Fresno Immigrants Join Suit Against Attorney Accused of Filing Fraudulent Cases

More than two dozen Fresno-area residents have joined a federal lawsuit accusing former immigration attorney Alexandra Lozano of filing fraudulent applications without clients’ knowledge, leaving many at risk of deportation.

The civil action, which now includes 34 plaintiffs and nearly 6,000 inquiries from potential victims, alleges Lozano charged clients $5,000 to $15,000 for immigration services while submitting applications built on fabricated claims of domestic abuse and human trafficking. Lozano, who marketed herself as the “Lawyer of Miracles,” permanently surrendered her Washington law license in May rather than face disciplinary proceedings. She denies wrongdoing.

Her Fresno office near the airport is now permanently closed. Signage has been removed, though religious candles and the words “proteccion, permiso, papeles” remain visible inside.

Attorney Vicente Omar Barraza, representing dozens of former clients, said Lozano’s firm focused on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions and T visa applications because they generated higher fees, often $10,000 to $15,000 per case. He alleges much of the work was outsourced to employees in Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina, meaning many clients never consulted a U.S.-licensed attorney.

“She created a system that was like an assembly line,” Barraza said. “I don’t think she ever said no to anybody.”

The lawsuit alleges Lozano’s firm copied clients’ signatures onto documents they never reviewed. Some clients first learned what was filed on their behalf during immigration interviews, discovering inaccurate or false claims. Many of those cases are now being denied over signature irregularities and alleged misrepresentations, potentially placing clients in removal proceedings.

Fresno immigration attorney Olga Grosh said the fallout extends beyond Lozano’s former clients. “There’s a presumption of fraud by every VAWA applicant, as well as huge repercussions of removal at the border without even a chance to see a judge,” Grosh said.

Lozano’s Washington State Bar Association records show her signature on more than 53,000 pending federal immigration cases. Her firm, Luz del Camino Legal, closed in May. The lawsuit also alleges she earned more than $1.7 million between 2019 and 2021 teaching similar practices to hundreds of immigration attorneys nationwide.

Fresno attorney Lazaro Salazar said his office has consulted with roughly 25 to 30 former Lozano clients. Less than half, he said, appear to have cases that can move forward.

Many former clients were given files containing only blank or incomplete forms after the firm closed. Attorneys cannot determine whether clients should withdraw, amend, or continue their cases because they do not know what was submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Lozano built a presence in California’s Central Valley through traveling promotional events called “Milagrosa” tours. She incorporated religious imagery, including La Virgen de Guadalupe, into her marketing to build trust with Catholic Latino communities, according to attorneys familiar with her practice.

Carolina Castaneda, senior staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, noted that Lozano’s surname comes from her husband, Manuel Lozano Rodriguez, from whom she is legally separated. Her birth name is Alexandra Kennedy.

The State Bar of California said it has authority only over attorneys licensed in California. Because Lozano was licensed in Washington, the agency said its disciplinary jurisdiction does not extend to her.

The California Attorney General’s Office did not respond to requests for comment on what actions, if any, are being taken to investigate the allegations.

The Breakdown

• A federal lawsuit alleges Lozano filed fraudulent immigration applications without clients’ knowledge, often claiming domestic abuse or human trafficking to qualify clients for VAWA petitions and T visas.
• The lawsuit claims she relied on employees in Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina who lacked proper legal credentials, and that clients’ signatures were copied onto documents they never reviewed.
• Lozano permanently surrendered her Washington law license in May rather than face disciplinary proceedings. She denies wrongdoing.
• Her signature appears on more than 53,000 pending federal immigration cases, according to the Washington State Bar Association.
• More than two dozen Fresno-area residents have registered for the lawsuit; the legal team has received nearly 6,000 inquiries from potential plaintiffs.
• Many former clients are filing Freedom of Information Act requests to obtain copies of their immigration records — a process that can take months — because they do not know what was submitted on their behalf.

What This Means for You

No elected office created this situation — it’s a private attorney’s alleged conduct — but the vacuum in government response means Fresno voters are left weighing whether local, state, or federal officials are doing enough to protect constituents from fraud in immigration services. The California Attorney General’s Office has not said what, if any, action it is taking. The State Bar of California says it lacks jurisdiction because Lozano was licensed in Washington, not California. Immigration enforcement is federal, but there’s no public record of federal prosecution.

The practical impact: dozens of Fresno families who paid thousands of dollars for legal help now face the possibility of deportation because of what was filed in their names. Many former clients are filing Freedom of Information Act requests that can take months to obtain copies of their immigration records.

What You Can Do

Former Lozano clients can sign up for the class action lawsuit at The Lozano Civil Action. Attorneys advise former clients not to withdraw immigration applications before consulting an attorney — withdrawing may trigger removal proceedings. File complaints with the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report and with local district attorneys. Find legitimate legal help at low or no cost at www.lawhelpca.org (California) or www.immigrationlawhelp.org (outside California). File a Freedom of Information Act request with USCIS to obtain copies of your immigration records if you were a Lozano client and do not know what was filed on your behalf.

What to Watch

The lawsuit includes a request to freeze Lozano’s assets, including a private jet valued at about $25 million. The suit alleges she maintained a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio while charging vulnerable clients their life savings. That financial picture raises the question: how much of the money paid by thousands of immigrants for legal services was actually spent on legal work, and how much went to personal enrichment?

A second tension: the lawsuit alleges Lozano earned more than $1.7 million between 2019 and 2021 teaching her methods to hundreds of immigration attorneys nationwide. If those attorneys adopted similar practices, the number of affected cases could extend far beyond Lozano’s own firm.

A third issue: attorneys say there’s a presumption of fraud now attached to every VAWA petition, not just those filed by Lozano’s firm. That means immigrants who genuinely qualify for VAWA relief may face heightened scrutiny or denial because of what Lozano’s alleged conduct did to the credibility of the entire category of application. How USCIS handles that tension — whether it distinguishes between legitimate petitions and fraudulent ones, or treats all VAWA cases as suspect — will determine whether the damage spreads beyond Lozano’s own clients.

Finally: the jurisdictional gap. The State Bar of California says it can’t discipline her because she was licensed in Washington. Washington already accepted her surrender. The California Attorney General won’t say what it’s doing. The federal government is investigating but hasn’t brought charges. Who, if anyone, is actually accountable for making sure this doesn’t happen again?