Immigration Impact Unit

What We Do

The CPCS Immigration Impact Unit (IIU) is available to assist all Massachusetts court-appointed attorneys understand and address the collateral immigration issues noncitizen clients face. The IIU serves as an expert resource for attorneys statewide who are appointed to represent indigent noncitizen clients in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, child welfare, mental health, sexually dangerous person and sex offender registry cases, as well as related appeals and post-conviction matters.
 
In addition to advice in individual cases, the IIU publishes training materials and practice advisories. We engage in systemic litigation where the due process and constitutional rights of our clients are affected. We also provide training throughout Massachusetts on a range of immigration-related topics, including the immigration consequences of criminal conduct. 
 
For more information, reach out to IIU@publiccounsel.net

IIU Intake Forms

If you are a CPCS staff attorney or court-appointed attorney and would like assistance understanding and advising your client about collateral immigration issues, please fill out and submit the appropriate intake form, linked below.

Please fill out as much of the form as possible. A completed form will allow us to provide more complete, accurate, and timely advice.

Because clients may be apprehensive about discussing their immigration history, it may be helpful to advise them when filling out the form that all the information provided is confidential and will not be shared. This information-gathering is only intended to assist the IIU in providing guidance to an attorney about immigration issues relevant to a case.

We do not advise clients directly. If you are a client, please ask your attorney to fill out and submit an intake form.

Criminal Intake Form
CAFL Intake Form
Post-Conviction Intake Form

The Guide to the IIU Form in Spanish tracks the IIU Intake Form for Criminal Defense and is intended to facilitate a conversation between a criminal defense attorney and a Spanish speaking client, through an interpreter, about the client’s immigration status. Please record the client’s answers in English on the IIU intake form.

Guide to the IIU Form in Spanish

Resources for Clients

Explore dedicated resources for individuals receiving private counsel for criminal cases.

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Professional Resources

CPCS provides resources for criminal defense professionals in our Resource Center.

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