Sponsors (19)
The bill increases federal enforcement, transparency, outreach, and funding to protect immigrants from fraud and expand legal assistance, but does so in ways that could criminalize or deter informal helpers, raise compliance and taxpayer costs, and leave some communities still underserved.
Immigrants (especially low-income or limited-English individuals) will be better protected from immigration-related fraud: the bill creates clearer disclosure rules, requires repayment to defrauded clients, and lets harmed applicants withdraw and resubmit erroneous filings to preserve eligibility.
Federal prosecutors and regulators gain clearer enforcement tools (a federal statute, authority to enjoin fraudulent preparers, and contempt regulations), which should improve deterrence and cross-jurisdictional enforcement of immigration-service fraud.
Noncitizens in removal proceedings and applicants can get more legal help: the bill authorizes grants and programs to expand free or low-cost representation and assistance preparing applications and evidence, increasing chances of relief and approvals.
Nonlawyers, informal helpers, and small paid preparers risk severe criminal exposure (felony charges and long prison terms) for conduct later judged fraudulent or reckless, threatening livelihoods and volunteer community assistance.
Disclosure requirements, stronger enforcement/injunctions, and potential contempt penalties may chill trusted non‑attorney assistance and deter immigrants from seeking help, reducing access to services in underserved communities.
Small paid preparers and community service providers could face higher compliance costs, risk of injunctions or monetary penalties, and loss of livelihood; applicants may face more paperwork and potential delays if new disclosure and signature rules increase administrative burden.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal crime for fraudulent immigration services, expands civil enforcement and remedies for victims, funds outreach, and grants for nonprofit legal aid.
Official title: To provide for punishments for immigration-related fraud, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 21, 2026 by Bill Foster · Last progress July 21, 2026
Creates a new federal crime for schemes that provide fraudulent immigration services and for falsely claiming to be an attorney or accredited representative, requires full reimbursement to defrauded clients, and gives DOJ and DHS civil injunctive authority against fraudulent preparers. It also creates procedural protections allowing noncitizens to withdraw filings made by fraudulent preparers and to resubmit corrected applications without penalty, clarifies an exception to the reentry bar when erroneous advice caused departure, funds education outreach about authorized representatives, and establishes competitive grant programs to fund nonprofit legal services for immigrants.