Thread: UT-Mexican athletes names used to seek visas

Bar: Mexican athletes names used to seek visas

By Pamela Manson
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 07/30/2009

Immigration » Utah's law association filed a complaint about Alcala law firm in May.

Although a South Salt Lake plastering company hired attorney James Hector Alcala to prepare applications for work visas for its seasonal foreign employees, immigration officials spotted a problem.

Some of the prospective employees at Los Sauces Stucco & Plastering apparently shared the names of prominent Mexican athletes.

The discovery led the Utah State Bar's Office of Professional Conduct to file a disciplinary complaint in May against Alcala, alleging he provided the false names to Citizenship and Immigration Services and allowed an employee at his firm to portray himself as a lawyer.

The complaint, which could result in Alcala's disbarment, came two months before Alcala and seven employees were indicted last week on federal criminal charges involving work visas. In his written response, Alcala has denied the allegations and said Los Sauces -- not him -- included the athletes' names in the list.

Alcala claimed he is close to a settlement in a civil lawsuit filed by the company against him seeking $10,000 in legal fees it paid to Alcala and other damages. Officials with Los Sauces could not be reached Thursday for immediate comment.

A federal indictment unsealed Tuesday accuses Alcala, his law firm, seven firm employees and a property management company of lying on applications to help 10 companies in Salt Lake, Utah and Davis counties get work visas for ineligible foreign workers.

Alcala, 41, who has been licensed to practice law in Utah since 2000, and the attorney defending him against the Bar complaint could not be reached Thursday. His lawyer in the criminal case, Susanne Gustin, declined to comment.

The alleged federal offenses involved the H-2B visa program, under which employers petition for permits that allow foreign nationals to work temporarily in the United States. Investigators say more than 700 petitions filed by The Alcala Law Firm led to the issuance of more than 5,000 work visas, the majority of which were fraudulent.

One of the defendants in the criminal case is Carlos Enrique Gomez-Alvarez, who allegedly portrayed himself as a lawyer in the Los Sauces matter. Gomez-Alvarez, who was licensed to practice law in Venezuela, was arrested Tuesday while taking the bar exam in Buffalo, N.Y.

pmanson@sltrib.com

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_12950542

Although a South Salt Lake plastering company hired attorney James Hector Alcala to prepare applications for work visas for its seasonal foreign employees, immigration officials spotted a problem.

What a load! this company should be up on charges also! They MAY use visas, but this is smuggling by circumvention (IMO). I'd bet my LAST dollar those "temp seasonal employees" NEVER leave when their visa expires.

Although a South Salt Lake plastering company hired attorney James Hector Alcala to prepare applications for work visas for its seasonal foreign employees, immigration officials spotted a problem.

Some of the prospective employees at Los Sauces Stucco & Plastering apparently shared the names of prominent Mexican athletes

First off...why would a plastering company in Utah need work visas to meet seasonal needs? You mean to tell me there were no American citizens available for this kind of work? I simply cannot believe that!

This sounds to me like one giant kick back scheme!