Scammers are taking advantage of President Obama’s executive amnesty order. Which is why “advocates and immigration lawyers are doing whatever they can to raise awareness of what the policies mean so scammers don’t cost those undocumented immigrants both money and their chances at reprieve,” according to the liberal Huffington Post.
Activists are raising the alarm:
“It’s just tragic to see people walk away with their hard-earned money, preying on their desperation to get good with the law,” Clarissa Martinez, deputy vice president at the Latino civil rights group National Council of La Raza, said.
Reid Trautz, who works with the Stop Notario Fraud project as part of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said scam efforts have started early in the past, including after Obama announced his first major immigration action, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy in 2012.
“There was about 60 days between the time when the program was announced and the program was put in place before we knew exactly what it was. But we saw these notarios saying, ‘Come now, we’ll do the forms,’ even though there was no form,” he said. “We fully expect to see that now.” …
Immigration groups are trying to spread the word about notario fraud and other scams, and to provide their own services where possible. The National Council of La Raza has a site devoted to explaining the new administrative action, as does theImmigration Policy Center. A number of groups partnered to create iAmerica.org to provide further information.
Reid Trautz, who works with the Stop Notario Fraud project as part of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said scam efforts have started early in the past, including after Obama announced his first major immigration action, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy in 2012.
“There was about 60 days between the time when the program was announced and the program was put in place before we knew exactly what it was. But we saw these notarios saying, ‘Come now, we’ll do the forms,’ even though there was no form,” he said. “We fully expect to see that now.” …
Immigration groups are trying to spread the word about notario fraud and other scams, and to provide their own services where possible. The National Council of La Raza has a site devoted to explaining the new administrative action, as does theImmigration Policy Center. A number of groups partnered to create iAmerica.org to provide further information.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez is quoted as warning the fraudsters, “A warning to them: We’re watching you. … We did not work this arduously to get our community in a position in order for you to exploit and victimize them once again.”
