MASSA VIANA LAW | IMMIGRATION UPDATE | October 2026
5 Things You Need to Know This Week
Stay updated with the most important Immigration News and developments that matter most to you — clearly explained, with guidance on what to do next.
1- Meet Our New Removal Defense Attorney: Daria Trenina
Daria Trenina joins the Massa Viana Law team as an Associate Attorney. She concentrates on removal defense, including representing detained clients across the country, many of them asylum seekers fleeing persecution. Licensed in both the United States and Russia, she brings more than 15 years of experience in immigration, asylum, and extradition work.
She previously led the legal department of a UNHCR-supported asylum advocacy project that won landmark rulings at the European Court of Human Rights, and she represents asylum seekers pro bono through the PAIR Project in Massachusetts. Daria holds law degrees from MGIMO University and an LL.M. from the University of Dayton School of Law, and she speaks Russian fluently. Read her full biography.
If you or a loved one is facing removal proceedings, is in immigration detention, or is seeking asylum, Daria and our team are ready to help, including in Russian. Contact our office to schedule a consultation.
2- After the Midterms: What Changes for Immigrants, and What Does Not
Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to projections by major news organizations. Closer to home, the Associated Press projects that Governor Maura Healey won a second term in Massachusetts and that Helena Foulkes will be Rhode Island’s next governor. The new Congress will not be seated until January, and the laws, fees, and enforcement policies in place today remain in effect.
For many immigrants, this election was also a reminder of what citizenship makes possible. According to The Washington Post, 173,000 people were approved for U.S. citizenship in the first eight months of 2026, each one gaining the right to vote. More than 800,000 applications were still pending as of August, and every one of those applicants is a step closer to casting a ballot of their own.
What this means for you: In practical terms, nothing about your case changed on Election Day. Keep every deadline, appointment, and filing on schedule, and be cautious of anyone promising new programs before Congress actually acts. If your citizenship application has been pending for a long time, contact our office so we can review your options.
3- November Visa Bulletin: Four Family Categories Move Forward a Full Year
The State Department’s November 2026 Visa Bulletin advanced the F1, F2B, F3, and F4 family-based categories by a full year for most countries. USCIS also confirmed that green card applicants in both family-sponsored and employment-based categories must use the Dates for Filing chart this month.
In practical terms, applicants already in the United States whose priority dates fall before the new filing cutoffs may be able to submit Form I-485 now. USCIS still cannot approve the green card until the priority date is current on the Final Action Dates chart.
What this means for you: Compare your priority date with the November Dates for Filing chart for your category and country. If it is current, this may be the month to file, but every other eligibility requirement still applies. Contact our office before you submit anything so we can confirm your eligibility.
4- Under 21? Special Immigrant Juvenile Status May Be Your Path to a Green Card
Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status is one of the most important protections in immigration law for young people. It is available to unmarried immigrants under 21 living in the United States who need the protection of a state juvenile court because a parent abused, abandoned, or neglected them. Once USCIS approves SIJ classification, the young person may be able to apply for a green card.
Timing is everything. The SIJ petition must be filed before the young person’s 21st birthday, and some state courts can only issue the required juvenile court order before age 18, so the process should start as early as possible. For those who already have an approved petition, November brings an opportunity: this month’s Visa Bulletin lets SIJ applicants with a priority date before January 1, 2025 file for their green card now, about two years ahead of the date when a visa can actually be issued.
5- Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Deportations of Detained Afghans
On Tuesday, November 3, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni in New York temporarily blocked the government from deporting detained Afghan nationals to Afghanistan or Pakistan, according to NBC News. The order runs through Saturday, November 7.
TIt followed warnings from advocates, and a letter signed by 66 members of Congress, that those deported could face persecution or worse. The government told the court that ICE had no flights to either country scheduled before the end of the week.
