Woman sues immigration lawyer, saying he tried to start relationship

Chicago Tribune

06-05-2025

A woman who alleged a high-profile Merrillville immigration lawyer tried to start a sexual relationship sued him Friday, records show.
The civil lawsuit — in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point, Ind. — names Alfredo Estrada and his law firm, Burke Costanza & Carberry.
Estrada was not immediately available for comment.
The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and to cover her legal bills, according to the complaint filed Monday.
Most of the allegations came to light earlier in his state disciplinary case filed in March.
The woman, then 15, first met Estrada in July 2018 as her father was applying for a U-Visa, which gives crime victims a path to apply for permanent residency after three years if they cooperate with police. The girl translated for her father.
In 2021, she retained Estrada as she tried to see if she qualified for the DACA — or 'dreamers' — program, which allowed people brought as children to the U.S. to get legal safeguards.
Months later, Estrada told her she didn't qualify — leaving her stuck and unable to legally work. He started asking 'intrusive and personal' questions, including if she had a boyfriend.
In 2022, after she returned a call for her father, Estrada told her to go to his office on his behalf. During the meeting, she attended with another relative, he offered to pay her 'under the table' as a translator.
In January 2023, he invited her out to eat.
'If I remember correctly, you are married,' she responded two days later.
She declined all his job offers, including one to travel with him as a translator. The woman felt if she cut him off, it would 'endanger' her family's immigration case.
She told Estrada she was uncomfortable with his offers.
'My wife doesn't mind as long as I don't bring it home,' he responded.
Later, he offered her work to clean his office or home, which she rejected. Estrada gave her money that was unrelated to the immigration case.
He viewed her social media, sending back screenshots of her TikTok account.
'I thought you were shy? Lol,' he wrote.
After she posted about going to a concert in May 2023 on Instagram, he called her. By then, she downloaded a call recording app.
'I wanna get together. I wanna skip the games, if you know what I mean…I'll take care of you. You take care of me,' he said.
What do you want from me, she asked.
'Everything…I wanna (have sex), you're fine …I want to have a relationship,' Estrada responded.
No, she said.
'I wanna be your sugar daddy,' he said. 'I wouldn't mind being that.'
Shortly after, he left a voicemail, saying he got work authorization for her and her father.
Estrada continued to send messages in May 2023, saying he would get her 'a job in Gary at a taco joint' or as a translator in his law firm. The woman didn't respond.
She told a relative, who told his own immigration lawyer.
She fired Estrada in June 2023. Later, she and the other lawyer met with a U.S. Attorney and U.S. Homeland Security Special Investigations to see if she qualified for a T-visa, for sex trafficking victims.
While the prosecutor said she probably didn't qualify for that visa and likely couldn't charge it as sex trafficking, they found her account 'wholly credible.'
The woman had a profoundly 'unstable legal and financial situation' and Estrada 'deliberately took advantage' of it, the lawsuit alleges.
Estrada knew another relative had been attacked in their home county and they were vulnerable and fearful. His behavior was 'outrageous,' the lawsuit alleged.
She is represented by high-profile lawyer Walter Alvarez.