Thank You to Our Volunteers at the July 12th, 2025 Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn

AABANY extends our sincerest gratitude to the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), CPC Brooklyn Community Center, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic on July 12, 2025. We also express our heartfelt appreciation to our distinguished guest speakers, NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro and Lydia Li, Senior Manager of Community Outreach at MOIA, for their support and valuable participation.

Lydia Li, Senior Manager of Community Outreach at MOIA, spoke passionately about the agency’s mission to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, have access to city resources and services. MOIA plays a vital role in serving New York City’s 3.1 million immigrants, comprising 38% of the city’s population, by connecting immigrant communities to essential resources for navigating the city’s complex system—all while protecting their privacy, including their immigration status. MOIA’s multilingual team, proficient in over eight different languages, provides diverse language assistance to those with limited English proficiency.

As an active member of the outreach team, Lydia helps dismantle barriers by giving presentations and organizing events, webinars, and panel discussions to share the resources that MOIA offers for the immigrant community. Additionally, MOIA operates immigration legal support centers that provide free and safe legal assistance in immigrant neighborhoods. One of the key resources highlighted is the 311 hotline, which callers can use to report incidents of racial discrimination, report immigration fraud, or receive referrals for legal resources. Lydia concluded her presentation by distributing pamphlets and brochures that outline the various resources available to immigrants, including their rights if approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. To learn more about MOIA legal support centers and resources, visit their website here.

Commissioner Castro shared his personal journey as an immigrant, highlighting the challenges of arriving in the United States and growing up in Sunset Park. His experience motivated his mission to protect the rights of immigrant communities across New York City. As an advocate, he marveled at the transformative potential of immigration, stating, “[o]ne generation can go from living in an indigenous community to immigrating here and becoming practicing attorneys. It’s tremendous and we need to honor that. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing it, and I wish everyone could experience it.”

When asked what inspired him to enter government, Commissioner Castro explained how serving in the government offers him a unique perspective on the intricacies of internal operations—insights that are not typically taught in academia. He emphasized that his role as New York City Immigrant Affairs Commissioner allowed him to interact directly with a wide range of communities, which he believes reflect the city’s diversity and strength. As an advocate, he firmly believes that this is what New York City should take pride in and strive to preserve.

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Similarly, our Pro Bono Clinic shares a commitment to providing accessible legal support and critical resources to our New York communities. During the clinic, our volunteers met with clients to give consultations on various topics such as immigration, trusts and estates, housing, personal injury, family and matrimonial matters. Our volunteer attorneys, assisted by law students, listened to each client’s concerns and legal questions, provided guidance, legal information, consultations, and, if appropriate, connected them with further resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

College and law student volunteers also shadowed volunteer attorneys and assisted with interpretation and client intake. With the help of multilingual volunteers, the clinic is able to offer language-accessible legal information, ensuring that clients can communicate their concerns clearly and receive meaningful assistance.

Thank you again to all of our volunteers at the July 12 Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys:

Vishal Chander

Victoria Cheng 

Francis Chin

Rocky Chin 

Jenny (Wenjing) Dai

Megan Gao

Jack (Zixu) Hsia

Beatrice Leong 

Kwok Kei Ng

Shuyao (Sherry) Wang 

Carrey Wong

Gary Yeung 

Interpreters/Shadowers:

Sam Chen 

Eliana Jeong 

Emily Kam

Nandar Win Kerr

Emily Lai

Tammy Tam

Albert Tong 

Shang Zhai 

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

August 6th [Queens link here] from 6:30-8:30 pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355 

August 20th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Thank you to our April Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

April’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic, held on Wednesday, April 10 at 33 Bowery Street in Confucius Plaza, brought out 20 lawyers and 8 interpreters who volunteered their time to help 32 clients.

