BrooklynPaper – By Gabriele Holtermann | Published July 2, 2025

The City Council on June 30 passed three pieces of legislation aimed at protecting immigrants in the face of federal policies that have left many fearful and anxious.

Two of those measures — a resolution and a bill — were introduced by Brooklyn politicians Sandy Nurse and Shahana Hanif, respectively.

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The City Council also passed Intro 205-A, sponsored by Hanif, which addresses immigration legal services fraud, also known as “notario fraud.”

Many immigrants are uncertain about their legal options to avoid detention and deportation. Unscrupulous crooks exploit that fear and anxiety by posing as immigration lawyers, often referred to as “notarios públicos” in Spanish-speaking communities. Desperate victims not only lose thousands of dollars to these illegal services but also remain in limbo regarding their legal status or end up worsening their immigration cases.

Hanif’s legislation requires the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media, among others, to educate the public about fraud schemes and reputable immigration legal service providers through a widely published multilingual outreach campaign.

Hanif, co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, said her legislation, alongside Intro 980-A, introduced by Council Member Julie Won (D-Queens), was the boldest municipal legislation in the country addressing a longstanding, serious issue.

“The Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies have generated anxiety and confusion among immigrant communities,” Hanif said. “Bad actors often exploit these vulnerabilities through fraudulent practices, charging high fees and sometimes even sabotaging ongoing immigration cases.”

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[See full article here]