CORONA VIRUS / COVID-19 ADVISORY

Due to the health risks posed by the Corona Virus tragedy, our office is following the directives of the governor of California in order to minimize the risks to our staff, our clients and our community. Our office will continue to operate fully, as it has thus far, observing our normal schedule, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We will continue to schedule appointments to meet with clients and will do this via ZOOM or Telephone only.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with any of our lawyers or staff members, please do so by calling our office at 619-291-1112. You can also contact us via e-mail at [email protected]janbejar.com

Thank you for your understanding.

AVISO DE CORONA VIRUS / COVID-19

Debido a los riesgos para la salud planteados por la tragedia del Virus Corona, nuestra oficina está siguiendo las directivas del gobernador de California para minimizar los riesgos para nuestro personal, nuestros clientes y nuestra comunidad. Nuestra oficina seguirá funcionando a pleno, como lo ha hecho hasta ahora, cumpliendo con nuestro horario habitual, de lunes a viernes de 8:30 a.m. a 5:30 p.m. Continuaremos programando citas para reunirnos con los clientes y lo haremos solo a través de ZOOM o por teléfono.

Si desea programar una cita con alguno de nuestros abogados o miembros del personal, hágalo llamando a nuestra oficina al 619-291-1112. También puede contactarnos por correo electrónico a [email protected]

Gracias por su comprensión.

Resolving Immigration ProblemsIn An Honest & Responsible Manner

Two men arrested in green card forgery ring

Becoming a U.S. citizen can be a long and difficult process. Many foreign nationals come to the U.S. on temporary work visas, but removal of conditional residences status prevents these people from acquiring green cards, without which they cannot legally stay in the U.S.. Because of this, immigrants sometimes resort to other methods in order to stay and maintain the only life that they have known. Unfortunately, these methods do have legal risks.

Recently, two men were arrested in connection with aiding Chinese and Korean nationals in obtaining falsified California I.D. cards and drivers’ licenses without the required citizenship. Authorities claim that two Korean men were involved in an “elaborate” identification fraud ring. Neither one of the men was legally allowed to be living in the U.S. because both of their visas had expired.

The men had put in place a complex plan to obtain falsified Canadian passports, which they then used to acquire valid Social Security numbers for people who wanted to stay in U.S. but did not have valid legal permission to do so. They then used these falsified documents to apply for California identification documents for more than 200 people who did not have green cards or acquired citizenship. It is believed that they were charging up to $5,000 for their services.

U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcers claim that the men reached potential clients by placing advertisements in Korean-languages newspapers. They were caught after a 17-month investigation in conjunction with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The men face multiple felony counts for using false documentation to avoid consular processing, and the manufacture and distribution of faked identification papers. They are also accused of conspiracy and forgery.

The challenges associated with obtaining green cards push many foreign nationals into acquiring illegal documentation to stay in the country. These methods often come with risks, and undocumented immigrants face deportation if caught by authorities. An attorney who is well-versed in immigration law may be able to present other legal options for people who desired to obtain U.S. citizenship to help them obtain permanent residence status and citizenship papers legally.

Source: Diamond Bar Patch, “ID Fraud Ring Allows Hundreds to Overstay Visas- Diamond Bar Man Arrested in Connection,” Associated Press, 19 May 2011.

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