http://www.eldiariony.com/noticias/deta ... id=1356737

Illegal immigrants and scams
EDITORIAL - 03/23/2006

The scams abound and the victims are many when it comes to unscrupulous people taking advantage of undocumented immigrants who are desperate to get legal status in the U.S. Immigrants pay thousands and thousands of their hard-earned dollars to people who do not fill out forms as promised, or fill them out using false or incorrect information. This only makes matters worse for undocumented immigrants, exposing them to legal problems and deportation.

As reported in EL DIARIO/LA PRENSA, last year the federal government rejected about 20,000 immigration applications because they contained fraudulent information. The rejected paperwork included applications for work permits, legal residence and petitions to bring a spouse to the U.S. Another 800,000 were rejected for other reasons, but officials suspect many contained fraudulent claims as well.

In immigrant neighborhoods, everyone knows someone who has been a victim. A coalition of government agencies and religious and civic organizations in New York is working to get a handle on the problem. When undocumented immigrants pay for services they do not receive or become the victims of fraud, they hesitate to report it because the criminals threaten to expose them to the immigration service.

But there is help. For assistance filling out immigration applications or for assistance with a legal or immigration problem, immigrants can call the New York Immigration Hotline at 1-800-566-7636. The workers there will refer you to an agency in your area that can help you.

At EL DIARIO/LA PRENSA we want to hear from immigrants who have had problems with dishonest people misrepresenting themselves as people qualified to prepare immigration documents and other paperwork. Please call us with your story at (212) 807-4792 or send an e-mail to: denuncia@eldiariony.com.