Photo: Mayor de Blasio (r.) and Attorney General Schneiderman last week announced the formation of a joint task force on immigration fraud. Photo Courtesy of the Attorney General’s Office.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman last week announced the formation of a joint task force to target those who prey on immigrants, while encouraging victims of fraud to come forward without fear.
The immigration fraud task force, led by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the city Department of Consumer Affairs, together with the Office of the Attorney General, will dedicate enforcement resources and conduct a public awareness campaign to stop predators from taking advantage of immigrant communities in advance of the full implementation of President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
De Blasio and Schneiderman both said the task force is “committed” to undertaking the following actions: The task force is committed to undertaking the following actions: Targeted enforcement and/or investigations against immigrant service providers who may be engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. These investigations could occur in partnership, where feasible, or independently by each agency.
Improved information-sharing to identify illegal activity and coordinate enforcement efforts. In collaboration with community organizations, the task force will establish an information pipeline to connect on-the-ground reports of immigration fraud hotspots to city agencies and the Attorney General’s Office to stop problematic service providers or practices.
Increased public awareness outreach to engage vulnerable communities and encourage victims to come forward. City agencies and the Attorney General’s Office will collaborate on public education campaigns to bring attention to potential abuses wherever they exist.
And the task force will continue to expand to include other relevant governmental entities and provide a blueprint for cities and states across the country to adopt best practices. As part of Cities United for Immigration Action, New York City is working in close collaboration with partner cities to develop a national model to combat immigration services fraud.
“Our joint city-state anti-fraud task force will stop fraudsters in their tracks and provide a safe place for immigrant fraud victims to come forward,” de Blasio said. “While New York is taking bold action, we are also working in collaboration with cities and states across the country to prevent fraud and protect families nationwide.”
According to Lucia Gomez, executive director of the immigrants-rights group La Fuente, the task force arrives not a moment too soon for immigrants who are preyed upon daily.
“This is going to be an uphill battle to make sure to get individuals to not go to these service providers,” she said. “But the best way to do that is to get up front and center and make sure that they have all the information they need to make an educated decision.”
By Michael V. Cusenza michael@theforumnewsgroup.com and Forum Wire Services
