BIA-recognized immigration help in Massachusetts — free DOJ-accredited organizations
This page lists every non-profit in Massachusetts currently authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice (Board of Immigration Appeals / BIA) to provide immigration legal representation. Source: EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster, updated quarterly.
BIA-recognized organizations are the cheapest legitimate immigration legal help available — many provide representation free or for sliding-fee based on income. Their accredited representatives (Full Accreditation can appear in court; Partial Accreditation handles USCIS filings only) practice ONLY immigration law.
BIA-recognized organizations in Massachusetts
60 organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for Massachusetts, as of the roster published April 20, 2026. These non-profits are authorized by the Board of Immigration Appeals to provide immigration legal representation at low or no cost.
| Organization | City | Address | Phone | Recognized | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Worker Center | Allston | 14 Harvard Ave., 2nd Floor, Allston, MA 02134 | (617) 783-8001 | 05/05/25 | Active |
| Center for New Americans | Amherst | 150 Fearing Street, Amherst, MA 01002 | (413) 239-9550 | 01/24/14 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Open Door Immigration Services | Beverly | 10 Dane Street, Beverly, MA 01915 | (978) 594-1095 | 06/09/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Boston | 554 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02118 | (617) 267-7400 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| Casa Myrna Vazquez, Inc. | Boston | 451 Blue Hill Avenue, Boston, MA 02121 | (617) 521-0146 | 11/20/23 | Active (pending renewal) |
| International Institute of New England | Boston | 2 Boylston Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116 | (617) 695-9990 | 01/10/25 | Active |
| Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition | Boston | 69 Canal Street #3, Boston, MA 02114 | (617) 350-5480 | 07/25/12 | Active |
| Project Citizenship | Boston | 11 Beacon Street, Suite 1210, Boston, MA 02108 | (617) 694-5949 | 06/16/15 | Active |
| Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center | Boston | 253 Roxbury Street, Boston, MA 02119 | (617) 238-2430 | 08/25/23 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Social Transformation Center/ALPHA Immigrant Center | Boston | 62 Northampton Street, Suite H101, Boston, MA 02118 | (617) 522-6382 | 12/23/13 | Active |
| The Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts | Boston | 138 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02111 | (617) 482-5800 | 01/08/21 | Active |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Brighton | 640 Washington Street, Suite 203, Brighton, MA 02135 | (617) 903-3640 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Connection - New England | Brockton | 38 Mystic St., Brockton, MA 02302 | (508) 583-0219 | 02/03/26 | Active |
| Immigrant Family Services Institute | Brockton | 863 Crescent Street, Brockton, MA 02302 | (508) 638-4787 | 01/03/25 | Active |
| Chris Foundation, Inc. | Burlington | 1500 District Avenue, Suite 1019, Burlington, MA 01803 | (978) 421-6721 | 02/27/24 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) | Cambridge | 99 Bishop Allen Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139 | (617) 492-8306 | 05/29/25 | Active |
| De Novo | Cambridge | 47 Thorndike Street, Suite SB-LL-1, Cambridge, MA 02050 | (617) 661-1010 | 08/28/12 | Active |
| Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) | Cambridge | 1046 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 | (617) 864-7600 | 08/18/15 | Active |
| Open Door Immigration Services | Cambridge | 72 Norfolk Street, Cambridge, MA 01239 | (978) 594-1095 | 06/09/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| HarborCOV | Chelsea | 148 Shawmut Street, Chelsea, MA 02150 | (617) 884-9799 | 12/27/07 | Active |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Dorchester | 110 Claybourne Street, Dorchester, MA 02124 | (617) 288-2700 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | East Boston | 21 Meridian Street, East Boston, MA 02128 | (617) 567-8857 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| East Boston Community Council | East Boston | 282 Meridian Street, 2nd Floor, East Boston, MA 02128 | (617) 567-2750 | 04/14/99 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River | Fall River | 1600 Bay Street, Fall River, MA 02724 | (508) 674-4681 | 03/16/98 | Active |