At this month’s clinic, we also presented videos created in partnership with AARP to prevent immigration fraud. In the videos, former Immigration Law Committee co-chairs Susan Akina and Amanda Bernardo provided tips and advice on how to avoid being a victim of immigration scams. Scammers pretend to provide quality legal advice, help with paperwork, or other tasks involved in the immigration process. The scammer usually asks for an upfront fee, takes the money, and disappears immediately. Or worse, they provide ineffective or even harmful representation by filing the wrong paperwork, using fraudulent measures, or misrepresenting facts. Susan and Amanda stressed how important it is to only work with qualified immigration lawyers.

To see Susan’s and Amanda’s videos, click on the following links:

https://blog.aabany.org/2019/02/22/preventing-immigration-fraud-in-the-chinese-community/

https://blog.aabany.org/2019/02/22/preventing-immigration-fraud-in-the-filipino-community/

We are asking every member to actively support AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic by making donations that are vital to its continuing operation. In a few short years, with the tireless and generous assistance of our volunteers, we have helped hundreds of low-income clients with free legal advice and referrals to high-quality, culturally sensitive, and linguistically competent legal services. Together we have helped expand access to justice for underserved Asian American New Yorkers.

If you know family members, friends, or businesses, such as your firm, who would like to support the Clinic, please help us connect with them by contacting Karen Yau at karen.yau@aabany.org.

Or please urge them to make a donation directly. They can visit the website of Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s 501(c)(3) affiliate: https://www.asianamericanlawfund.org/donate/ AALFNY is accepting charitable donations on the Clinic’s behalf and can issue any donor a tax receipt. Any contribution, large or small, would help. Please be sure to indicate in the memo field that the donation is intended for the Pro Bono Clinic.

Thank you to all of the April Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

Lawyers:

Kathy Yung
Beatrice Leong
Angela Wu
Gloria Tsui-Yip
Mayumi Cindy Iijima
Zhixian Liu
Anna Jinhua Wang
Eun Hye (Grace) Lee
Xianxiao Li (Emily)
Amanda Bernardo
Samantha Sumilang
Kevin Hsi
Barbara Hayes
Christopher Chin
Sae-Eun Ahn
Kwok Kei Ng
Pauline Yeung-Ha
Ming Chu Lee
Karen Kithan Yau
Asako Aiba

Interpreters:

Alva Lin
Justina Chen
Emily Arakawa
Derek Ting-Che Tai
Weiling Huang
Jessica Wang
Satoshi Kurita
Ruth Poon

Special thanks to Johnny Thach and Kwan Shun Jason Cheung for coordinating the clinic, and the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Karen Kithan Yau, Pauline Yeung-Ha, Judy Lee and Asako Aiba for their leadership.

If you are interested in volunteering at next month’s Pro Bono Clinic on May 8, please contact Asako Aiba at asako.aiba@aabany.org. AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic occurs every second Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

Preventing Immigration Fraud in the Filipino Community

Older Filipino Americans are particularly vulnerable as targets of certain fraud. According to AARP’s “Facing Fraud or Saving Face? A Survey of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 50 Years and Older on Fraud and Scams” (www.aarp.org/AAPIfraudsurvey), many con artists use immigration scams to falsely promise cheap, quick, or easy paths to work permits and green cards.

Scammers pretend to provide quality legal advice, help with paperwork, or other tasks involved in the immigration process. The scammer usually asks for an upfront fee, takes the money, and disappears immediately. Or worse, they provide ineffective or even harmful representation by filing the wrong paperwork, using fraudulent measures, or misrepresenting facts. The American Bar Association believes immigration fraud is underreported because many victims are often ashamed to report it to authorities or are afraid it will affect their immigration status.

Amanda Bernardo, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Immigration Committee, provides tips and advice on how to avoid being a victim of immigration fraud. She is working with AARP to help the Filipino community and notes “The immigration process can be confusing and intimidating, especially for Filipinos and Asian immigrants who face language barriers.”

Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy says “Con artists often target immigrant communities because they are particularly vulnerable, but knowing how they work can help you spot and avoid scams.”

