Creating Pathways towards Stability and Security.
The Rian Immigrant Center’s expert legal staff and pro bono attorneys offer free legal consultations to over 2,000 immigrants, refugees, and asylees, and provide full case representation before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for over 600 families. We strive to equip low-income and underserved immigrants with the resources necessary to attain legal status, secure work authorization, and reunite with their families. By doing so, we aim to facilitate their journey towards long-term stability. We also assist eligible immigrants in becoming U.S. citizens, guiding them throughout the application process and representing those with complex cases.
Who We Are
Our team of attorneys and paralegals offer comprehensive, professional, and confidential services for non-citizens, regardless of their legal status or ability to pay. Our services are offered in a variety of languages, including English, Spanish, and French.
Through special projects, we work with people who are most at-risk. We support survivors of domestic violence, homeless women in partnership with Rosie’s Place, and children who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness in collaboration with Boston and Cambridge schools and youth-serving organizations. Post-pandemic, we have been able to revive our forms clinics to offer free pro se legal assistance and, in collaboration with the Boston Public Library, we can again offer free legal consultations at four monthly walk-in clinics.
Representation in Legal Cases
Our attorneys represent low-income families and individuals in a range of immigration cases. Legal representation is offered at extremely low cost or for free. Much of our casework includes assisting immigrants and refugees with the following types of cases:
- Family-based petitions and applications for legal permanent residence;
- Consular processing;
- Domestic violence-based petitions;
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases;
- Applications for Naturalization;
- Temporary Protected Status applications and renewals;
- DACA renewals;
- Applications to renew permanent resident cards;
- I-730 Petitions to reunify asylee family members;
- U visa applications for victims of certain crimes;
- T visa applications for victims of trafficking;
- Medical Deferred Action applications;
- Employment authorization applications.
Free Immigration Legal Consultations
The Rian Immigrant Center offers free legal consultations over the phone. During a consultation, you will have the opportunity to ask questions, receive advice, and learn what immigration options are available to you. Please visit the consultations page for more information.
Make a PaymentSupport for Survivors of Domestic Violence
Immigration attorney Jackie Kelley specializes in providing immigration legal services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. We provide legal consultations, guidance, representation, and refer to community partners, resources, and health care providers. Please contact our center to learn more at 617.542.7654.
Legal Aid for Immigrant Youth
The Rian Immigrant Center provides legal consultations and representation for homeless or near-homeless immigrant students in public schools, as well as youth at local shelters and community based organizations. Our staff attorneys are available to host workshops for educators on how to best support undocumented students and can provide technical assistance to youth-serving organizations. Please contact our center to learn more about our immigration legal aid for immigrant youth at 617.542.7654.
