Attorneys given more time in immigration law case

SALT LAKE CITY — Due to a large number of documents in the case against an area immigration law firm charged with running an employment visa fraud scheme, a trial date has yet to be set.

Eight people associated with the Alcala Law Firm, located at 1380 W. Indiana Ave., were indicted in July on charges of alien smuggling and visa fraud for allegedly advertising the firm as an immigration law office, while illegally obtaining H-2B work visas for various Utah companies in order to gain a profit.

Among other things, investigators allege that those within the firm encouraged people to return to Mexico and lie about their planned employment and time in the United States and obtained more visas than were necessary to build up a visa "pool," the indictment states.

Federal prosecutors and multiple defense attorneys met before Magistrate Judge David Nuffer Thursday to set up another scheduling conference in March, in light of the incredible amount of information on the case that must be reviewed. It was estimated that there are already as many as 50,000 pages in documents in addition to a DVD with video surveillance information.

— Emiley Morgan