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MEDIA ADVISORY

Secretary of State Alex Padilla to Announce Effort to Protect Californians Seeking Immigration Consulting Services

LOS ANGELES – Secretary of State Alex Padilla will hold a press conference in Los Angeles with community leaders to announce a new effort by the Secretary of State’s Office to protect consumers seeking services from immigration consultants. The Secretary will also unveil correspondence being sent to registered immigration consultants in California reminding them of their responsibilities and limitations pursuant to state law. 

Background: Prior to engaging in the business or acting in the capacity of an immigration consultant, a person must obtain a $100,000 bond from a corporate surety (admitted to do business in California) and file a copy of the bond with the Secretary of State's office, along with the Immigration Consultant Disclosure (PDF) form. In addition, a person engaging in the business or acting in the capacity of an immigration consultant must pass a background check conducted by the Secretary of State. Secretary Padilla’s announcement comes as federal immigration officials are reportedly heightening enforcement efforts resulting in increased demand for immigration consulting services, and further executive orders and federal legislation are anticipated. 

WHO:

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla
Angelica Salas, Executive Director of CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles)
Angela Sierra, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Enforcement Section
Rigo Reyes, Chief, Investigations & Consumer Protection, County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs
Daniel Sharp, Legal Director at CARECEN (Central American Resource Center)
Nasim Khansari, Citizenship Project Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Farida Chehata, Immigrants’ Rights Attorney at CAIR-LA (Council on American-Islamic Relations)

WHEN:

Wednesday, February 15
11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

WHERE:

Governor’s Press Room in Los Angeles
Ronald Reagan State Building, 16th Floor
300 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013

NOTES:

Credentialed media only. Please email Jesse.Melgar@sos.ca.gov to secure a credential.

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