| Global Empowerment Services, Inc. (GEMS) | Fitchburg | 356 Broad Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420 | (978) 479-3678 | 05/30/24 | Active |
| Metrowest Legal Services, Inc. | Framingham | 1671 Worcester Road, Suite 203, Framingham, MA 01701 | (508) 620-1830 | 12/04/24 | Active |
| Center for New Americans | Greenfield | 278 Main Street, Suite 207, Greenfield, MA 01301 | (413) 772-0055 | 01/24/14 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Community Action Committee of Cape Cod and Islands, Inc. | Hyannis | 372 North Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 | (508) 771-1727 | 04/30/24 | Active |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Jamaica Plain | 30 Bickford Street, Lower Level, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 | (617) 522-4250 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Connection at Awaken City Church | Jamaica Plain | 184 Hyde Park Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 | (617) 535-3139 | 12/16/24 | Active |
| Lawrence Family Development, Inc. d/b/a Lawrence Prospera | Lawrence | 404 Haverhill Street, Lawrence, MA 01841 | (978) 224-8808 | 07/10/13 | Active |
| Merrimack Valley Immigrant and Education Center | Lawrence | 439 South Union St, Lawrence, MA 01843 | (978) 683-7316 | 11/17/17 | Active (pending renewal) |
| International Institute of New England | Lowell | 101 Jackson Street, Suite 2, Lowell, MA 01852 | (978) 459-9031 | 01/10/25 | Active |
| New American Association of Massachusetts, Inc. | Lowell | 99 Church Street, Lowell, MA 01852 | (978) 616-7226 | 09/01/16 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Centerboard, Inc. | Lynn | 16 City Hall Square, Lynn, MA 01901 | (781) 598-9417 | 01/13/26 | Active |
| New American Association of Massachusetts, Inc. | Lynn | New American Center, 330 Lynnway, Suite 302, Lynn, MA 01901 | (781) 593-0100 | 09/01/16 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center | Lynn | 330 Lynnway, Lynn, MA 01901 | (617) 750-4378 | 08/25/23 | Active (pending renewal) |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Malden | 11 Dartmouth Street, Suite 104, Malden, MA 02148 | (781) 321-2501 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Family Services Institute | Malden | 14-18 Mountain Avenue, Malden, MA 02148 | (617) 322-1348 | 01/03/25 | Active |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Mattapan | 535 River Street, Mattapan, MA 02136 | (617) 298-2045 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Family Services Institute | Mattapan | 1626 Blue Hills Avenue, Mattapan, MA 02126 | (617) 332-1348 | 01/03/25 | Active |
| Community Economic Development Center of SE MA (CEDC) | New Bedford | 235 North Front Street, New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 979-4684 | 03/24/15 | Active |
| Immigrants’ Assistance Center, Inc. | New Bedford | 58 Crapo Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 | (508) 996-8113 | 06/23/14 | Active |
| University of Massachusetts - School of Law at Dartmouth Immigration Law Clinic | North Dartmouth | 333 Faunce Corner Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747 | (508) 985-1174 | 11/09/05 | Active |
| Center for New Americans | Northampton | 42 Gothic Street, Northampton, MA 01060 | (413) 587-0084 | 01/24/14 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Safe Passage Inc. | Northampton | 76 Carlon Drive, Northampton, MA 01060 | (413) 586-1125 | 02/25/20 | Active |
| Berkshire Immigrant Center | Pittsfield | 141 North Street, Suite 303, Pittsfield, MA 01201 | (413) 445-4881 | 02/07/14 | Active |
| ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway NSC | Roxbury | 714 Parker Street, Roxbury, MA 02120 | (617) 445-6000 | 05/02/24 | Active |
| Catholic Charitable Bureau of the Archdiocese of Boston | South Boston | 275 West Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127 | (617) 464-8100 | 03/19/07 | Active |
| Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts | Springfield | 15 Lenox Street, Springfield, MA 01108 | (413) 737-2601 | 07/10/12 | Active |
| Action for Good Governance (AGG) | Waltham | 24 Crescent Street, Suite 401C, Waltham, MA 02453 | (617) 955-3552 | 02/26/26 | Active |
| Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) | Waltham | 170 High Street, Waltham, MA 02453 | (617) 492-8306 | 05/29/25 | Active |
| The Right To Immigration Institute, Inc. | Waltham | 14B Felton Street, Waltham, MA 02453 | (781) 891-6689 | 02/02/18 | Active |
| Ascentria Community Services, Inc. | West Springfield | 425 Union Street, Floor D, Suite 33, West Springfield, MA 01089 | (413) 562-6015 | 09/11/12 | Active |
