Protecting Immigrants From Legal Exploitation Act of 2026

Criminal Penalties for Fraud: Any person who uses false pretenses to defraud people or obtain money regarding immigration matters can face up to 10 years in prison (Section 2(a)).

Protection Against Unauthorized Legal Representation: Individuals who falsely claim to be attorneys or accredited representatives can face up to 15 years in prison (Section 2(b)).

Financial Restitution for Victims: Convicted individuals must fully reimburse clients for services that were provided fraudulently (Section 2(c)).

Identification of Preparers: New regulations will require persons who assist with or translate immigration submissions to be identified, providing more transparency (Section 3(a)).

Civil Action Against Fraudulent Providers: The Attorney General can take civil action to stop immigration service providers from engaging in fraudulent conduct (Section 3(b)).

Relief for Victims of Fraud: Individuals may withdraw immigration applications without prejudice if they were prepared by someone engaged in the unauthorized practice of law (Section 4(a)).

Procedure for Corrected Filings: A procedure will be developed to allow for corrected applications, even if they exceed certain numerical or time limitations (Section 4(b)).

Waiver of Reentry Bar: An alien may be exempt from the bar to reentry if they can prove they departed the U.S. based on erroneous advice from someone engaged in fraud (Section 4(c)).

Community Education: The government will carry out outreach programs to educate immigrants on who is authorized to provide legal services (Section 5(a)).

Access to Legal Information: Information regarding fraud by unauthorized consultants will be made available at appropriate offices and through websites (Section 5(c)).

Support for Nonprofit Legal Services: A grant program will be established to fund qualified nonprofit organizations to provide direct legal assistance to aliens (Section 6).