Massachusetts Initiative Provides Free Legal Aid to Immigrants
Alma Cothias, an attorney at Massa Viana Law, starts her day around 8:45 a.m. after dropping her children at school. With electronic dance music playing softly in the background, she prepares for a day filled with administrative tasks and client meetings. Cothias currently represents 32 clients, all of whom are involved in removal proceedings, and she anticipates even more as the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI) gains momentum.
This $5 million state-funded program aims to ensure that immigrants in Massachusetts receive legal representation during their removal proceedings. This initiative was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in response to a federal crackdown that saw over 390,000 immigrants detained in one year.
The program is managed by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), led by executive director Elizabeth Sweet. “We know that there is so much need for legal services for immigrants right now,” Sweet remarked. The program addresses the significant gap in legal representation for immigrants, as immigration cases are considered civil matters, and the government does not provide attorneys.
Robin Nice, an immigration lawyer, emphasized the difficulty of navigating immigration court without legal representation. “It’s extraordinarily hard when you don’t have an attorney,” said Nice, who previously represented Yury Melissa Aguiriano Romero.
Funding and Expansion of MACI
Originally launched at the end of 2025, MACI aims to expand its funding to meet growing needs. Governor Maura Healey’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget maintains the program’s funding at $5 million, while Senate President Karen Spilka suggests an increase to $6 million. MIRA aims for a substantial increase to $15 million next fiscal year.
The state faces a shortage of immigration lawyers, with only 114 listed in the American Immigration Lawyers Association directory. Susan Church, COO at the state’s Office for Refugees and Immigrants, mentioned, “We are extremely under-resourced in immigration attorneys,” and noted that out-of-state attorneys have joined the program.
Eligibility and Operations
The program operates through a hotline (508-505-4588) and in-person evaluations at participating organizations. Since December, 6,000 calls have been made, but only 697 were eligible, with 461 assigned attorneys. Clients must meet criteria such as low income and no open charges for specific offenses.
MACI is split into two systems: one focusing on federal immigration detention clients and another network service with 14 organizations across Massachusetts. These include the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts and the Immigrants’ Assistance Center in New Bedford, each receiving $130,000 in reimbursements.
António Massa Viana, managing attorney at Massa Viana Law, stated, “We are now able to offer, to people who have not been able to afford legal representation before, quality legal representation in immigration courts.”
The initiative is a crucial step toward ensuring that immigrants facing removal have access to necessary legal resources, helping to balance the scales in a complex legal system.
