Those concerned that efforts to combat notario fraud are helping illegal immigrants and therefore acting counter to the rule of law should be reminded: Posing as someone who can provide legal advice for immigrants is illegal, as is a non-lawyer not making it clear to potential customers that he or she does not give legal advice.

Even well-meaning people can harm immigrants with bad legal advice. And some bad actors – attorneys and non-attorneys – have preyed upon immigrants who appear to have little recourse when they’ve been taken advantage of. When the person who was supposed to help takes an immigrant’s money and provides no services, where can that immigrant turn, especially when they risk deportation?

Thus, Colorado law addresses those who target immigrants intentionally, as well as anyone – such as a notary – who might unintentionally represent himself as a legal expert, such as by using the term “notario” in advertising. That’s because in some Spanish-speaking countries, “notario” is the word for “attorney.” Immigrants who confuse the two can make life-changing mistakes.

Read more at The Longmont Times-Call.