| The Diaspora Circle Inc. | Westford | 234 Littleton Road, Suite Unit 1B, Westford, MA 01886 | (978) 295-1483 | 03/13/25 | Active |
| African Community Education Program (ACE) Inc. | Worcester | 51 Gage Street, Worcester, MA 01605 | (508) 459-2284 | 07/05/21 | Active |
| Ascentria Community Services, Inc. | Worcester | 11 Shattuck Street, Worcester, MA 01605 | (774) 243-3021 | 09/11/12 | Active |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of Worcester County | Worcester | 10 Hammond Street, Worcester, MA 01610 | (508) 798-0191 | 09/02/25 | Active |
| Global Empowerment Services, Inc. (GEMS) | Worcester | 48 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609 | (978) 479-3678 | 05/30/24 | Active |
| Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center | Worcester | 18 Chestnut Street, Floor3, Worcester, MA 01608 | (617) 238-2430 | 08/25/23 | Active (pending renewal) |
How to verify and contact a BIA-recognized organization
- Confirm current status at the EOIR roster — recognition can be withdrawn, and the roster is updated quarterly.
- Call ahead to check service availability — many orgs have waitlists, especially for asylum and removal-defense cases.
- Ask about fees before signing a representation agreement. Free or sliding-fee is standard.
- Bring all USCIS notices + photo ID to your intake appointment.
- Beware of “notarios” — only BIA-recognized organizations OR licensed attorneys can give legal advice. A “notario público” in the U.S. is NOT a notario in the Latin American sense and cannot legally represent you.
Related procedural information
- Immigration court in Massachusetts — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of Massachusetts
- Legal aid in Massachusetts — broader civil legal aid (housing, family, public benefits)
- Find an immigration attorney — AILA directory + private bar
- Avoid notario fraud — what to watch for
- Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — constitutional protections
Last verified: 2026-09-01. Source: U.S. Department of Justice EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster. General procedural information — not legal advice. Always verify organization status and ask about fees before signing a representation agreement.
BIA recognition program context (2025-2026)
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Recognition & Accreditation Program is governed by 8 CFR 1292.11-1292.16. Recognition is valid for six years, except that an organization recognized for the first time receives conditional recognition valid for two years (8 CFR 1292.11(f)); the three-year term is the validity period of an individual representative’s accreditation, not the organization’s recognition (8 CFR 1292.12(d)). Renewals require re-application and updated documentation. As of the 2026-04-20 EOIR roster: 1,452 recognized organizations operate 1,564 offices nationwide, staffed by representatives holding Full Accreditation (court representation) or Partial Accreditation (USCIS-only practice).
To be recognized, an organization must be a non-profit that provides immigration legal services primarily to low-income and indigent clients, and if it charges fees it must have a written policy for accommodating clients unable to pay; EOIR reviews its fee schedule, fee-waiver policy and annual budget as part of recognition (8 CFR 1292.11(a)(1) and (b)). Each organization sets its own fees, and neither EOIR nor any other national source publishes what recognized non-profits — or private immigration attorneys — actually charge. Ask for the fee schedule in writing and compare quotes before you commit.
EOIR publishes the Recognition & Accreditation Roster quarterly at justice.gov/eoir/recognition-accreditation-roster-reports. Verify an organization’s CURRENT status (Active vs Pending Renewal vs Provisional vs Withdrawn) before signing a representation agreement. Organizations whose recognition was withdrawn by EOIR (typically for fraud or compliance issues) cannot practice immigration law.
For attorney directories: AILA Find-A-Lawyer at ailalawyer.com (paid membership, vetted), Legal Services Corporation grantees at lsc.gov (income-limited legal aid), American Bar Association lawyer referral at americanbar.org/groups/legal_services. Avoid “notario” fraud: in the US, a “notary public” is NOT a notario in the Latin American sense and cannot give legal advice. Report notario fraud to your state attorney general AND USCIS at uscis.gov/avoid-scams.
EOIR Hotline for case status: 1-800-898-7180 (24/7 automated; English/Spanish menu).