Notario Fraud: What Is It? How Can We Stop It?
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 27, 2009 – Chicago-based immigration experts will join the American Bar Association for a panel discussion exposing the fraud and devastation that results when unlicensed “notarios” attempt to give legal advice to people seeking to immigrate lawfully to the United States.
Unlicensed notarios across the country are using false advertising and fraudulent contracts, promising immigrants an easy route through the legal process – often for a large, upfront fee. When paperwork is incorrectly filed, clients typically end up receiving a notice of deportation.
False and incorrect documents prepared by unauthorized notarios can drastically delay or ruin the citizenship process.
The panel will meet July 31, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., in the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Grand Suite 5, Gold Level, East Tower.
Miami lawyer Stephen N. Zack, who was raised in Cuba and came to the United States when he was 14, will give opening remarks. Zack will be installed as the ABA’s president-elect on Aug. 4. His agenda for the coming year includes the creation of a commission on Hispanic rights, which will look at issues of immigration, voting rights, civil rights and education.
The immigration experts on the panel will include:
Carlina Tapia-Ruano, co-founder of a Chicago law firm where she concentrates her practice in the field of immigration law. She will define notario fraud through descriptions of actual cases.
Mony Ruiz Velasco, director of Chicago’s Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Justice Center. NIJC is dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. She will speak about local Chicago resources for immigrants and victims of notario fraud.
Daniel T. O’Connor, associate at a Washington, D.C., law firm. He focuses his practice in the areas of commercial and consumer protection litigation, and will speak about using consumer protection laws to stop notarios.
Claire Trickler-McNulty, staff attorney with the ABA’s Commission on Immigration. She will speak about the ABA’s efforts to fight immigration fraud nationally with the help of volunteer lawyers from around the country.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently released (July 22) a warning about this kind of fraud. It is on the radar of every state Attorney General’s office. We hope you will join us for this timely information session and opportunity to ask questions.
With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.
- 30 -
