This post is informational and Lloyd Bennett Was not involved with this case. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office accused 28 business of immigration fraud charges in November. Some companies were cited last year for allegedly defrauding customers because they charged for immigration services that can only be performed by an appellate body within the U.S. Department of Justice, but these businesses insist they did nothing wrong.
Immigration Fraud Services in New Jersey
New Jersey decided to start an enforcement effort to penalize “notario” fraud, a practice in which a notary public takes advantage of Spanish-speaking customers who believe they are consulting with an attorney or immigration expert. Lisa Coryell, a spokeswoman for the state Attorney General’s Office, said that ‘’notarios” pretend they are authorized to file immigration forms, but they leave their victims facing financial losses, possible deportation, and other problems.
Unfortunately, most people don’t realize their consultant isn’t authorized to help them until their paperwork has been filed incorrectly or not at all. These businesses provide services without legal training, which means they are often harming people instead of helping them.
Penalties & Charges
Since then, at least 5 businesses have entered into consent agreements with the state in exchange for reduced penalties, paying between $2,000 to $12,000 in fines. Many other businesses disagree with the charges they face. Israel Delmonte of MIA Services in Union City said he wasn’t a lawyer, but rather a “notatrio publico” who offered to fill out immigration applications for a free; he claims it’s not supposed to be illegal.
Immigration law is complex, and it requires legal advice—even to select forms and to fill them out. Some cities and state agencies have created an awareness campaign to educate the public and business owners about the do’s and don’ts of immigration law. The campaign has helped people avoid being defrauded in cities like New York City and Philadelphia.
Experienced & Reliable New Jersey Immigration Lawyer
U.S. immigration law is extremely complex and should only be performed by an experienced attorney. Immigration law changes on a daily bases, as new forms, rules, and regulations are pushed by the Federal Government or are enacted by various agencies. At The Law Offices of Lloyd E. Bennett Esq. P.C. we stay ahead of these changes for our clients. Our attorney is dedicated to helping individuals, families, and businesses understand and maneuver through the complexities of federal immigration, naturalization, and deportation law. Don’t put your trust in the hands of noncertified businesses, instead place trust our experienced, reliable, and accomplished immigration law attorney.
Some matters are time sensitive, so the sooner we get to work on your case, the better we can protect you! Contact us today: Call (800) 909-8129. Se habla Espanol.
This post is informational and Lloyd Bennett Was not involved with this case.
