MASSA VIANA LAW | IMMIGRATION INSIGHTS | April 2026
6 Things You Need to Know This Week
The immigration developments that matter most to you — clearly explained, with guidance on what to do next.
1- Attorney Alma Cothias and Massa Viana Law Featured in The Washington Post, AP, and The New Bedford Light
This week, Attorney Alma Cothias and Massa Viana Law were featured in The Washington Post, The Associated Press, and The New Bedford Light as part of reporting on the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI), the state’s $5 million program providing free legal representation to immigrants in removal proceedings. The reporting documented Attorney Cothias’s work with 32 clients currently facing deportation, illustrating the depth of the need and the difference skilled legal advocacy makes.
As of February 2026, more than 126,000 removal cases were pending against Massachusetts residents, with nearly half of those individuals still unrepresented. The MACI program launched at the end of 2025 as ICE arrests climbed to nearly 400,000 nationwide during the administration’s first year. Managing Attorney Antonio M. Viana was also quoted: “The ultimate vision is that people in immigration court should be represented as opposed to walking in without knowing what their rights are.”
What this means for you: If you or a family member are in removal proceedings and cannot afford an attorney, legal assistance may be available at no cost. Attorney Cothias and our team are participating partners in the MACI program. Massachusetts residents who meet the income and eligibility requirements can call the MACI hotline at (508) 505-4588 to see if they qualify.
2- MVL Attorneys Join 300+ Immigration Lawyers on Capitol Hill at AILA’s National Day of Action
This week, Attorney Amanda LaRocca Pedretti and Managing Attorney Antonio M. Viana traveled to Washington, D.C. to join more than 300 immigration attorneys from across the country at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Day of Action on Capitol Hill. Together, this coalition of practitioners who witness the human cost of immigration policy every day came to demand accountable enforcement, a modernized legal immigration system, and the restoration of dignity for immigrant communities.
Our attorneys met face to face with Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, Massachusetts Representative Jake Auchincloss, Rhode Island Representative Gabe Amo, and Rhode Island Representative Seth Magaziner, as well as senior staff for additional members of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island congressional delegations. AILA’s National Day of Action is a chance for advocates to sit down with legislators, explain how current policy is playing out on the ground, answer questions, and speak directly with those who have the power to change it. Our attorneys brought to those conversations what no policy brief can fully convey: the lived reality of the clients this firm represents.
What this means for you: When attorneys carry client stories directly to Congress, those stories become evidence, and evidence shapes policy. Our commitment does not begin and end in the courtroom. If our advocacy on the Hill is the kind of work that matters to you, our office is here when you need it.
3- DOJ Identifies 384 Naturalized Americans for Denaturalization, Assigns Cases to 39 U.S. Attorney Offices
On April 23, The New York Times reported that the Department of Justice has identified 384 naturalized Americans whose citizenship it is seeking to revoke, with cases being assigned to civil litigators in 39 regional U.S. Attorney offices. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the department is “pursuing the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history.” This marks a sharp departure from historical norms: denaturalization cases averaged roughly 11 per year between 1990 and 2017, and 168 total across the first Trump administration.
Two procedural shifts are worth noting. First, the Department of Homeland Security has reportedly been directed to refer upwards of 200 denaturalization cases per month to DOJ. Second, DOJ is assigning these cases to general civil litigators rather than the specialized Office of Immigration Litigation attorneys who traditionally handle them. Federal law permits the government to seek denaturalization only when citizenship was obtained through fraud or concealment of a material fact, and every case must be proved in federal court. No one loses citizenship without a judicial proceeding.
What this means for you: Naturalized citizenship remains secure. The government cannot strip citizenship administratively, and the legal burden in court is substantial. That said, naturalized citizens who have received any correspondence from USCIS, DHS, DOJ, or a federal court about their naturalization file, or who have concerns about prior immigration filings, should contact an attorney promptly. If you receive a notice, do not respond before consulting counsel. Contact our office to schedule a confidential review.
4- Boston and Chelmsford Immigration Judges Fired; Nationwide, More Than 200 Judges Have Left the Bench
On April 10, the Department of Justice fired Boston Immigration Judge Roopal Patel and Chelmsford Immigration Judge Nina Froes, along with four other immigration judges nationwide. Both Massachusetts judges had ruled against the administration’s attempts to deport international students: Judge Patel dismissed the case against Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk in January, and Judge Froes dismissed the case against Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi in February.
The firings are part of a broader reshaping of the immigration court system. At the start of February 2025, there were 726 permanent immigration judges nationwide. Today, there are roughly 520, even after new hiring. According to the National Association of Immigration Judges, approximately 113 judges have been fired since January 2025, with roughly another 100 having retired, resigned, or accepted buyouts. CBS News reports that more than 200 judges have been fired, retired, or forced out in 14 months. The Chelmsford Immigration Court, which had 19 judges in January 2025, is now down to eight. Immigration courts are part of the Department of Justice, not an independent judiciary, and immigration judges serve at the discretion of the Attorney General.
What this means for you: If you have a hearing scheduled at the Boston or Chelmsford immigration court, expect the possibility of continuances, reassignments, or scheduling changes as these courts adjust to reduced staffing. Stay in close contact with your attorney about any notices you receive, and confirm your hearing date before traveling.
5- House Passes Haitian TPS Extension 224-204 Through Rare Bipartisan Discharge Petition
On April 16, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1689 by a vote of 224-204, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 350,000 Haitian nationals through April 2029. The bill was sponsored by Representative Laura Gillen (NY-04) and brought to the floor through a discharge petition led by Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley, a procedural tool that allows members of Congress to bypass party leadership by collecting 218 signatures.
Discharge petitions are rare: only 15 have reached the 218-signature threshold in the past 40 years. The White House has already issued a veto threat, and the bill now moves to the Senate, where its path remains uncertain. A parallel legal challenge, Miot v. Trump, is currently before the Supreme Court. Notably, the House vote came on the same day as AILA’s National Day of Action, when hundreds of immigration attorneys — including MVL’s — were on Capitol Hill meeting with members of Congress.
What this means for you: If you hold TPS or have a pending TPS application, do not wait for legislative outcomes before consulting an attorney. Re-registration deadlines, work authorization renewals, and available pathways to permanent residency continue to change. Contact our office to schedule a consultation and understand your options now.
6- Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, a South Boston Native Who Led ICE’s Boston Field Office, Will Resign May 31
The Department of Homeland Security announced on April 16 that Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will resign effective May 31. Lyons is a South Boston native and Boston College High School graduate who ran ICE’s Boston Field Office before his promotion, overseeing Enforcement and Removal Operations across all six New England states. Since becoming acting director in March 2025, he has led ICE through the most aggressive enforcement period in the agency’s history, including nearly 400,000 arrests in the administration’s first year and the expansion of enforcement operations into communities, workplaces, and courthouses.
Lyons told the Boston Globe he is returning home to Massachusetts to be with his family. DHS has not announced a successor. His departure is the second major leadership shakeup in two months, following the firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and the confirmation of Secretary Markwayne Mullin. For anyone with an open case, leadership transitions at ICE do not pause operations on the ground.
