Skip to Main Content

Law and Legal Research

This guide highlights resources for finding answers to basic legal questions.

Citizenship and Immigration in Massachusetts

What Falls Under this Category?*

  • Asylum and refugee status
  • Citizenship
  • Unaccompanied minors

*Do not consider this an exhaustive list

Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants

The Office for Refugees and Immigrants supports services that meet the cultural and linguistic needs of refugees and immigrants through a network of service providers in Massachusetts. ORI’s mission is to promote the full participation of refugees and immigrants as self-sufficient individuals and families in the economic, social, and civic life of Massachusetts. Eligible groups include: Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa Holders, Amerasians, Asylees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, Human Trafficking Victims, Legal Permanent Residents, and Refugees.

The Office administers programs that provide direct services to clients through a network of resettlement agencies, faith-based organizations and ethnic community-based organizations, which have the capacity to serve the culturally and linguistically diverse needs of newcomer populations. 

Some of their programming includes Citizenship for New Americans Program (CNAP), Financial Literacy for Newcomers (FLN), and Employment For Refugees.

 Right: "A little book for immigrants in Boston". 1921.A little book for immigrants in Boston

Know Your Rights

"Whether you’re a U.S. citizen, a green card holder, a student on a visa, or undocumented, you have legal rights. At this time of aggressive immigration enforcement, it is ever more crucial to be well prepared for a potential encounter with law enforcement or immigration agents." (MIRA)

ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

This section focuses on how to manage ICE, whether you are a citizen or non-citizen.

  • Know Your Rights with ICE | Conozca Sus Derechos con ICE
    • From the Immigrant Defense Project, this page xplains who is at risk of an ICE arrest and your rights when interacting with ICE officers. Flyers and other handouts are available in 16 languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Tagalog, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Bangla, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu, Simplified & Traditional Mandarin, Korean, Russian, and Hebrew.
  • Report ICE Sightings: 617-370-5023
    • LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts offers a hotline for people to call when they thing they see ICE. LUCE will verify sightings. En Español, Kreyòl, and Português.
  • ICE Warrants

    • ICE agents can employ two different types of warrants, with very important differences:

      • Administrative warrants: These are issued pursuant to Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and are issued by an ICE official or agent. Because they are not reviewed or issued by a court of law, administrative warrants do not authorize ICE agents to enter or search residences or non-public areas of a business without express consent.

      • Court-issued subpoenas and warrants: These are issued and signed by a judge or federal judicial magistrate and have the same force and effect as any other court-issued warrant. They may authorize ICE agents to enter non-public spaces without consent.

Right: An example and explanation of the differences between administrative vs judicial warrants. Click the image to see a larger version and to go to the citing webpage.

Federal Law & Policy

Immigration law is constantly changing depending on the current administration. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), enacted in 1952, contains many of the most important provisions of immigration law. The INA is contained in the United States Code. The U.S Code is freely available to read. Title 8 contains immigration policy.

Due to its complicated nature, an immigration lawyer is likely the best way to understand specific immigration situations and options. The American Association of Immigration Lawyers has a tool that helps you find an immigration lawyer: AILAlawyer.com.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesUSCIS logo

USCIS is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. On the USCIS website you can:

Immigration Court

Immigration courts are specialized, administrative courts within the U.S. Department of Justice. They are separate from the courts that operate within the judicial branch. They hear the cases of noncitizens the government is trying to deport. It is important to note that people in Immigration Court do not have a right to a court-appointed lawyer, as it is considered a civil, not criminal, case. The Brennan Center for Justice published a full explanation: "The Immigration Court System, Explained."

Immigration court hearings are open to the public, with limited exceptions, as specified in law. 

Massachusetts Immigration Courts 

Click here to find an Immigration court in your MA city.

The Boston Immigration Court
JFK Federal Building
15 New Sudbury Street, Room 320
Boston, MA 02203

Local Resources