NEW YORK - Clover Perez was indicted on charges related to presenting false applications for lawful United States residence status to immigration authorities. Perez was arrested Thursday morning at her home in Elmont, New York, by ICE agents.

From approximately April 2005 through December 2005, Perez, who operated Reliable Clerical Services, Inc. d/b/a Reliable Immigration Services in Queens, New York, prepared applications on behalf of immigrants that she claimed would result in work permits and/or legal residence. Perez submitted these applications under the League of United Latin American Citizens ("L.U.L.A.C.") program, a limited immigration amnesty and legalization program that allowed certain illegal immigrants -- who, among other things, must have resided in the United States before January 1, 1982 -- to apply for legal residence. Perez, despite knowing that her clients had entered the United States too late to be eligible for the L.U.L.A.C. amnesty program, nevertheless prepared applications that contained false statements about their dates of entry and submitted those applications to the United States Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS").

Perez, 44, is charged with one count of presenting applications to USCIS seeking status as a lawful U.S. resident knowing that such applications contained false statements and had no reasonable basis in law and fact, and one count of failing to disclose her role in preparing baseless applications for lawful U.S. resident status. She faces up to ten years in prison and a potential maximum fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the offense.