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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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A Mexican mother of two has spoken to Newsweek of her dismay at finding out she was one of tens of thousands of immigrants caught up in litigation alleging malpractice by a former Washington state attorney and her now-shuttered law firm, including using TikTok and religious symbolism to attract vulnerable clients.
Belle, who spoke to Newsweek on condition of anonymity, says she thinks her case was denied because, as new federal lawsuits filed against Alexandra Lozano Kennedy and her law firm allege, the firm copied and pasted digital signatures across official visa applications.
She says she thought she had a solid case to gain permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) after experiencing abuse in her past.
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"My case wasn't fake. My case was real, and for her to do that for me is something that I'm never going to forgive her for," Belle, whose parents brought her to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 2-years-old, told Newsweek. "Because I could have gone to see my grandma. Now I don't think I'm going to be able to."
Lozano, who resigned from the Washington State Bar in May, is accused of building a nationwide pipeline that began with viral social media videos, relied on culturally targeted “miracle” branding to build trust, and allegedly used a network of trained attorneys to defraud upward of 50,000 immigrants.
Two lawsuits—a proposed class action in Diaz Toscano v. Lozano Kennedy and an individual case in Sanchez v. Kennedy—filed in the Western District of Washington allege Lozano's business model ultimately placed some clients at risk of removal proceedings, despite her assurances they could obtain work permits or permanent residency. Local media have reported that a federal investigation is now underway.
Lozano's attorney, Angelo Calfo, told The Associated Press that clients were meant to review applications before they were sent, and that his client had always fought for her clients.
Newsweek reached out to Lozano's attorney and the Washington State Bar Association for comment, but did not receive a response before publishing.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) told Newsweek it could not confirm or deny reports of an ongoing investigation.
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Alexandra Lozano: What to Know
At the center of the complaints is a detailed description of how clients allegedly entered the firm’s orbit. One plaintiff said she sought legal help after watching a TikTok video that, according to the complaint, “delivered false outcome guarantees and minimized the statutory requirements for humanitarian relief.”
After contacting the firm, the lawsuits say, clients were typically directed to intake consultations where, according to the filings, they often met with sales representatives rather than attorneys while being assured that they qualified for relief.
The complaints allege that this intake process functioned as a funnel, moving clients quickly from online marketing to signed contracts and fee payments.
The lawsuits center on allegations of misconduct regarding two types of humanitarian immigration relief—VAWA self‑petitions and T visas—both designed to protect victims of abuse or human trafficking.
While legitimate pathways to legal status, they carry strict eligibility requirements, including accusations of “extreme cruelty” or severe trafficking, and are filed under penalty of perjury. The complaints allege the firm marketed these visas broadly to clients who did not qualify, at times fabricating or exaggerating stories to show eligibility on USCIS applications.
Belle, who did not meet the DACA requirements when she was a teen but built a family of her own in Washington state, says she was told that a VAWA case was her best shot at legal status, as she says she has a history of domestic violence in her life.
She started getting suspicious about Lozano's firm when she went for her visa interview and the officer queried the lack of a so-called wet signature, as her forms had been signed via a tablet computer. Belle had still been expecting an approval, having been told her case was strong, but then a staffer at the law firm called to say she had a court date for removal proceedings scheduled.
"I haven't left the country since I was two years old. I've never been to Mexico, I've never gone back," she said. "I've been a good person. I didn't choose to come to America. My parents brought me, and then people be like, 'but you had a choice when you were 18.' "
"Yeah, when I lived my whole life up here. Imagine me going back to Mexico. They're going to be like, 'oh, you're not from here,' then where am I from?"
‘Lawyer of Miracles’
Plaintiffs say the firm, based out of Tukwila, Washington, also used religious messaging which played a critical role in building trust with its target audience.
Lozano is accused of marketing herself as the “abogada de los milagros,” or “lawyer of miracles,” and using imagery tied to the Virgen de Guadalupe, which is an important cultural and religious symbol for many Mexican and Latin American Catholics.
"When you play with that, Virgen de Guadalupe, for all Latinos, Mexicanos, and everybody, I got brought up that that's something that's very sacred to most people," Belle said. "For her to play with that, that kind of disgusted me."
The complaints allege this branding created the impression that Lozano could deliver extraordinary results, or even “miracles,” in immigration cases, particularly for vulnerable, Spanish-speaking immigrants. According to plaintiffs, that perception influenced their decision to hire the firm, even in cases where other attorneys had advised them that they had no viable path to legal status.
In one situation, a couple who had been warned by other lawyers they were barred from adjusting their status say Lozano instead promised they would receive a work permit within months and a green card within a year.
Belle said she noticed differences in the way staff at the firm spoke with Spanish-speaking clients, alleging they would "degrade" them.
