You're right -- I'm aware of distinction; I should have used more precise language. I meant to refer to someone that was entering into a fake marriage. Anyways, my bad--I've gotten a bit imprecise/sloppy with my writing lately -- I'm definitely going to try to be more precise in the future (and make it a habit to be precise).
I personally am very against fake marriages (in my own life). I want my marriage to be genuine, and life-long. There was a post on HN back in 2015 about William Han's experience with the US immigration system: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9764564 (article:
https://www.vox.com/2015/6/23/8823349/immigration-system-bro... )
Some of the parts of his article, especially regarding marriage as an immigration pathway, are sad but enlightening (emphasis mine):
> Years spent as a student do not count. Neither do years on a work visa unless your employer is willing to sponsor your green card. Marrying an American works, as a thousand films and television shows have taught us, because it allows a change of status to permanent resident. But if you wish to follow the rules, as I do, then it must be a bona fide marriage. And if you take important personal decisions such as marriage seriously, then you may not wish to have their timing dictated by Homeland Security.
> I've already talked about my friends who think becoming a citizen is as easy as going to a government office and signing some papers. But even people whose job it is to understand the system often don't see how broken it is. At one firm where I worked, an HR manager told me to "just get married." Marriage solely for the sake of a green card is, of course, illegal — it is fraud upon the federal government. A bona fide marriage is fine, but that depends on you finding the right person and having your relationship progress according to Homeland Security's timeline. Once again there is the humiliating feeling that your life is not your own: the government may now effectively dictate when you get married.