False Hopes of the American Dream
Guest blogger: Nate Austria, law student, University of San Francisco
“Immigration fraud” is usually used in the context of immigrants who are trying to enter the United States illegally or conjures ideas of immigrants who are trying to cheat the system. What is less publicized are cases of fraud that specifically target immigrants themselves. In May of 2025, The Washington Post reported on Gilma Ramirez, an immigrant from Guatemala who thought she had found a lawyer through Tiktok to help with her immigration status.[1] After sharing her personal information and paying some initial fees, Ramirez was told her case was supposedly passed off to a government worker who demanded additional payment through numerous apps to “keep her case moving.”[2] Ramirez, rightfully scared that her case would be harmed in some way or that she could be deported, continuously paid hundreds of dollars for fraudulent legal services.
Ramirez's story is not isolated. According to reporting on FTC data, immigration-related reports more than doubled from 2023 to 2024 shared with The Washington Post.[3] Many of these scams involve people who are pretending to be lawyers or government officials through popular social media apps like Tiktok, WhatsApp, and other platforms. California state officials are seeing the same dangerous trends. In March of 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a warning describing fake ICE officers that would call or visit homes and threaten arrest or deportation unless immigrants paid on the spot or to give their personal information.[4] The warning remanded those participating in this fraud and publicly cited 18 U.S.C. § 912, the federal law that criminalizes impersonating a federal officer and that California also criminalizes impersonating a police officer. Community outlets are similarly trying to prevent immigration scams and filling in the gaps of enforcement. In 2025, Noticiero Móvil, a bilingual news outlet for Spanish speaking communities in Nevada, described common scams targeting immigrants: fake lawyers with no accreditation, notarios promising quick work permits or green cards, and “consultants” who charge high fees but never file the right forms.[5]
To be clear, there are enforcement tools that federal agencies can utilize. The Department of Justice and state already have the power to prosecute immigration "consultants" and notarios for fraud. And a new FTC rule from 2024 on government and business impersonation gives the agency enhanced powers to pursue cases of people who pose as USCIS or ICE to collect money or personal data.[6]
Immigrants are in a uniquely vulnerable position against immigration services scams. Many come from countries where government offices are slow or so corrupt, so it can feel normal to pay “facilitators” to get paperwork done. Language barriers can make it hard to read official websites or spot red flags in contracts. These cultural and language gaps can make it difficult to tell the difference between a licensed immigration lawyer, a DOJ accredited representative, a community nonprofit, and a random person calling themselves an “immigration expert” on Facebook. On top of that, U.S. immigration law is notoriously complex. When a worker’s visa status or an asylum claim feels like it could determine whether they are separated from their children, they may be willing to believe the person who promises the fastest solution, even if they feel like something is off. Fear of serious adverse immigration consequences, which is especially striking under the current administration, is exacerbating the issue of government scammers and immigration service impersonators. By using the fear of being reported to USCIS, arrest, or deportation, these impersonators are avoiding arrest and puts additional pressure on victims to pay immediately.
There are a number of solutions to address immigration scams and to shift the perspective of immigrant communities as people who deserve to be treated fairly, not as automatic suspects. Tech companies should be required legally to continuously scrub their platforms for fake accounts, especially among non-English speaking communities where many of these scams originate.[7] Additionally, public education campaigns like USCIS’s “Avoid Scams” materials should be repurposed by working with important and trusted communities players like churches, nonprofit organizations and ethnic groups.[8] There should also be additional statutory protections for victims of immigration frauds. Immigrants who come forward about their scams should have some kind of rebuttable presumption that they are telling the truth and U visas should be expanded to explicitly put delays on pending adverse immigration consequences once they are able to show they have been victims of immigration services scams.
Despite vitriol of the current political climate, immigrants already contribute enormously to the United States through their work, taxes, and communities. They cannot be such a vulnerable market for fraud and protecting them is not a collateral issue. The legal system needs to be reinforced with the protections that everyone under the law deserves, especially for immigrants, as we expect them to similarly expect to place their trust in it.
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/05/10/immigration-scams/
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-issues-warning-amid-increased-reports-fake-ice-officers
[5] https://noticieromovil.com/how-to-avoid-scams-that-can-impact-your-immigration-status/
[6] https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/04/ftc-announces-impersonation-rule-goes-effect-today
[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/05/10/immigration-scams/
[8] https://www.uscis.gov/avoid-scams
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