Managing Partner Michael Wildes was recently quoted in a Thomson Reuters article regarding a New York State program aimed at preventing fradulent immigration services.
The program will help pay for immigration lawyers at non-profit organizations to provide consultations to qualified illegal immigrants applying for deferred action. (For more on the deferred action program, please click here.) In addition, the state plans to coordinate with state bar associations to improve access to pro bono lawyers, expand the state’s immigrant service hotline to include information on the new policy and conduct multilingual outreach.
The plan is intended to foil sham “consultants” who frequently prey upon immigrant communities by offering untrustworthy legal advice, often at inflated prices.
Michael Wildes is quoted as saying that ensuring that qualified illegal immigrants have access to competent legal representation is especially important when many still have family members that do not qualify for deferred action. “We need to make sure we onboard people properly without exposing people in their households that may be vulnerable,” he said.
Wildes & Weinberg is committed to educating the public regarding their rights. We lecture at universities, churches, synagogues and other venues.
To read the full text of the Thomson Reuters article, please click here.
