aila’s stop notario fraud/upl efforts michelle singleton practice & professionalism center...
TRANSCRIPT
AILA’s Stop Notario Fraud/UPL Efforts
Michelle SingletonPractice & Professionalism Center
Outreach & Education
AILA created www.StopNotarioFraud.org in 2010
• A multilingual resource designed to prevent consumers from falling prey to immigration fraud
• Information for victims who need help or want competent, affordable legal service providers in their state
• A useful resource for attorneys who assist victims
The Fight Against Immigration Fraud
First, prevention by hiring the right help– Resources on how to hire immigration assistance– Consumer education
Increasing resources for victims of fraud– Filing complaints– Pursuing legal action– Difficulty of immigration relief
The AILA Effort
• Identify, Report & Investigate Fraud
• FAQ’s from StopNotarioFraud.org• Reporting Scams/Fraud
• FTC & Local Consumer Protection Agencies• State Attorneys General or State Bar
– EOIR (Attorneys, BIA Reps) http://www.justice.gov/eoir/SubmitAComplaint.htm
• Local Business Licensing Authority
• AILA National Committee/Chapter UPL Liaisons• Identify Victims• Encourage Reporting• Assist with Referral
StopNotarioFraud.org Where to Get Help
Resources for Victims: Filing Complaints
Avenues to pursue complaints:– File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission through Consumer
Sentinel– File a civil complaint under state consumer protection laws – File a complaint to state attorney general offices or local prosecutors
• (For a partial list of contacts go to http://www.stopnotariofraud.org/get-help.php)
– File complaint to state bar associations, where possible to committees on the unauthorized practice of law (“UPL”)
Some of these options may require the assistance of an attorney. ABA hotline: 202-442-3363, 9-5, Monday through Friday, English and Español
Immigration Relief for Victims
-Motion to reopen where a deportation order has been entered against the applicant (from Judge)-Motion to subpoena the notario (from Judge)-Prosecutorial discretion (from ICE Office of Chief Counsel)-U visa (from local law enforcement and USCIS)
Resources on Hiring Legal Assistance
EOIR list of free legal service providers: http://www.justice.gov/eoir/probono/states.htm
BIA accredited organizations: http://www.justice.gov/eoir/ra.html
IAN’s ImmigrationLawHelp.org: http://www.immigrationlawhelp.org
Private attorneys:http://www.ailalawyer.com/Many local bar associations offer referral options.
ABA - ABA Fight Notario Fraud Project accepts referrals for pro bono civil litigation
Free Consumer Education Resources
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Has flyers, brochures, wallet cards, and recordings in multiple languages. Can be bulk ordered. http://www.ftc.gov/immigrationhttp://www.consumer.gov/articles/1017-scams-against-immigrants
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) has a toolkit http://www.ilrc.org/policy-advocacy/anti-fraud-campaign
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC): Has a series of publications that can be printed out for distribution. http://cliniclegal.org/resources/notario-and-immigration-consultant-fraud-resources
AILA has resources including short video clips discussing notario fraud:http://www.stopnotariofraud.org/
Electronic Platforms
• Website Available in English, Spanish Chinese and Polish- link your community
• Companion Facebook page launched in 2012www.facebook.com/stopnotariofraud
Spread the Word!
The Truth About Notarios: http://youtu.be/ttOkRqMkmWs
La Verdad Acerca de Los Notarios: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQmzwOz9w1A