casey’s opponent, GOP Senate hopeful Dave McCormick, blasted the incumbent as “the ultimate liar and hypocrite” for running ads about the Humanwell investments of McCormick’s former company while having a stake in it himself.

Connecticut-based hedge fund Bridgewater Associates — which McCormick led from 2020 to 2022 —  had a $1.7 million stake in Humanwell as of 2021.