Scams Target Relatives of Detained Migrants with Fake Legal Services

Law enforcement officials report that relatives of migrants held in U.S. These scams often promise to secure the release of detained individuals but result in financial losses for the victims. In one case, a U.S. citizen named Edith lost over $10,000 after hiring someone she believed to be a Florida-based attorney to help her husband.

Edith, who requested to be identified only by her first name, sold her car and used her life savings to pay the supposed lawyer. She communicated frequently with the woman, completed documents, and sent payments totaling $10,000 for services including filing a habeas corpus petition and bond payments.

Edith received documents that appeared to come from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The scam was uncovered last month when the woman failed to appear for a scheduled video hearing in Dimas's case, Edith's husband. An immigration judge informed Dimas that the attorney was not registered in the court system, leading Edith to realize she had been deceived.

Dimas, who was arrested in March and placed in a Georgia detention center, was ordered deported by an immigration judge on April 28 and remains in custody awaiting removal to Guatemala. Edith stated that the experience has been difficult, leaving her without funds to hire a legitimate lawyer.

She has remained at home with her 1-year-old son Justin for weeks and indicated she may relocate to Guatemala to stay with her husband. "Being stuck at home, locked up inside, is very, very difficult for us," Edith told ABC News.

Immigration lawyer Jorge Rivera in Florida described these scams as a widespread issue, estimating it to be a billion-dollar industry. Rivera said scammers have used his credentials and law firm information to deceive victims, who sometimes appear at his office inquiring about nonexistent cases.

He has worked with law enforcement and social media companies to address fake profiles. ABC News reported cases across the country, including five defendants in New York who pleaded not guilty to charges of conducting sham immigration proceedings, such as fake asylum interviews and court appearances.

According to prosecutors, one victim missed a real hearing and was deported as a result. In Orlando, Florida, four people were charged last month with operating a fake immigration law firm and extorting millions from victims. They have not yet entered pleas.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that scammers pose as ICE or USCIS officials, demanding money or personal information, and noted that legitimate officials do not make unsolicited calls or accept payments via gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Brennan, vice president of Catholic Charities, said fraudsters are impersonating immigrant advocacy organizations like his to offer false services via social media. He noted reports of such incidents increasing over the past year. "It's heartbreaking to see people who are in need and looking for help and being taken advantage of in such a terrible way by these fraudsters and criminals," Brennan told ABC News.

Rivera added that scammers exploit individuals by offering false hope for immigration relief. Some scams involve artificial intelligence to create fake court proceedings with participants in judicial robes and law enforcement uniforms, using fabricated federal documents.

Officials attribute the rise in scams to increased difficulties in resolving immigration status.