The Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC) has scheduled a meeting with representatives of the Federal Trade Commission and the national office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to discuss abuses of immigrant communities by notaries public and other “immigration consultants” who are not legally authorized to provide immigration law assistance.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2011 from 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, at 2100 Arch Street, Room 301, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

PICC and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Committee on Unauthorized Practice of Law have identified problems with notaries public (“notarios”) misrepresenting themselves as competent and authorized to provide assistance to immigrant communities in processing of immigration petitions. Click here to see the position of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Committee on these issues.

PICC has worked for several years with other organizations to create remedies and public information about abuses of immigrant communities by notaries public and other “immigration consultants” who are not legally authorized to provide immigration law assistance. Click here to view several videos on this and related issues from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

The Federal Trade Commission is a law enforcement agency with authority to challenge deceptive practices in the marketplace, including immigration services fraud and is interested in learning about problems in Pennsylvania, while the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a pilot project to combat the unauthorized practice of immigration law.

Some notaries have been identified as participating in fraudulent scams targeting immigrant communities including problems relating to fraudulent property transfers. The FTC has also agreed to hear about other abuses of immigrant communities by notaries including reports of their roles in such fraudulent property transfers.

Speakers are anticipated to include:

• Monica Vaca, Assistant Director, Division of Marketing Practices, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C,
• Sally Blauvelt, USCIS Deputy Chief of the Office of Public Engagement, Washington, D.C.

To Attend Please Respond in Advance by February 15, 2011 to:

• Arthur Read, Friends of Farmworkers, aread@friendsfw.org or
• Rebecca Hufstader at PICC at (215) 832-0895

Limited Telephone Conference Participation will be available by advance arrangement for those who cannot attend the meeting in person.