NYC Council Bills to Protect New Yorkers from Immigration Legal Services Fraud Become Law

 

New York City Council legislation to prevent immigration legal services fraud, including Introduction 205-A and Introduction 980-A, automatically became law, after the mayor took no action within 30 days of their being passed. Together, the new laws will help protect New Yorkers from being the victims of fraud by immigration legal services providers falsely advertising services. The laws increase financial penalties for fraudulent activities and create a citywide outreach and education campaign to alert New Yorkers of common scams.

Since January 2024, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs’ (MOIA) Immigration Legal Support Hotline has provided 64 fraud referrals to the New York State Office of New Americans Hotline. Between February and April of 2025, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s (DCWP’s) field enforcement team conducted over 750 proactive inspections of businesses advertising as immigration service providers and employment agencies, resulting in nearly 80 summonses.

“At a time when our diverse immigrant communities are under attack by the Trump administration, it is critical that the City advances policies to protect all New Yorkers,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “These new laws, passed by the Council, will prevent city residents from falling victim to immigration services fraud. I thank Council Members Hanif and Won for their leadership on these important new laws.”

Introduction 205-A, now Local Law 98 of 2025, requires DCWP to develop an outreach campaign to educate New Yorkers about common fraudulent schemes committed by providers of immigration legal services and how to avoid them. The Department is required to conduct outreach through the media and have materials available at shelters, IDNYC registration sites The law also requires DCWP to report annually on its outreach and education efforts, as well as complaints and inspections related to providers of immigration assistance services. The law will take effect in 180 days.

Introduction 980-A, now Local Law 102 of 2025, increases civil penalties for immigration assistance service providers that do not comply with applicable regulations, such as the requirements to execute a written contract with customers, include specific language in signage and advertisements, retain documents, and maintain a surety. The law also clarifies that immigration assistance service providers who advertise services must post, or include with the advertisement, a legally required notice of the services they are not authorized to provide. The law takes effect immediately.