{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://titus.house.gov/press-releases/titus-to-meet-with-immigrant-families-scammed-by-local-businesses", "Titus to Meet With Immigrant Families Scammed By Local Businesses", "2016-08-15", "2016", "2016-08", "Democrat", "House", "NV", "Dina Titus", "T000468", "titus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "August 15, 2016  \n\tContact: Kyle Roerink  \n\tPhone: 202-657-3219\nLas Vegas\u2014Today Rep. Dina Titus will host a press conference with immigrant families who have been exploited for their money and personal information by businesses in Las Vegas \u00a0that fraudulently pose as immigration attorneys or notaries.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tPracticing \u201cnotario fraud,\u201d wrongdoers can jeopardize the eligibility status of prospective permanent residents. \u00a0In many Latin American countries, a \u201cnotario p\u00fablico\u201d is a state-appointed lawyer with proper credentials to practice law. In the U.S., however, a notary public can only witness and certify legal documents. The distinction between the terms gives scammers the fa\u00e7ade of credibility and the opportunity to target the immigrant community.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t\u201cWhile House Republicans ignore our broken immigration system, bad actors, including some notarios and unqualified counselors, are deceiving a growing number of vulnerable immigrants around the country,\u201d Rep. Titus said. \u201cThey produce phony documents, offer improper legal advice, and demand payment without delivering any service. We cannot let these imposters take advantage of our friends and neighbors.\u201d\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tThe Congresswoman will follow up by hosting her annual Immigration Fraud Prevention Fair on Wednesday with many of the State\u2019s prominent legal practitioners, community organizations, and immigration activists. \u00a0She is also a supporter of legislation including, The Notario Victim Relief Act, which will protect victims of notario fraud from deportation.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tBackground  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tLidia Quiroz: Victim of Immigration Fraud, case resolved by our office  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tLidia Quiroz has been waiting for over 20 years to obtain permanent residency in the United States. Several Notarios told her there was nothing to be do but wait. Those notarios charged her fees and said it was the only measure to take if she wanted to keep her case open with federal officials. Lidia came to Rep. Titus\u2019 office in hopes of finding an alternative. Rep. Titus\u2019 office helped determine that Lidia was able to adjust her status because she was grandfathered into section 245 (i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Her case had expeditious processing and she received a green card \u2013 allowing her to visit her ailing mother in Mexico for the first time in over twenty years.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tVirginia Ramos Bojorquez: Victim of Immigration Fraud  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tVirginia Ramos entered the country legally in 1985 and has been fighting to become a legal permanent resident since. She has been a victim of several fraud schemes that have promised her a green card by falsely \u2018qualifying\u2019 her for benefits and laws. Notarios that have preyed on the immigrant community have given false hope to Virginia time and time again by promising to fix the mistakes of their predecessors for the right fee. Instead they have lied on her forms and damaged her record with immigration authorities. \u00a0 Virginia is currently fighting to uncover the work of the notarios.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tDetails  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tDate: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0August 15, 2016\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tTime: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 10 AM \u00a0to 10:30 AM\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tLocation: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0East Las Vegas Community Center\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0250 North Eastern Avenue  \n\t\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Las Vegas, NV, 89101", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://titus.house.gov/press-releases/titus-to-meet-with-immigrant-families-scammed-by-local-businesses"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8795871399343014, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}