Chicago area immigration attorneys have reportedly seen an uptick in both demand for their services and immigration scams (http://bit.ly/2pw699g). Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a press release warning immigrant communities about potential fraud (http://bit.ly/2qzEDev). Her office recently sued southwest suburb-based Norma Bonilla, who is accused of immigration fraud (http://cbsloc.al/2r18JYe). Bonilla has allegedly defrauded at least four people who were seeking immigration law services. Bonilla is not an attorney.

How do people fall prey to these scams? In some cases, their misunderstanding based on the legal conventions of their native cultures may lead them to fall victim to the unauthorized practice of law.

In some countries, for example, notaries ("notarios") are authorized to provide some basic legal services, while in the U.S. they are merely authorized to witness signatures. As such, it is understandable that some immigrants may assume that a notary can assist them with legal services, including immigration services. According to an FAQ published by the ISBA Task Force on Unauthorized Practice of Law, in addition to licensed attorneys, not-for-profit entities registered with the Board of Immigration Appeals can provide immigration law services (http://bit.ly/2ps85mA).

Find out more in the June Illinois Bar Journal.

In 2014, President Obama announced that he was using his executive authority to make significant changes to the immigration system. Over the past 10 months, the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State have announced new regulations relevant to business immigration, the availability of visa numbers, the citizenship process, and other areas of U.S. immigration. Join us for a live webcast on January 22, 2016 that offers an in-depth look at the changes that have already taken place, as well as those that are coming soon. Topics include: work authorization requirements to certain H-4s; new policy guidance on the specialized knowledge worker visa (L-1B); changes to the Visa Bulletin that provide earlier filing dates for adjustment applications; credit card payments for citizenship applications; new parole admission category for entrepreneurs; new guidance on the availability of National Interest Waivers for entrepreneurs; and the publication of a new OPT regulation for F-1 STEM students. A discussion on the status of other significant programs involving executive action in the courts is also included, as well as a review of important U.S. Supreme Court and other federal decisions that will affect your practice.