Immigrants Are Warned About Dishonest Citizenship Consultants

En rio revuelto, ganancia de pescadores. When the river is turbulent, the fishers come out winners.

So goes the proverb in Mexico, meaning: Chaotic situations provide opportunity for some and danger for the vulnerable.

The words are appropriate now, as the deadline looms for undocumented residents to apply for legal status under a new law. Increasingly, immigration activists say, unscrupulous immigration consultants are preying on those confused by complex INS application forms, collecting hefty fees but giving bad advice--or none at all.

So, through television and radio advertisements and community outreach, immigration activists are stepping up efforts to publicize the dangers and help applicants trying to get coveted legalized status.

“Even for a very educated person, to understand the complexities of the law is not an easy thing,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who spoke about the problem Thursday at a news conference. “These folks often don’t have the kind of income to hire a lawyer. They’re vulnerable.”

The law, passed late last year, allows immigrants who were in the United States by Dec. 21, 2000, to apply for permanent legal residency. But there are catches. Applicants must be sponsored by a legal resident, must pay a $1,000 fine if approved and must properly fill out the complex forms.

About 500,000 immigrants nationally (200,000 in the Los Angeles area) are expected to apply under the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act before the April 30 deadline, said Sharon A. Gavin of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

This week, Spanish-language Univision television began airing public service announcements. Radio stations have been spreading information for several weeks, activists said. Earlier this year, Los Angeles County officials set up telephone hotlines in 10 languages to explain the law and provide application advice, Molina said. And the INS, which has held three workshops, plans another for April 21.

Officials with the Los Angeles County Office of Consumer Affairs say residents should hire only immigration consultants who have state-approved liability insurance, who allow them to keep all original documents and who don’t make promises based on their personal contacts with INS officials.

At the African Community Resource Center, several dozen people have sought advice, said director Nikki Tesfai.

This week, three young women came to her office in tears after someone claiming to be a lawyer charged them $5,000 each to complete the application.

One woman borrowed heavily to pay but never heard from him again.

“Now, she has nothing,” Tesfai said. “She lives in fear. They’re scared immigration will come and get them.”

For INS information, call (800) 375-5283 or visit www.ins.usdoj.gov.

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Hotline Numbers

Los Angeles County employees are providing advice in 10 languages on how to understand the new law and how to fill out immigration forms to gain permanent legal residency. The filing deadline is April 30. Los Angeles County hotline numbers:

Armenian (800) 453-6968

Cambodian (800) 632-9690

Chinese (800) 557-3731

English (800) 815-5005

Korean (800) 557-5351

Persian (800) 807-3938

Russian (800) 808-4044

Spanish (800) 576-1519

Tagalog (800) 810-8985

Vietnamese (800) 578-6762