This paper discusses the deceptive practices of unqualified immigration counselors and the prospects for community-based organizing and peer education as a means of steering potential victims away from such practices. Although legislators have recently begun to pay attention to the potential for unqualified counselors to exploit the vulnerability of immigrants, non-citizens continue to fall prey to the inviting and perceived cultural legitimacy of their solicitation practices. Action research in the Chicago metropolitan area reveals the challenges faced by community-based organizations in providing a viable alternative to such practices.

Mode of access: Internet.