To learn more about Amanda Bernardo and to watch her video, click here.

Press Release: Attorney General Schneiderman and Mayor De Blasio Announce Joint Task Force to Combat Immigration Services Fraud

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2015

New York City Press Office / 212-416-8060
Albany Press Office / 518-776-2427
nyag.pressoffice@ag.ny.gov
Twitter: @AGSchneiderman

Coordinated Enforcement Effort Will Hold Fraudsters Accountable & Encourage Victims To Come Forward

Part of Nationwide Effort To Support President Obama’s Immigration Reform by Combatting Those That Take Advantage Of Vulnerable Immigrants

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the formation of a new joint task force to target those who prey on immigrants, while encouraging victims of fraud to come forward without fear.

The task force, led by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, together with the Office of Attorney General, will dedicate enforcement resources and conduct a public awareness campaign to stop predators from taking advantage of immigrant communities in advance of the full implementation of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

“Together we are sending a powerful message that New York has zero tolerance for anyone who seeks to prey on immigrants and their families,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “As the president’s executive action goes into effect, New York is taking the lead to root out fraud against those looking for a better life. Through this strategic partnership, we will hold accountable those who take advantage of vulnerable immigrants and help make the goals of the president’s action a reality for thousands of New Yorkers.”

“The president’s immigration reforms will initiate an economic, political and social transformation of our cities and our country, but unfortunately, this progress also brings new opportunities for criminals who prey on the most vulnerable among us,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Our joint city-state anti-fraud task force will stop fraudsters in their tracks and provide a safe place for immigrant fraud victims to come forward. While New York is taking bold action, we are also working in collaboration with cities and states across the country to prevent fraud and protect families nationwide.”

“The president’s bold action gives thousands of New Yorkers a path toward security and stability, but that promise can be threatened by fraudsters looking to profit from immigrant vulnerability,” said Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal. “Immigrants should be careful to avoid fraud by going to high-quality trusted services, including those supported by the city. By committing the resources of our city and state agencies as part of this task force, New York is taking a leading role to ensure the new process is enacted with integrity.”

“Too many immigrant New Yorkers have been victims of predatory immigration service providers who fleece consumers of thousands of dollars while failing to provide bona fide services. These providers often leave immigrants more vulnerable than they were before,” said DCA Commissioner Julie Menin. “Mayor de Blasio has committed to protecting all of New York City’s immigrants, and DCA is proud to be partnering with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to engage in public outreach and appropriate enforcement actions to ensure that our City’s immigrants are protected.”

“For too long, scam artists have taken advantage of the vulnerability of new immigrants,” said Assemblyman Francisco Moya. “This new anti-fraud task force sends a strong message that New York is prepared for the President’s immigration reforms and that we will not tolerate immigration-related fraud. As a lawmaker who has spent many years advocating for anti-fraud measures that protect new immigrants from predatory employment agencies, I am intimately aware of how fraudsters seek to exploit immigrants. I commend Mayor Bill de Blasio and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for taking this innovative and pro-active approach to combating fraud. This initiative helps demonstrate that New York is a welcome home for immigrants.”

“Immigrants across New York will welcome this new Task Force as a much-needed effort to bring new energy to this issue throughout New York City and State,” said Javier H. Valdés, co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York. “As New Yorkers prepare for the administrative relief that President Obama announced last November, it’s critical that New York steps up its enforcement of unscrupulous notarios who take advantage of our communities. Make the Road New York applauds the Mayor and Attorney General for this new effort, and we are eager to work with the Task Force to ensure its success.”

“For organizations like La Fuente, the fight against fraudulent legal service providers who target immigrants aspiring to legal status has been daunting,” said Lucia Gomez, Executive Director, La Fuente. “The announcement that Mayor de Blasio and State Attorney General Schneiderman will launch a joint Anti-Immigration Fraud Task Force demonstrates a commitment to addressing head-on an issue that has plagued our immigrant communities for decades. This laudable effort will provide immigrant communities across the state a more robust effort to ensure predators are reported and dealt with by the proper authorities. With this announcement, New York has once again demonstrated its commitment to advancing immigrant rights and recognizing the value of its diverse population.”

