State Bar Seizes Chula Vista Immigration Consultant’s Unauthorized Law Practice

The State Bar of California announced today the seizure of the unauthorized law practice of Gabriel Luna de la Fuente of Chula Vista, after he took more than $4,000 from a client for immigration services for herself and her daughter-selecting and preparing her legal forms himself, directing her to deposit money directly into his bank account, and never disclosing that he was not and never has been a licensed attorney or supervised by one.

The San Diego Superior Court granted the Office of Chief Trial Counsel's (OCTC) ex parte request for an interim order against Luna de la Fuente, also known as Gabriel de la Fuente and Gabriel Luna Delafuente, doing business as Superior Immigration Services in Chula Vista. The seizure was executed on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. State Bar staff seized approximately 55 boxes of client files from Luna de la Fuente's office, each containing roughly 24 client files, along with a computer containing so much data that it could not be downloaded on-site and was instead removed for further examination.

"The complaining witness trusted Mr. Luna de la Fuente with her family's future and paid thousands of dollars for immigration services she believed were being handled by qualified professionals," said State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona. "Instead, her daughter's immigration petition was never filed, her daughter's file was withheld, and she was misled into believing licensed attorneys were assisting her."

The State Bar's investigation began after the victim filed a complaint in October 2024. According to court documents, the woman hired Luna de la Fuente in February 2021 for help with her and her daughter's immigration status. He advised her on what immigration status she and her daughter could pursue, selected the specific U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services forms her case required, and told her she needed to pay him approximately $1,400 to complete and submit them.

In July 2023, the victim learned her immigration application had been denied. Luna de la Fuente told her the process would need to be restarted, then directed her to deposit an additional $1,700 into his personal bank account, telling her it was unnecessary for her sponsors to sign new forms because he would simply resubmit the old ones. He separately charged her $495 to prepare a form for her daughter's case.

In October 2024, she learned he had never submitted her daughter's petition. When she asked for their client files, he returned only her own file, which was missing documents, and did not return her daughter's file. According to the petition, Luna de la Fuente never told the client at any point that he was not working for or being supervised by a licensed attorney.

During a March 2026 call with a State Bar OCTC investigator, Luna de la Fuente admitted that he selected and completed immigration forms for clients, advised clients that an immigration process would take "about 17 to 25 years," and handled U visa applications for clients without attorney supervision. He incorrectly believed that providing these legal services did not require attorney supervision.

The petition also states that Luna de la Fuente's Facebook page for Superior Immigration Services invited the public to schedule a consultation and "speak to the 'Licenciados' over the phone"-a Spanish-language term commonly used to refer to licensed attorneys.

Luna de la Fuente told the State Bar investigator that he still possessed the file for the client's daughter and would send it to the State Bar. The petition states that the State Bar never received that file.

Clients of Gabriel Luna de la Fuente may retrieve files by calling the State Bar at 213-765-1595 (English and Spanish).

The State Bar strongly urges the public to ensure they are dealing with a licensed attorney by using the Check Attorney Profile feature on its website, which lets people verify an attorney's license.

The State Bar has a unit dedicated to investigating and addressing the unauthorized practice of law throughout California. People who have been targeted by someone who is not licensed to practice law can file an unauthorized practice of law complaint with the State Bar. There is no cost, and U.S. citizenship is not required; the State Bar will not ask complainants about their citizenship or immigration status. The online complaint form is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

As a warning to the public, the names of those who have received unauthorized practice of law Cease and Desist notices are posted, by county, on the State Bar website. The State Bar also provides consumer information about avoiding legal fraud, including the unauthorized practice of law, and tips about avoiding immigration legal services fraud.

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The State Bar of California's mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.