The State Bar seized the unauthorized immigration law practice of Wendy Dong of Chino after a former client and her daughter hired Dong, paying $6,000 to help two friends who were being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After the clients became dissatisfied with the services and asked for a refund, Dong, also known as Wenli Dong and Christine Dunn, doing business as American Immigration Center, sent them an invoice requesting an additional $1,500, along with a termination letter allegedly signed by a California attorney—without the attorney’s knowledge or consent—the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) announced today.
Dong is not, and never has been, licensed to practice law in California. The San Bernardino County Superior Court granted OCTC’s ex parte request for an interim order against Dong on October 1, which led to the seizure on October 2. At Dong’s office, the State Bar confiscated 14 boxes of client files, 3 USB drives, and 2 computers.
“Ms. Dong advertised legal services, including deportation defense, without a license, and when clients asked for their money back, she responded with a bigger bill and a letter falsely bearing an attorney’s signature,” said State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona. “Seizing this practice protects clients and keeps others from being harmed.”
According to a petition OCTC filed with the Superior Court, the clients never received a refund and initially filed a State Bar complaint against the licensed attorney named on the termination letter. During that investigation, the attorney told the State Bar that he had done limited work for Dong’s business as an outside contract attorney, providing research on general immigration questions and assisting with document review. He said he did not know the clients named in the letter, never met with them or worked on their case, and never authorized the business to sign his name on its billing documents or on the termination letter.
The State Bar closed its investigation of the attorney and opened a new unauthorized practice of law (UPL) investigation into Dong.
California Secretary of State records show that Dong, using the name Christine Dunn, incorporated American Immigration Center Corporation in 2018, listing herself as its sole officer, director, and agent for service of process, and describing its type of business as “immigration service.”
The business website advertises assistance with family immigration, green cards, work permits, U and T visas, waivers, naturalization, and “political asylum and deportation defense,” and invites the public to book consultations. Its LinkedIn page lists the business under the “Legal Services” industry.
During a State Bar visit to the Chino office in August 2026, a man who said he worked there as a contract translator and interpreter told an investigator that no attorneys worked in the office. Dong did not respond to two letters from the State Bar asking her to respond to the allegations of UPL.
Clients of Wendy Dong, aka Christine Dunn and Wenli Dong, dba American Immigration Center Corporation and North American Immigration Center, may retrieve files by calling the State Bar at 213-765-1240 (English, Spanish, and Mandarin).
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.