An immigration scam exploiting the use of the Spanish word notario has bilked thousands of Latino immigrants seeking to legalize their United States residency status and prompted Los Angeles officials to launch a crackdown.
In some Latin American countries, a notario is a lawyer. In others, the title denotes someone who holds public office. In the United States, however, a notary is simply someone legally empowered to witness and certify documents and take affidavits and depositions.
Unscrupulous operators are using confusion over the meaning of the word to dupe unsuspecting immigrants into thinking they are attorneys who can help people get U.S. work permits and legalize their residency status, officials said.
They charge their clients exorbitant fees, file frivolous paperwork and keep them waiting -- and paying -- often for years, according to authorities.
In many cases, immigrants unknowingly sign applications for asylum, which lawyers say can greatly improve the possibility of being awarded a work permit while the petitioner's case is pending adjudication. But when the client is called up for an asylum interview, their case is usually revealed as being invalid. Successful political asylum applications for Mexican nationals are rare, lawyers said. Still, the fraud thrives.
Such scams have been going on for decades, but local officials said they've noticed a uptick in complaints in recent months. The rip-off can spell disaster for immigrants desperate for a shot at permanent residency in the United States.
"You have people not only losing their money, but facing deportation or being in limbo after many years of struggle," said Jenaro Batiz-Romero, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney's office, which last year launched an Immigration Fraud Strike Force dedicated to putting deceitful immigration consultants and others out of business. "It's a problem that is much more common than is reported."
It is impossible to calculate the extent of immigration fraud in Los Angeles County because few victims are willing to report the crime for fear of being taken into custody by immigration authorities. Some consultants operate out of lawyers' offices or are underground businesses. Others do not openly advertise, instead working via referrals.
But city officials say extensive anecdotal evidence, coupled with the huge volume of largely anonymous complaints received by the Spanish language media and L.A. County's Department of Consumer Affairs, indicates that the number of victims could run into the thousands. And the crooked scheme appears to be flourishing.
