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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mixteca Member on Immigration Attorney Fraud
1:52:45
·
8 min
A member of Mixteca testifies about their experience of fraud and mistreatment by an immigration attorney. The witness describes a series of abusive interactions, including verbal harassment, discriminatory comments, and attempts to extract more money than initially agreed upon for services that were never rendered.
- The witness had been living in the US for over 25 years and was seeking legal status adjustment.
- The attorney promised help with military parole due to the witness's son being in the marines, but failed to provide translation services or follow through on the case.
- The witness paid $3,500 but no request was ever filed, and the attorney refused to refund the money.
- The emotional and financial impact was particularly severe as the witness was undergoing chemotherapy during this time.
UNKNOWN
1:52:45
Dear members of the council, I am the member of Mixteca, and I come today to testify in regards to the abuse and injustices I have suffered from an immigration attorney.
1:53:01
I have lived in The US for more than twenty five years.
1:53:14
And I have been looking for documentation for several years because I wanted to be part of this community.
1:53:21
With a formal status.
1:53:31
However, I've been looking for an attorney for several years, someone who can help me and my husband.
1:53:46
And on February of twenty twenty four, I did find a lawyer who told me he could help me with my military parole.
1:53:57
Because my son was in the marines.
1:54:03
And several attorneys had already said that I had no case.
1:54:11
However, this attorney promised me that he could help.
1:54:14
But when it was time to sign the agreement, they didn't offer translation.
1:54:23
And because of need.
1:54:25
Because I needed it, I signed it without confirming.
1:54:35
So later on during the process, the attorney treated us in a bad in a horrible way.
1:54:44
And he only took part of our money.
1:54:51
The first incident happened on December eighteen of twenty twenty four.
1:54:59
When I requested an update on my status adjustment.
1:55:10
And he told me that I had to present a medical exam.
1:55:15
I told him I was receiving chemotherapy.
1:55:23
And that I was having trouble getting the medical exam certified.
1:55:34
However, I had not been informed of this request beforehand.
1:55:41
And when I asked him why he had taken so long.
1:55:45
In presenting my request.
1:55:51
Mister Leonard Hecht.
1:55:54
Started shouting at me.
1:55:57
He threw our papers to the floor.
1:56:05
And started screaming at us that we didn't know what he was already doing for us.
1:56:10
Then he threw us out of the office.
1:56:16
And my husband, Enrique Pastor, witnessed this mistreatment.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
1:56:23
Larry.
UNKNOWN
1:56:24
His assistant who's, I only know him by the name Larry.
1:56:29
Intervened and spoke with him.
1:56:38
And later on, Mr.
1:56:39
Hecht left the office and he did apologize for his behavior.
1:56:45
We came back on January ninth of twenty twenty five to do a follow-up on my case.
1:56:59
And sometime before, during the process, we had agreed that I would pay $6,500 For the whole adjustment of the status.
1:57:17
But he had said that I would only need to pay $3,000 to present the request.
1:57:24
So that same day he called us.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
1:57:26
So,
UNKNOWN
1:57:36
he called us to the office and said he would not pay.
1:57:40
He would not present the request until I would pay the total amount of $6,000.
1:57:49
When I questioned the sudden change in this agreement.
1:57:55
He got irritated.
1:57:56
He started complaining.
1:58:04
And he told us that this country did not want us because we were too ignorant and poor.
1:58:11
He seemed frustrated.
1:58:15
He was telling us he was just trying to protect Then he started raising his voice, accusing us of not wanting to pay him.
1:58:32
So, I asked for someone who would speak Spanish there.
1:58:40
And, he asked me why if I had been living here for twenty five years, I did not speak English.
1:58:45
I requested an interpreter again.
1:58:54
And he told us that his parents knew seven languages.
1:59:02
And again, he questioned.
1:59:03
He asked me why I didn't know English.
1:59:10
And he said that unless I gave him all of the money, he wouldn't bring me an interpreter.
1:59:17
I told him I didn't want to continue the case with him.
1:59:25
And he said that I needed to pay the whole amount of $6,000.
1:59:32
So at first, he didn't wanna return the documents.
1:59:41
So on Wednesday, March 26, I called again to ask for my documents.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
1:59:44
And
UNKNOWN
1:59:49
with Larry's help, he said we could pick them up.
1:59:56
But he left it very clear that he wouldn't return any money.
2:00:02
We paid a total of $3,500.
2:00:06
And he never presented our request.
2:00:08
This whole process affected me too much.
2:00:17
Because I was also in the middle of chemotherapy.
2:00:21
My mental and emotional health.
2:00:35
My mental and emotional health really took a fall because at some point I had the hope that I would get my documentation and at the end I just lost $3,000 We have worked too hard to have a dignified life here in The US.
2:00:59
And it's unfair that they abuse and treat us like this.
2:01:11
That's why I present my testimony to today so that the council will pass the laws that will benefit our community.
2:01:22
The immigrant community that helps this this city so much.
2:01:27
Thank you for your time.