LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Regardless of the free appointments on the Mexican Consulate of Las Vegas, residents have been conned into paying their means into the consulate amid rising uncertainty.
Scammers impersonating attorneys have been promoting appointments to guests to the consulate in Downtown Las Vegas, in line with Consul Basic Patricia Cortés Guadarrama.
“We’ve seen scams, and it’s unfortunate that people take advantage of vulnerable people,” she stated. “People that pass as lawyers charging a lot of money for papers that have no value at all and no legal value.”
Guadarrama stated she is asking for residents to verify and confirm the sources for his or her appointments and consulate sources, pointing to their web site.
“It’s kind of a vicious circle, because when they sell them, then there’s no appointments available,” she stated. “And then people are stressed and really need to come, and then they fall into that, and they buy them.”
Nevada Lawyer Basic Aaron Ford has additionally jumped in to assist deliver consciousness to the problem together with the consulate in a collection of public service bulletins.
“We’re here to help, we’re here to listen, we’re here to partner up, and, yeah, to serve both the Mexican community, the Hispanic community, and also the local community,” Guadarrama stated. “I think there’s a lot of things that we have done together, and we look forward to doing many more.”
Greater than pushing papers
Though paperwork is the consulate’s specialty, workers stated they’re readily available to reply to considerations about immigration—a subject which has seen a renewed surge.
Adriana Villarreal, council for the consulate’s safety division, stated occasions like “sale,” which invite attorneys to deliver data to the Mexican neighborhood, are an vital consulate useful resource.
“The good thing is that everybody speaks Spanish, and they can provide this free legal assistance to any person that comes to the consulate,” she stated.
Labor, felony, and administrative circumstances all go by means of the consulate. Typically workers help with the method for transporting a physique again to Mexico and supply visas for transit.
Las Vegas is one in all 53 Mexican consulate areas in america which supply choices and even recommendation for citizen, together with to keep away from misinformation.
“What we really want and ask them is not to believe all the news that they hear,” Villarreal stated. “Because a lot is fake news.”
Residents with questions concerning immigration, or help finding a household or buddy, are directed to name the Middle for Data and Help for Mexicans (CIAM) at 520-623-7874.
Citizen empowerment
Consul Basic Guadarrama, who has been within the Las Vegas place since June 2024, stated Mexicans are a dynamic a part of the neighborhood. Throughout a current go to to Carson Metropolis she voiced help for Mexicans statewide.
“I shared the our community’s concern because, of course, you know that a vast part of of our community does have voting rights,” she stated. “They are documented citizens of the US, some are not. So we have a vulnerable community but a community that contributes quite a lot to the state economy, especially in the construction and service areas.”
Guadarrama stated the consulate has an amazing relationship with native legislation enforcement and elected management, a bond cast to assist remind residents it’s okay to assist when wanted—like as a witness to a criminal offense.
Yet one more class which workers have witnessed an increase in has put a highlight on the affect of Mexico—twin citizenship.
“Many people are reaching out to look for dual citizenship, which is interesting,” Guadarrama stated. “I think people are realizing the importance of it, so that has increased twofold.”