“New York City truly stands as example of inclusion for our immigrant residents, yet too often newly arrived New Yorkers stay in the shadows despite being victims of fraud that threaten their well-being and financial stability,” said Grace Bonilla, President for The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families. “CHCF whole heartedly supports and congratulates Mayor de Blasio and Attorney General Schneiderman for addressing these injustices and providing communities that give so much to this city an avenue to come forward, stop these abuses and advocate for themselves.”

“We applaud Mayor de Blasio and Attorney General Schneiderman for their bold leadership in protecting immigrants from fraudulent actors, by the creation of this very important task force. We at Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights have seen the life-shattering damage that unscrupulous immigration providers have wreaked on our community members,” said Angela Fernandez, Esq., Executive Director of Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights. “We look forward to working closely with the task force on behalf of all immigrants throughout New York State.”

“Without any pity for those who desperately seek the safety of legal residency for themselves and their families, agents of exploitation have for too long reigned with impunity,” said Luis Garden Acosta, Founder and President of El Puente. “We welcome Mayor De Blasio’s defense of our community’s defenseless and join with our Attorney General and President Obama in declaring, once and for all, Basta Ya!”

The joint task force will focus on rooting out a variety of abuses targeting immigrants, but particularly the unauthorized practice of law, commonly known as “notario fraud,” or “immigrant service provider fraud.”

New York State’s Immigration Assistance Service Enforcement Act establishes protections for immigrants who use the services of individuals or businesses that falsely represent themselves as certified legal advisors for citizenship and other issues. The law, which went into effect on February 6, 2015, stiffens penalties and adds new penalties, both criminal and civil, for violations of the Act.

The president’s recent executive action will lead many immigrants to search for legal assistance to navigate the new rules, potentially creating an opportunity for service providers or scam artists to take advantage of immigrants. Unauthorized immigration consultants can create delays in the application process, cost applicants unnecessary fees and possibly even lead to removal proceedings.

The task force is committed to undertaking the following actions:

  • Targeted enforcement and/or investigations against immigrant service providers who may be engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. These investigations could occur in partnership, where feasible, or independently by each agency.
  • Improved information-sharing to identify illegal activity and coordinate enforcement efforts. In collaboration with community organizations, the task force will establish an information pipeline to connect on-the-ground reports of immigration fraud hotspots to city agencies and the Attorney General’s Office to stop problematic service providers or practices.
  • Increased public awareness outreach to engage vulnerable communities and encourage victims to come forward. City agencies and the Attorney General’s Office will collaborate on public education campaigns to bring attention to potential abuses wherever they exist.
  • Continual expansion to include other relevant governmental entities and provide a blueprint for cities and states across the country to adopt best practices. As part of Cities United for Immigration Action, New York City is working in close collaboration with partner cities to develop a national model to combat immigration services fraud.

Attorney General Schneiderman has a strong track record for combating immigration services fraud and other actions that ensure equal opportunity for immigrant communities. Recent examples of actions taken by his Civil Rights Bureau include the establishment of a $2.2 million restitution fund for victims of one of the nation’s largest immigration services schemes, action to combat fraud perpetrated by employment agencies that target vulnerable immigrant communities; and efforts to ensure equal educational opportunity for unaccompanied minors and undocumented youth regardless of immigration status.

The de Blasio administration has a proven track record for welcoming immigrant New Yorkers. From access to federal immigration benefits, citizenship and U-visa application assistance, to the city’s response to the unaccompanied child migrant crisis and new Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer legislation to dramatically reduce deportations, the city has led a movement that cements the notion that a city’s prosperity and strength depends upon its new American residents having ample opportunities to reach their fullest potential and contribute to the well-being of our communities.

