Immigration fraud targeting vulnerable immigrants is surging across Houston, and Houston immigration attorneys at Lamb & Turner, PLLC are seeing it firsthand. Partner Angie Turner, who has been practicing immigration law since 2013, says the schemes range from fabricated asylum claims to forged federal court orders, and the consequences for victims can be catastrophic.
"It starts from monetary damages," Turner says. "You know, I've paid this attorney thousands of dollars and nothing has happened. Or I've paid this attorney thousands of dollars and now I'm in removal proceedings. Or the worst is, I'm picked up, I'm detained, I'm about to be sent back to a country I haven't been to in 20 years."
Turner describes two primary sources of fraud she is seeing in Houston. The first involves licensed attorneys who are fabricating immigration cases.
"There are attorneys that are committing fraud," she says. "They're creating fake asylum cases, fake VAWA claims." VAWA refers to the Violence Against Women Act, a protection available to certain abuse survivors. "They're basically saying, if you've ever had a fight with your husband, just a normal standard argument, or if you've ever had a fight with your child because they don't want to do their homework — they're taking a little normal thing and making it into something completely absurd. They're creating these scenarios and submitting these applications to USCIS."
The second source is notarios — a term that carries an entirely different meaning for Hispanic immigrants than it does under US law. "In Mexico, notarios are licensed notaries. In Hispanic cultures, notarios are basically attorneys — they're certified, they're vouched for," Turner explains. "In the United States, a notario is just basically a notary. They just have a stamp. And basically they just hold themselves out to be attorneys."
She described one notario case where the fraudster told immigration authorities that a client's wife had cancer and fabricated employment records and fake tax documents. When the client later went to apply for naturalization, the USCIS officer asked how his wife's cancer was. "He had no idea what she was talking about," Turner says. "And he got put in removal proceedings because his notario basically lied."
Even more alarming was a case involving a woman who was referred to what appeared to be a Catholic Charities office in Florida — a legitimate, free national legal services organization. The impersonators charged her $4,800 via Zelle and produced a forged immigration court order bearing the signature of a real Houston immigration judge. "She took screenshots of it. It looks legit," Turner says. "If you didn't know any better, it looks like a legit courtroom. But I know that if they have this setup, they're doing it to more people."
Turner says the rise in fraud cases is driven by one thing above all: desperation. "People are looking for a way to be able to stay in the United States. Anybody that can offer them some sign of hope, whether it be legit hope, or just 'here, give me all your money and I'll do this', they're just lying to them."
Those most at risk, she says, are immigrants with prior deportation orders and those searching for low-cost immigration services, some finding notarios through signs on the side of the road advertising "immigration services."
Turner offers a clear checklist for anyone seeking immigration help in Houston. "Number one, make sure that you receive a copy of the contract you sign. Number two, the person you're working with — make sure they're actually a licensed attorney. You can see their license, their state bar license, their law school diploma. Finally, number three, make sure you receive copies of everything they submit to the government." She also recommends checking Google reviews, verifying records through the state bar, and asking direct questions: How long have you been practicing immigration? Have you had any grievances filed against you? Are you able to represent me in court?
Her most important piece of advice is simple: "Don't hire the first person you meet just because they offer you some sort of glimmer of hope. If something feels off, it probably is. Don't just follow somebody because they tell you what you want to hear. Are they telling you what you need to hear versus what you want to hear?"
More information about legitimate immigration legal services in Houston is available at www.lambimmigration.com.
ABOUT LAMB & TURNER, PLLC
Lamb & Turner, PLLC is a Houston immigration law firm offering comprehensive immigration services including family immigration, deportation defense, asylum, naturalization, DACA, green cards, and employment-based visas. The firm serves clients throughout Houston and the surrounding Texas area. Se habla español.
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Company Name: Lamb & Turner, PLLC
Contact Person: Chris Moreno
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Phone: (713) 529-5025
Address:3355 West Alabama St., Suite 1140
City: Houston
State: TX 77098
Country: United States
Website: www.lambimmigration.com
