Foster Introduces Legislation to Crack Down on “Notario” Fraud
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced the Protecting Immigrants from Legal Exploitation Act. The legislation would create penalties for those who provide fraudulent immigration legal services; allow immigrants who are victims of fraud to have their cases reconsidered under certain circumstances; and create grant programs to educate immigrants on how to avoid legal service fraud and to assist qualified non-profit organizations in providing immigrants with legal services.
Fraudulent immigration services have not been effectively curbed by existing federal, state, and local efforts. In many Latin American countries "notario" or "notario público" refers to state-appointed lawyers. However, in the United States, a notary only has the authority to witness and certify legal documents. This linguistic discrepancy can expose many recent immigrants, particularly those from Latin American countries, to the risk of fraudulent immigration legal services.
"All too often, immigrants are exploited by fraudsters when they seek legal services," Foster said. "Not only do ‘notarios' exploit immigrants for money, but their fraudulent services can result in well-meaning immigrants being deported and unable to return legally. It’s time to take action to stop these predators from exploiting vulnerable immigrants who are trying to play by the rules of our immigration system."
The Protecting Immigrants from Legal Exploitation Act is cosponsored by Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Grace Meng (D-NY), Judy Chu (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Darren Soto (D-FL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).
The legislation is endorsed by the National Immigration Forum.
A copy of the legislation is available here.
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