Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, along with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance  and Haitian Consul General Felix Augustin, announced that they will be holding a free fraud prevention and immigrants’ rights program for Haitians this Saturday.

The program was created in response to the federal Temporary Protective Status (TPS) program, which is designed to provide eligible immigrants with temporary status and work. In the past, criminals have taken advantage of similar programs, posing as lawyers who offer false hope of helping immigrants attain status. Once the fees are paid, no service is provided, and the individuals simply disappear with the money. In order to prevent this from happening, the program will teach individuals how to stop themselves from falling prey to fraud, direct them to legal services provided in their communities, and offer them free immigration consultations by authorized service providers.

Borough President Stringer believes that this program is integral to the Haitian community and looks “forward to working with the Manhattan District Attorney to make sure this vulnerable community does not fall victim to these predatory scams.”  

The event is free and open to the public. Those who believe that they can benefit from the program, are encouraged to attend.