June, 2025

Through a new program created by local immigrant advocacy groups, Court Watch, my friend and I volunteer to be trained and be present during a court session, to aid immigrants who are summoned for possible deportation. The immigrants speak Spanish, Portuguese, Creole, no English. We speak only English. 

 At least 15 immigrants’ cases are to be heard. Each immigrant has received a letter from Dept. of Homeland Security ordering their presence in court to say why DHS should not deport them immediately. Some immigrants have traveled more than 2 hours to one of only 2 immigration courts in MA – accompanied by family, friends, their children. The children all are under 5, one is a newborn. Some of the immigrants arrive  alone. Not one has a lawyer present to sit beside them in the courtroom. 

Thanks to a Court Watch guide, we possess a few tools. We have forms in languages that these immigrants speak. If they complete this form, local immigrant advocate organizations can follow their case and perhaps assist with legal needs. We are also armed with toys and books, all of which we give away during the four hours. 

We do our best. With Google Translate and forms in the languages needed, we are successful in learning about the immigrants. Many are unemployed. Most do not have a lawyer nor the money to pay for one. Some have a spouse whose own case is assigned to the other MA immigration court. 

Fortunately ICE appears not to be present. But imagine driving to court wondering if ICE is hiding in the wings. Or knowing that the previous week, in the same courthouse, 10 ICE field staff in plainclothes arrested a woman in the same waiting area. 

For my colleague and I, the 4-hour session flies by. (Not true for the immigrants waiting for their cases to be called.)We do our best to communicate what legal services may be available. We provide phone numbers of local organizations to contact for possible legal support. One female with a toddler, who is visibly shaking, asks my colleague to accompany her out – together they ride the elevator down and walk outside to where a friend awaits. 

The good (?) news. The Court provided translation services for all cases. No one was arrested. Every case was continued for at least 11 months- May, 2026. One was continued to 2029. Couples’ cases which were in different courts were combined; and those cases closer to the other MA immigration court were transferred. The judge was patient and respectful, except when he got very angry at the DHS attorney (who appeared via Zoom).

I leave the court imaging myself in a foreign country, not speaking the language of the court, having had this experience. It’s unimaginable. Thanks to Court Watch for organizing this program. 

Lynne Karsten