A Houston-based law firm is undermining a federal law intended to protect victims of domestic abuse by running a highly profitable scheme that encourages clients to file false claims for immigration benefits, a federal lawsuit alleges.
The Meneses Law firm perfected a business model built on “the systematic exploitation of vulnerable, predominantly Spanish-speaking immigrants” who were coached into applying for relief under the Violence Against Women Act, according to a lawsuit filed in Houston by a former client.
Under VAWA, immigrants who suffered mental or physical abuse at the hands of a spouse, parent or child who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident can file their own petition for legal status in the U.S.
But the Meneses firm ran an “assembly line” operation where profits took precedence over meaningful legal advice, and clients’ statements were manipulated to construct a false narrative, according to the allegations.
“This enterprise operates through a coordinated network of attorneys and non-attorney staff using standardized, high-volume processes to manufacture false abuse narratives, obtain client signatures without informed consent, and submit false immigration filings to (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), under penalty of perjury,” the lawsuit alleges.
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