Only a few hours have passed since the bill of the Biden Administration , which aims to legalize ones 11 millions of undocumented , and although the initiative has not even begun its process in Congress, a fear that always haunts the environment is that the anxiety and emotion that the proposal generates Among immigrants from New York , be a breeding ground for tricksters to take advantage and swindle the most unwary.
There are countless stories of scammers who have played with the illusions of naive New Yorkers, who have bled their pockets with false promises to help them legalize, so leaders, activists, lawyers and immigrants who have been deceived with false paperwork , ask to be alert to possible fraud attempts .
That’s him case of Colombian Luis Hernández , who carries 12 years undocumented in the Big Apple , and who confesses that seeing that Biden’s bill , named ‘ America’s Citizenship Act of 2021 ′ was introduced on Thursday, he felt joy, but at the same time recalled that “along with the good intentions of some , there are always others alive “who seek to take advantage of the despair and illusions of others.
” To me, false lawyers and notaries, and others who say they are legal assistants and final are nothing, I have been robbed in this country since I arrived, at least 25, 00 0 dollars , telling me that they were going to help me by filling out papers to legalize my status, when nothing could be done. For this reason, now that this project is in place, we have to be with our eyes wide open to avoid that these profiteers do their thing, “said the father of the family, warning that He does not want the same to happen to other immigrants, so he launches a piece of advice.
“We cannot get carried away by the desire for something that we hear and that is still a simple project , so we have to stay informed and attached to community organizations that help us without giving money, “said the immigrant.
Meanwhile, José González, immigrant of Mexican origin, who lives on Roosevelt Avenue, in Queens, declared himself excited about Biden’s proposal to legalize the undocumented, but asked the City to provide a constant report on the status of that law so that workers like him do not end up being the victim of scammers.
“The only program I watch every day is the Mayor’s conference, I don’t see more, so r that it would be good for them to talk about this issue there so that our people know what is happening and do not steal from us. And if they could translate that into Spanish, it would be better for those who can’t speak English ”, said the father of the family.
If they ask you for money right now … It is a fraud
To the alert call was also added the Assemblywoman from Queens Catalina Cruz, who stated that it is It is important to understand that if at this time there are people asking for money with promises to offer help based on the Biden bill, it is clearly a fraud.
“The legislation was hardly introduced. They have not even begun to debate or have gone to a committee. That is why I tell our people that no one should be paying money to absolutely anyone to apply for that law, because it is not yet law. It does not exist as such and we must be careful not to fall into the hands of scammers, ” said the political leader of Corona and Jackson Heights.
The assemblywoman warned that if anyone hears of any type of attempted fraud, report it to the New York State Attorney General’s Office or to the Department of consumer of the City.
“We hope that this law is finally approved and when that happens, at that time we must contact serious lawyers who help our people, but for now no one should get involved. to lose their money and the City and the State must make sure that we have the necessary funds so that when the law is approved we can help with more legal services ”, said Cruz, Calling for a campaign to warn New Yorkers and prevent fraud.
Harold Solís, attorney for the organization Make the Road NY, explained that the reform plan immigration law of Biden, for now it is only a proposal and although he stressed that it is a light on the way, he asked undocumented immigrants to be cautious.
“We must all feel that this is a good step, especially after the last thing we saw the last 4 years with Trump , but we have to be super clear not to fall into the hands of people who want to harm our community. This law has not yet passed through Congress, they have not voted, it was just introduced in the Chamber and this bill still has a long way to go before it becomes law, “said the defender , mentioning that there are other actions that must be taken from now, before processing applications that do not yet exist. “What we do have to do is get in touch with the political leaders of the community, letting them know that we need changes now and join the organizations, because we have to keep up the pressure because if not, we will end up as before, if nothing else”
Solís added: “If someone offers to help them process papers now, with Biden’s law, they are lying. You have to be careful. What you can do if you have questions and want advice is call the Office of New Americans, call 311 to Action NYC and get away from scammers , because they will end up paying for something that doesn’t exist yet. ”
Stay well informed
Yaritza Méndez, Associate director of community organizing at Make the Road New York, stressed that a key from now on will be to stay well informed on the subject to avoid falling into the hands of unscrupulous people.
