City Hall, NY – Today, 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.
“The Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies have sown fear and confusion in our city, leaving many New Yorkers vulnerable to fraud and exploitation,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “Too often, we’ve seen bad actors offer false promises, charge exorbitant fees, and even derail immigration cases. With Intro. 205-A becoming law, the City is stepping up to educate our communities by helping people avoid scams, connect with reputable legal services, and report fraud when it happens. Alongside Council Member Won’s Intro. 980-A, these are the strongest local laws in the country addressing this pervasive issue.”
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.
“Starting today, anyone providing Immigration Assistance Services who attempts to take advantage of New Yorkers, will face double the penalties,” said Council Member Julie Won. “With the enactment of Local Law 102, our city sends a powerful message — that we will protect immigrant New Yorkers seeking legal assistance and the next steps in their dreams in the United States. Thank you to the Department of Worker Protection for working with my office to prevent scams by predatory providers and bring justice to immigrant New Yorkers impacted by fake immigration services.”
“We are living in a moment when the fear of deportation is very real for many of our neighbors,” said Council Member Sandra Ung. “Unfortunately, there are individuals out there who see that fear not as a call to compassion, but as an opportunity to exploit. They offer so-called immigration ‘services’ that are deceptive at best and outright fraudulent at worst, charging people thousands of dollars for promises they can’t keep and paperwork that won’t help. Regardless of immigration status, all New Yorkers deserve access to legal services that are trustworthy, transparent, and grounded in a real understanding of the law. I am proud to stand with Speaker Adrienne Adams and my colleagues in the New York City Council to protect some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers.”
###