Fake Lawyers Complicate Immigration Legal Cases | 5NEWSOnline ...

Posted on: 8:06 pm, February 17, 2013, by Jocelyne Pruna, updated on: 09:22pm, February 17, 2013

Activists, attorneys and local organizations discussed ways to prevent fraudulent businesses from taking advantage of immigrants during a town hall discussion at the Springdale Civic Center Sunday (Feb 17).

It?s one of a series of statewide town hall meetings titled: ?Immigration Reform: The Impact on Arkansas Immigrants.?

?We firmly believe information is power,? said Mireya Reith, Executive Director Arkansas United Community Coalition.

Northwest Arkansas has seen a recent string of alleged immigration fraud cases.

On Feb. 11, police arrested Anthony Calderon on suspicion of theft of property for?? defrauding immigrants who believed he was a licensed attorney. Calderon was released from the Washington County jail with a $50,000 bond.

In another case, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel filed suit against two Springdale businesses accusing both of immigration fraud. One was Sonia?s Tax Services and the other was GYS Investments.

?There has been a black market that has emerged of taking advantage of individuals who aren?t the best informed and that unfortunately has made a lot of immigrants victims over the years,? said Reith.

?By putting information out there, we?re hoping to get ahead of those individuals and hopefully spread the news of what exactly is happening,? Reith said.

One misconception is the difference between a ?notary public? in the United States and one in many Latin American countries where a ?notary? or ?notario? is known as a licensed attorney.

?Somebody moving here from that country who hears about a ?notario,? they would love to have them represent them and they are cheaper than attorneys,? said?Frank Head, director of Catholic Immigration Services. ?As most people know, a notary public in the U.S. is somebody that has $100 to make a deposit, period.?

Springdale attorney Drew Devenport said he sees immigrants? cases fall in the wrong hands almost daily.

?We get probably five or six people that come in every week that have had issues either with a ?notario? or another attorney in the area giving bad advice on immigration,? Devenport said.

By the time a legitimate attorney takes the case, it is usually too late.

?One of the main consequences, you can be put in removal proceedings, then you really have no one to turn to, Devenport said. ?By that point, you?ve already put yourself in a deep hole.?

If there are fraudulent businesses out there, the town hall organizers want them to be reported.

?We?re hoping to be able to connect them with those individuals like the attorney general?s office and others to seek recourse when there are legitimate complaints that need to be filed,? Reith said.

During the town hall meeting, they also discussed immigration laws recently approved by the current Obama administration.

The next town hall meeting will be 4 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Salon el Milenio in De Queen.

Source: http://5newsonline.com/2013/02/17/fake-lawyers-complicate-immigrantion-legal-cases/

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