"Then I started speaking to them in English, and I was like, 'Do you not know this is illegal what you're doing? This is somebody's life you're playing with,' " she said.
A Model Built for Scale
Beyond the individual allegations, the lawsuits describe what is characterized as a system designed to operate at national scale. The firm is accused of establishing a network of affiliated entities that allegedly trained and coordinated with other attorneys across multiple states.
One complaint alleges Lozano “taught hundreds of immigration attorneys” how to use similar methods and generated significant revenue from training programs built around the model.
Plaintiffs claim this structure allowed the firm’s approach—combining aggressive marketing, standardized intake, and high-volume case processing—to extend well beyond a single office.
The class action filing—Toscano—describes the operation as a “multi-million-dollar industrialized immigration factory disguised as a legitimate law practice,” alleging that it relied on a “conveyor-belt” system rather than individualized legal advice.
"I cannot believe she did that to a lot of people, and a lot of people got deported," Belle said.
Other Key Allegations in the Lawsuits
The two suits laid out other allegations against Lozano and her practice, including:
- There was a coordinated scheme involving mail fraud, wire fraud, and systemic deception under federal RICO laws.
- Sales staff—not attorneys—determined whether clients qualified for immigration relief, often working on commission.
- Attorneys were largely absent from intake, eligibility screening, and application review.
- Multiple applications were denied because forms were submitted with copied or digital signatures instead of required ink (“wet”) signatures, which were also reused and affixed to unreviewed documents later
- Clients were required to pay for evaluations performed by affiliated entities that sometimes misrepresented their conditions.
- The class action claims routine family disputes or workplace issues were framed as qualifying for abuse or trafficking protections.
The defendants are also accused of charging high fees for services, and often failing to deliver some services.
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Denials and Potential Deportations for Clients
Multiple plaintiffs say the process led them to pursue immigration applications they were not eligible for, sometimes after disclosing disqualifying information to the firm. In several examples outlined in the complaints, applications were denied or never filed, and clients later faced detention, removal proceedings, or long-term bars from returning to the United States.
One plaintiff said he paid thousands of dollars for a visa application that he was clearly ineligible for, only to later learn the firm had never filed the paperwork before he was detained by immigration authorities.
Others say they were unaware of what had been submitted in their names until immigration officials flagged discrepancies or denied applications outright. Now, many say they have been left with uncertainty over their future in the U.S.
Belle told Newsweek that she took the decision to stop using the firm late last year, something she says she thinks was divine intervention, which allowed her to pursue other immigration routes that could save her from deportation.
Despite this, the fear of having to leave the only home she has known lingers, especially with her two children, ages 15 and 20, being U.S. citizens. Belle said she has been asked if they would also go to Mexico with her, should she need to leave.
"Why would I want my kids to follow me to somewhere they don't even know, not even me? I don't even know Mexico," she said. "My daughter's dream is to become a Marine. How am I going to take that away from her? My daughter's dream is to go to the state finals for wrestling for women in Washington. Who am I to do that, take that away from my kid's experience?"
Immigration Scams on the Rise
Federal Trade Commission and USCIS data obtained by The Associated Press showed that similar alleged scams are on the rise across the U.S., with at least 920 reported in 2025.
That number was more than the first three years of the Biden administration combined, per the Federal Trade Commission data.
The increase in reported scams comes as visa applications for abused and trafficked immigrants have also risen, from nearly 15,000 in 2020, to over 53,000 last year.
Under the Trump administration, USCIS has been working to root out what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said is abuse of such visa categories.
“Filings for T and U visas and VAWA exploded under the Biden administration due to rampant fraud, abuse, and exploitation: by 1,044% for T filings, by 95% for U filings, and by 360% for VAWA filings," USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler told Newsweek Tuesday. "When aliens clog up the process with fraudulent claims, they harm real victims with legitimate claims. We are prioritizing rooting out fraud in these programs to help women and other survivors of abuse.”
What Happens Next
While the Sanchez filing covers one individual, the proposed class action covers potentially thousands of clients who retained the firm for immigration services in recent years. Plaintiffs are seeking damages, refunds of legal fees, and, in the class case, treble damages under federal racketeering laws.
Lozano has not yet responded in court filings to the latest allegations. Her firm closed down in recent weeks, with the Washington State Bar Association saying Lozano had resigned from the bar in lieu of further disciplinary action against her.
She was suspended by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) June 18. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has said Lozano's former clients need to contact the agency with new mailing addresses for their pending cases.
Belle says she hopes for justice while her wait for legal status continues.
"Whatever God says, because at the end of the day is whatever he says, because I can't do nothing no more," she said. "I'm done over stressing. I'm done crying. I'm done overthinking."
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