Local News in Brief : Immigration Firm Sued
The state sued a Los Angeles immigration consulting firm Wednesday, alleging that it took advantage of illegal aliens applying for legal status by overcharging them for copying documents and keeping the originals until all bills were paid.
The Superior Court consumer protection suit seeks up to $50,000 in civil penalties from the Armando Gonzalez Agency, restitution for clients and a permanent injunction barring illegal practices.
Herschel Elkins, the senior assistant attorney general who filed the suit, said the agency failed to provide contracts to their clients in English and their native language explaining that such consultants are prohibited from performing legal services and cannot claim to have special influence with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
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