Some immigration service providers in New York are accused of illegally capitalizing on confusion and desperation among people seeking help with immigration court cases. City officials say some storefront providers use the term “notary” in ways that can be mistaken for licensed legal advice, especially among Spanish-speaking Latinos who associate “notario” with attorneys in other countries. Officials report more people seeking immigration-related help amid federal chaos and mass deportation plans, while more providers are breaking rules. Complaints about immigration service providers have been among the most common consumer complaints received by the New York Attorney General’s Office. Regulators say providers may charge for translation, notarization, and form typing, but they are not allowed to advise on how to answer immigration form questions or provide legal advice.
"“These immigrant service providers can't pretend they're lawyers when they're not,” said Sam Levine, commissioner at the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Though they're not attorneys, immigration service providers in New York do charge fees for certain services, like translating and notarizing documents, or typing up forms. However, these providers are not allowed to advise people on how to answer questions on their immigration forms, provide legal advice a"
"When Spanish-speaking Latinos hear or see the word “notary” in storefronts on the street-and don't look up its meaning in the United States-they might assume they've found a trained and licensed attorney who can give legal advice, as the word “notario” indicates in many of their home countries. City officials say some New York City service providers are illegally capitalizing off that misconception: passing themselves off as attorneys to people who are desperate for help with their immigration court cases."
"Since the start of Donald Trump's second term and his plan to carry out mass deportations, more immigrant New Yorkers are seeking out that kind of legal advice -while more providers are breaking the rules, according to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), the agency responsible for regulating and enforcing the industry. Complaints about immigration service providers were among the most common type of consumer complaint received by the New York Attorney General's Office last year, officials said."
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