New White Paper Calls on California to Dedicate Resources, Strengthen Enforcement, and Close Legislative Gaps to Protect Vulnerable Immigrants from Predatory Scammers
LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2026—Public Counsel has released “Combating Notario Fraud in California: A Call to Action,” a comprehensive guide for immigrant and consumer advocates urging California to take decisive action against one of the most pervasive and underreported threats facing immigrant communities today.
Notario fraud, or the unauthorized practice of immigration law, occurs when non-attorneys pose as qualified immigration legal service providers, often charging exorbitant fees while filing meritless applications, performing substandard work, or taking money without performing any services at all. The consequences for victims can be catastrophic, including denial of immigration benefits, detention, deportation, and permanent disqualification from obtaining lawful immigration status.
A major source of the problem stems from confusion around the term notario: in many Latin American countries, notarios públicos are highly trained legal professionals with duties similar to lawyers. In the U.S., however, notaries public may only witness signatures and cannot provide legal advice or immigration services. Bad actors exploit this misunderstanding to mislead immigrants into believing they are qualified to handle legal matters.
The white paper details how the current political climate has created a crisis for immigrant communities, with demand for immigration legal services surging as enforcement actions escalate. Notarios exploit this environment by offering false promises of quick solutions to desperate immigrants who may be unfamiliar with the U.S. legal system or face language and cultural barriers that make them especially vulnerable.
“At a moment when immigrant communities are already living in fear, notarios are taking advantage, exploiting that desperation with false promises and devastating consequences,” said Gina Amato Lough, Directing Attorney of Immigrants’ Rights at Public Counsel. “California has the tools and the responsibility to stop them. This guide is a call to action for state agencies, local prosecutors, and legislators to dedicate real resources to address this problem, enforce the laws already on the books, and close the gaps that allow these predators to continue operating with impunity.”
The problem is both longstanding and growing. Nearly 30 years ago, a study found that 71 percent of undocumented immigrants who received legal advice in Los Angeles County turned to notarios. Updated data on the scope of notario fraud is difficult to come by, largely because notarios operate in the shadows and victims fear retaliation. But the conditions driving immigrants into their arms have never been more acute. Between October and December 2025, more than 130,000 new immigration court cases were filed, adding to a backlog of nearly 3.4 million pending cases. In December 2025, only 26.7 percent of people ordered deported were represented by an attorney. Faced with an overwhelmed legal system and an acute shortage of affordable legal representation, desperate immigrants are turning to notarios, often at their own peril.
The consequences of this crisis are real and devastating. The guide highlights the story of Masuma Khan, a Public Counsel client who lived in the U.S. for nearly 30 years as the wife and mother of U.S. citizens. She turned to a notario for help securing her immigration status—and was arrested by ICE and detained for a month as a result. She is one of countless immigrants whose lives have been upended by notario fraud—and exactly the kind of person this guide was written to protect.
The full white paper, created with the support of the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic and the Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice, is available here.
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