At the Law Offices of Sabrina Li, we often meet clients who were set up to fail—not by immigration law itself, but by unauthorized immigration service providers posing as legal experts. This is the story of one such client, who nearly lost her future in the U.S. because she trusted the wrong people.

Misled by an Immigration Consultant : Removed In Absentia

Our client and her husband arrived in the United States in August 2023, entering without inspection through the U.S.–Mexico border. Upon entry, they were immediately served with a Notice to Appear before the immigration court. Like many new arrivals, they spoke limited English and were unfamiliar with U.S. immigration procedures. Someone referred them to an intermediary who claimed to handle asylum cases and court representation.

Trusting this individual, they signed a contract and paid several thousand dollars—believing it would cover full legal representation in court. While the intermediary did prepare and submit a Form I-589 asylum application, it was erroneously filed with USCIS instead of the immigration court.

Even more concerning, the intermediary falsely assured them that their appearance in court was not necessary—a dangerously misleading statement with serious consequences. Relying on this advice, they missed their scheduled master calendar hearing

In August 2024, the immigration judge issued a removal order in absentia against our client. The intermediary never informed them about the hearing or the resulting order. Our client only found out about the in absentia order when they checked the case status online days later.

Forged Signatures and Misstatements: The Intermediary’s Cover-Up

When the client confronted the intermediary, they promised to “take care of it” and file a motion to reopen the case. They never explained what was filed. Later, through a FOIA request, the client discovered that the intermediary had forged her signature and included a false declaration in the motion to reopen, falsely claiming she had misunderstood the hearing notice—something she never said.

Not surprisingly, this motion to reopen was denied by the judge—once again, the client’s second chance was lost due to unauthorized and unethical guidance

Strategic Advocacy: Refiling a Motion to Reopen Under Exceptional Circumstances

When the client came to us, she had no clarity about what had been done in her case—or how to fix it. Our legal team conducted a comprehensive review and took immediate action.

We carefully analyzed the case record and identified critical legal and procedural issues. We then prepared a new motion to reopen, supported by credible, newly documented evidence showing that the client had been misled by an unauthorized intermediary, was never properly informed of her court date, and suffered the consequences of ineffective assistance.

We also demonstrated that the prior motion to reopen—filed by the intermediary—failed to meet legal standards, lacking authenticity, credibility, and sufficient supporting documentation. This further justified our filing of a second, properly grounded motion.

Our motion was granted just in days, and the court reopened her removal proceedings, restoring her opportunity to have her case fairly heard—this time with qualified legal representation.

A Common Trap: Misguided by Notarios and Unauthorized Representatives

Many immigrants fall into the same trap: they’re misled by notarios or intermediaries who present themselves as law firms or legal experts but are not licensed to practice immigration law. These individuals often provide misleading advice, misfile applications, or fail to inform clients about court obligations. By the time people realize something is wrong, it’s often too late.

We’ve helped many such clients—some of whom were given bad legal advice, others who missed hearings, and some who didn’t even know they were ordered deported.

Your Rights Matter. Your Case Deserves a Real Attorney.

If this story sounds familiar, you may still have options. The Law Offices of Sabrina Li has extensive experience reopening cases that were mishandled by unauthorized immigration service providers. We know what the law requires. We know what judges are looking for. And most importantly, we know how to fight back when someone else’s missteps have jeopardized your future.Call us today at (213) 375-8096 or email info@sabrinali.law to see how we can help you build your case and protect your future.