“There is currently no application, there is no waiting list, and the requirements have not yet been set. It is crucial that our community is informed with the most up-to-date information and if you have any questions, you should approach community organizations or you can call 311 to schedule an appointment with ActionNYC ”, said the activist. “The introduction of the Citizenship Act 2021 is a great step that will help bring justice to our communities. It is important to remember that we still have a lot of work to do to get this proposal into law. First, the proposal has to pass both houses in Congress and President Biden will have to sign this act. ”
Alejandra López, of the organization Legal Aid Society , joined the recommendation to be well informed and recalled that there is free help available on immigration matters in New York City.
“To get help with an immigration matter, either for deportation defense or to get help with an affirmative immigration benefit (citizenship, green cards, family petitions, etc. ), with concerns about public charge, or for help with advance planning for citizen parents, please call our Help Line Immigration Law Unit: 844 – 955 – 3425. Interpreters are available for all languages, ”said López.
MOIA inst to make complaints
Likewise, the Office of Immigration Affairs of the Mayor’s Office (MOIA), warned that to avoid fraud, it is important for New York immigrants to know that there has not yet been any change in the law and to be ready to report any attempted fraud.
“As we celebrate the introduction of the US Citizenship Act, we also urge New Yorkers to beware of scams. There has not been any change in the law yet, which means there is no new visa or application to complete, ”said Commissioner Bitta Mostofi . “To connect to safe, free, City-funded immigration legal help, New Yorkers can call ActionNYC at 1 – 771 – 354 – 0365, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm To report a immigration fraud, call the New York State Office for New Americans hotline at 1 – 800 – 566 – 7636 ”.
Raluca Oncioiu , from the Catholic Charities organization, mentioned that although comprehensive immigration reform is of vital importance for the country, there is a long way to go before the bill becomes law, for which he asked to walk with leaden feet.
“We encourage all who have questions about the bill or about any other changes introduced by the Biden Administration to call the direct line pair to New Americans at 800 – 566 – 7636, Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 8 pm. It is the only state-funded state hotline in the nation and a great resource for immigrants who have questions about the changes made by the Biden Administration, ”said the attorney. “Hotline staff can also make referrals to free legal service providers with whom non-citizens can discuss their legal options. If you have questions about your legal options, talk to a free legal service provider, not a notary, tax preparer, or travel agent. ”
Where to call to clarify doubts and ask for help?
- Legal Aid Society Immigration Law Unit Helpline: (844) 955 – 3425. Interpreters are available for all languages. The helpline operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- You can call Make the Road NY at 718 4187690 or connect to their page on Facebook, which offers constant virtual workshops.
- You can call ActionNYC at 1 (800) 354-0365, Monday to Friday of 9: 02 am to 6: 00 pm
- To to report immigration fraud, you can call the state Office for New Americans at 1 (800 ) 566 – 7636
- You can also call the New York State Attorney’s Office at (800) 771 – 7755
Tips to avoid be a victim of immigration fraud
- There is still no amnesty
- The Biden administration is proposing changes to immigration law, but these are only proposals and not laws
- No one can apply for lawful permanent residence under the Biden bill yet
- United for a long time
- If you apply for employment authorization or lawful permanent residence when you do not qualify, the Department of Homeland Security may initiate deportation proceedings against you
- Only go to lawyers or accredited representatives if you have immigration questions
- Lawyers must be licensed to practice law. Ask to see your license
- Legal representatives must be accredited and working for an agency recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals: ask to see their accreditation documents
- Never sign an application with false information
- Never sign a blank form
- Request copies of everything you sign
- Get a second opinion before filing an immigration application, especially if the advice seems too good to be true
- Stay informed about the progress of the immigration reform bill
- Know that although there is hope that Congress will pass immigration reform, at this time the laws have not changed yet
- Call to 311 and ask for information on organizations that offer free immigration counseling services if you have questions
- Do not give money to anyone who promises to help you process your residence under the Biden project, because it is only an initiative and you would be a victim of deception
Remember that notaries are not lawyers and cannot provide legal advice
You cannot apply for lawful permanent residence at this time, just because you have been in States