By DEEPTI HAJELA
Associated Press

NEW YORK - State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed suit Jan. 14 against two immigrant organizations and their president, accusing them of making false promises to immigrants.

The suit named the International Immigrants Foundation, the International Professional Association and Edward Juarez, who it said was the groups' president. It was filed in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

It accuses the organizations of defrauding immigrants by falsely promising to help them obtain citizenship, as well as illegally charging excessive fees and engaging in legal activities that they were not authorized to take part in.

"These businesses make millions of dollars by exploiting the dreams of New York's immigrant community," Cuomo said. "By lying about their ability to provide legitimate legal services, these organizations threaten to devastate families and their hopes of a new life."

A call to Juarez seeking comment was not returned. His attorney, Solomon Zabrowsky, said, "We intend to vigorously defend ourselves against these allegations."

The lawsuit said immigrants were convinced to purchase memberships with the foundation for a registration fee and monthly dues, in exchange for free or lower-cost legal services, but were required to pay thousands of dollars more to have paperwork filed. The suit also says immigrants received incorrect legal advice.

A judge issued a temporary restraining order Jan. 14 barring the organizations from providing any legal services, as well as freezing their assets and Juarez's, and barring the destruction of any documents, Cuomo's office said.

Zabrowsky said there was no intention of any document destruction, because the information they contain would be used in their defense.

Juarez writes a weekly column for the El Diario-La Prensa newspaper. In a statement on its Web site the day the suit was filed, El Diario said it would stop publishing his column pending the resolution of the lawsuit.

The suit is the latest effort from Cuomo's ongoing investigation of fraudulent immigration-related services.