On April 12th, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs will co-host an executive action legal screening for immigrant New Yorkers who might be eligible for the DACA/DAPA programs. While implementation of these programs is temporarily on hold, providing reliable information and combatting abuse is more important than ever. This legal screening event will mark an important citywide collaboration between the city’s largest legal service providers and immigration advocacy groups to create a large-scale legal clinic.

The event will be held on April 12th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, located at East 65th Street, Manhattan. For more information: nyc.gov/deferredaction.

To report complaints regarding immigration services, contact the Attorney General’s Immigration Services Fraud Unit Hotline at (866) 390-2992 or Civil.Rights@ag.ny.gov.

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Tsui Yee Speaks on Immigration Service Fraud Prevention

Tsui Yee Speaks on Immigration Service Fraud Prevention

DISTRICT ATTORNEY VANCE ANNOUNCES NEW CO-DIRECTORS OF THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS PROGRAM

For Immediate Release

December 01, 2011

DISTRICT ATTORNEY VANCE ANNOUNCES NEW CO-DIRECTORS OF THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS PROGRAM

Victims of Fraud Can Call the Immigrant Affairs Program Complaint Hotline at 212-335-3600

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the appointments of Assistant District Attorneys Mayerling Rivera and Rosemary Yu as co-Directors of the Office’s Immigrant Affairs Program. The Program was established in 2007 to investigate and prosecute fraud committed against immigrants, and to educate the public about immigration fraud and related issues through fraud prevention workshops and seminars. Since its creation, the Program has fielded more than 2,100 complaints.

“I would like to congratulate Assistant District Attorneys Mayerling Rivera and Rosemary Yu on their well-deserved appointments” said District Attorney Vance. “Keeping this city’s immigrant population safe is one of our top priorities. In their new roles, Ms. Rivera and Ms. Yu will spearhead our Office’s efforts to educate the public about immigration fraud and aggressively prosecute individuals who victimize our immigrant communities.”

District Attorney Vance also thanked Assistant District Attorney Daysi Mejia for her outstanding service during her four years as the founding Attorney-in-Charge of the Program.

Ms. Rivera joined the office in 1996 and spent eight years in Trial Bureau 70, where she prosecuted a variety of violent street crimes. During that time, she was also assigned to both the Sex Crimes and the Domestic Violence Units, and tried numerous felony sex crimes and domestic violence cases. In 2004, she transferred to the former Family Violence and Child Abuse Bureau, where she worked on both domestic violence and child abuse investigations. Recently, she has been assigned to the Special Victims Bureau, where she supervises domestic violence cases, conducts trainings, and handles U-Visa certifications. Throughout her career, Ms. Rivera has done extensive community work throughout the city, focusing specifically on Washington Heights. In addition to her case-related work, Ms. Rivera has frequently spoken on behalf of the Office on a variety of subjects including teen violence, child abuse, and domestic violence. A native New Yorker and fluent Spanish speaker who was raised in Washington Heights, Ms. Rivera is a graduate of Seton Hall University and received her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Ms. Yu is a native New Yorker who was raised in Chinatown. She joined the Office in 2005, following her graduation from Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. Ms. Yu was initially assigned to the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, where she handled numerous felony narcotics cases and investigations. In 2008, she was one of four ADAs recognized by Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan for her outstanding case work. In 2009, Ms. Yu was assigned to the Special Investigations Bureau, where she worked almost exclusively with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force on long-term narcotics investigations using electronic eavesdropping and other investigatory tools. Ms. Yu was assigned last year as one of the five inaugural ADAs in the new Crime Strategies Unit, where she is currently responsible for intelligence coordination and understanding crime trends for the east side of Manhattan South. Ms. Yu is also one of the founding members of the Prosecutors’ Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York. She is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School and Claremont McKenna College. After graduating from college, Ms. Yu worked for one year for former U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

The appointments will be effective as of December 9, 2011.

Immigration Law Training for Non-Immigration Lawyers

Immigration Law Training for Non-Immigration Lawyers