Undocumented immigrants in Central California vulnerable to scams. Here’s what to avoid
Heightened fears of mass deportations can make undocumented immigrants and their families in the Central Valley vulnerable to unscrupulous people trying to take advantage of their situation. Oftentimes, immigrant rights advocates say, people who fall prey to scammers lose their money and are placed in greater risk of deportation.
President Donald Trump’s promises to pursue mass deportation and end policies such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and birthright citizenship and a recent U.S Border Patrol operation in Kern County have created anxiety among undocumented immigrants.
But advocates warn about falling prey to false promises from notarios (notaries) and tax preparers looking to charge immigrants up to $10,000 per bogus cases to file what could potentially get them in trouble.
“Go to your trusted entities, whether that’s an organization you’ve already gone to, your place or worship, your family members who may be connected to those resources,” said Ruth López, Director of Valley Voices, a local nonpartisan nonprofit.
López said people need to be wary of what they see or hear online, and to make sure the information comes from a trusted source — be it a state or federal agency — that use facts and acts in good faith.
Matias Bernal, executive director of the Fresno-based Education & Leadership Foundation, a nonprofit providing immigration services in the Central Valley, said notarios and tax preparers are not immigration attorneys or accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide immigration legal services.
Valeria Solorio, protection and legal affairs consul at the Consulate of Mexico in Fresno, said the consulate is frequently providing information to Mexican national about the dangers of immigration fraud and how to avoid being prey of those scams.
“We always emphasize that they should know the difference between notaries here in the U.S and a notario publico in Mexico, because they don’t have the same legal capacities,” Solorio said.
In Hispanic countries, notarios publicos are highly trained legal professionals akin to attorneys who provide legal advice and draft legal documents.
In the United States, however, notaries are state-commissioned officials with narrow witnessing duties and much less discretion. Many unethical individuals exploit the confusion over these different roles to take advantage of unsuspecting immigrants.
How to find immigration legal support
The nonprofit Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative (CVIIC) has an immigration legal services directory that includes a list of nonprofit community organizations that offer a broad range of immigration-related services in the Central Valley.
The directory provide a list of organizations — such as Central California Legal Services, Education & Leadership Foundation (ELF), Consulate of Mexico in Fresno, Faith in the Valley, Oasis Legal Services and Social Justice Collaborative — with staff accredited to offer immigration services.
This includes services dealing with:
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Naturalization (or citizenship)
Permanent residence (green card)
Family petitions
U Visas/T Visas/VAWA
Asylum
Adjustment of Status
The directory includes several agencies with immigration attorneys.
The nonprofit organizations listed in the directory offer immigration services to residents of Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings, Kern, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.
These services include basic information about federal and state immigration programs, as well as assistance in applying for benefits from these programs.
Bernal recommends that people look at partner organizations accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Organizations like Valley Voices are always here to help, even if they themselves may not provide you with a direct resource. They have connections, and they’re able to lead you in the right direction,” López said.
Although Valley Voices doesn’t have an immigration arm, the nonprofit partners with organizations such as ELF and CVIIC to bring immigration workshops and resources to cities. The nonprofit also provides information from Department of Justice accredited attorneys for those who need direct consultations about their cases.
“Every individual is going to have their own stories and it’s going to be on a case-by-case basis,” Lopez said.
“I would recommend to not speak to individuals about your personal cases unless you know that they are a trusted entity,” Lopez said. “You also don’t want to lie about your personal information when it is an entity that is trying to help you. When you lie, instead of helping you it can hurt your case.”
At a workshop in Hanford, Lopez said people learned that “if you ever claimed that you were a U.S citizen and are not a U.S citizen, that is an automatic permanent bar. That means you cannot stay in the county legally for your entire life. So please do not ever lie about being a U.S. citizen if you are not a U.S citizen.”
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This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
