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Press Release
The Maryland Hispanic Bar
Association Proudly Announces That The Maryland Immigration
Consultant Act Has Become Law in the State of Maryland
Contact:
The Maryland
Hispanic Bar Association
Dominic G. Vorv, President
Telephone:
(301)
217-0192
Email:
Dvorv@vorv.net
July 2005 - Rockville, Maryland — Marianne Cordier, President
and the Board of Directors of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association
(MHBA) are proud to announce that the Maryland Immigration
Consultant Act (MICA) has become law in the State of Maryland. The
purpose of MICA is to provide some relief to immigrants whose
immigration cases have been irreparably harmed through the provision
of fraudulent immigration services and/or through the unauthorized
practice of law by consultants.
The Act allows immigrants and their families, who have been victims
of immigration consultants, to recover up to three times the amount
they were illegally charged by the consultants. The Act also
includes recovery of attorney fees so victims can have access to
legal representation. Attorneys may recover up to $2000 or
one-third of the amount rewarded, whichever is greater.
MICA
was championed by the MHBA during the last legislative session in a
collaborative effort with the Public Justice Center, Inc., CASA de
Maryland, Hispanic Apostolate/Immigration Legal Services, the
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the Maryland
State Bar Association (MSBA). President-Elect Dominic Vorv stated
that, “the Act is a victory not only for
immigrants but also
for consumer protection and the community as a whole.”
MICA was the subject of bills in the Maryland House and Senate and
was adopted almost unanimously by the Maryland State legislature on
April 11, 2005. Governor Robert Ehrlich signed MICA into law on May
26, 2005. MICA will be in effect beginning October 1, 2005.
ABOUT THE MHBA
The MHBA is a non-profit bar association in the State of Maryland
whose members include judges, lawyers and law students of Hispanic
descent and those not of Hispanic descent who are interested in
issues affecting the Hispanic community. The purpose of the MHBA is
to serve the public interest by cultivating the science of
jurisprudence; promoting reform in the law;
facilitating the administration of justice; fostering respect
for the law among Hispanics; advancing the standing of
the legal profession preserving high standards of integrity, honor,
and professional courtesy among Hispanic lawyers;
establishing a close relationship among Hispanic lawyers; and
cooperating with bar associations nationally and internationally and
other legal organizations. The MHBA is actively involved in molding
the law in the State of Maryland.
The MHBA is pleased that this effort will ensure access to the
legal system for those victimized by immigration consultants.
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