Mucarsel-Powell Passes Legislation Through Committee To Stop Notario Fraud

Press Release

Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26) passed her legislation to end notario fraud through the Judiciary Committee. H.R. 8225, The Fight Notario Fraud Act, places criminal penalties on schemes designed to defraud people on immigration matters, works to end notarios' misrepresentations that they are qualified attorneys or accredited to handle immigration cases, and stops the threats and retaliation against immigrants. It also works to give law enforcement the tools they need to stop the exploitation of vulnerable immigrants.

"I represent a majority-minority community that is home to thousands of Central and South American immigrants and their families. Reliance on notarios for legal advice is common, and Latinos frequently suffer negative consequences from poor, unqualified advice. Thousands of dollars are stolen from them by crooked notarios and their immigration applications go nowhere," said Mucarsel-Powell."This bill is an important step to hold dishonest notarios accountable and end their fraud schemes. It must pass on the floor and through the Senate swiftly to prevent any more families in my community from suffering from these scams."

In June, federal authorities revealed one notario scheme in South Florida that spanned multiple states, multiple offices, and hundreds of immigrant victims. One study found that less than 4% of notario fraud was reported to authorities.

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