Carlos Davila is no longer allowed to represent immigrants in court.
The Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review terminated the businessman's accreditation this week. It also yanked official recognition of his Bronx charity, A New Beginning for Immigrants Rights.
"These are final decisions by the agency," spokesman John Martin said Thursday.
Davila was investigated by WNYC and Telemundo 47 after several immigrants complained of paying him money for help with their asylum cases, and not getting any results. He denied their accusations. He also sold identification cards he created, called "ID4ICE", which he sold for $200. He falsely promised they could help protect immigrants from being deported.
Davila had been part of a Justice Department program that allows non-lawyers to represent immigrants in court — just like a lawyer — if they work at charities that assist low-income immigrants. There are currently more than 1,800 representatives, nationally, at more than 950 approved non-profits.
But these representatives are not supposed to have a criminal record. Davila served 12 years in prison for manslaughter. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting a child. However, WNYC/Telemundo's investigation found the federal program does not conduct criminal background checks and rarely disciplines its representatives.
After the investigation was broadcast, several local elected officials, including Democratic Rep. Nydia Velasquez of Brooklyn, called for greater oversight of the program and also called for Davila's termination.
When contacted about losing his accreditation, Davila told WNYC and Telemundo 47 that he filed an appeal with the Justice Department and that "they have to write me and they have to give me due process."
The department sent him letters in April and May alerting him that his criminal record made him ineligible to be in its program; each letter gave him 20 days to respond.
A month ago, the New York State Attorney General canceled the registration for Davila's charity after he failed to file all of his tax forms.
Davila claimed he had hundreds of immigrant clients; those people will now have to find other sources of legal representation.