A Houston immigration attorney has been arrested and federally charged in connection with an alleged scheme involving immigration clients who paid for help obtaining work authorization and employment-based visas.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, 44-year-old immigration attorney Alla Nowowiejski has been charged with mail fraud and making false statements. Federal prosecutors allege that she accepted money from clients to help establish or adjust their employment status and apply for work visas, but in some cases allegedly failed to file the applications or submitted only portions of them.

Even more concerning, prosecutors allege that some clients were provided with false documents or case reference numbers connected to immigration cases that did not belong to them. According to the indictment, these documents and numbers were allegedly used to make clients believe that their immigration applications were actually pending with the government.

Why This Case Matters to Immigration Clients

Immigration cases can take months or even years, and applicants frequently depend on their attorney to tell them whether a petition was filed, whether USCIS has issued a receipt notice, and whether additional documents or responses are required.

That makes it extremely important for immigrants to maintain their own records and independently confirm that their immigration applications have actually been filed.

When USCIS accepts most applications or petitions, it generally issues an official receipt notice containing a receipt number that can be used to track the case. A client should normally receive a copy of that notice from the attorney.

If an attorney tells you that your immigration case has been filed but repeatedly refuses or fails to provide copies of the filing, government receipt notices, or other documentation, you should investigate further.

Warning Signs Immigration Clients Should Watch For

Immigrants should be cautious if:

Your attorney will not provide you with a complete copy of an application or petition filed on your behalf.
You have paid filing fees but never

Call us today to start your legalization journey in the US at tel: (718)769-6352 or book your consultation with Shepelsky Law Group, US Immigration Lawyers, directly at www.ShepelskyLaw.com