Pro Se means "for myself" in Latin. The Pro Se Project is for people who want to work on their immigration cases themselves: without a lawyer representing them, but with volunteers giving information, resources, and support.
This project exists because we believe that everyone has the right to understand the immigration system, and to feel in control of their own immigration matters. People who are navigating immigration cases are smart, capable, and hard-working: they can make progress on their own cases. Being a participant in this project means that you are representing yourself. You hold the decision-making power, and all of the responsibilities of your immigration matter belong to you.
The volunteers with the pro se project are here to help with tasks like interpretation and translation, typing and using the computer, printing, mailing, and accompaniment. The volunteer immigration lawyers with the pro se project will also check all work before it is sent to an immigration court or agency, to make sure it is complete and correct.
This project is free to participate in. However, it is important to know that immigration processes often have fees charged by the court or agency (ranging from $85 to over $3000). Our project usually has some funds to help cover costs, but often will not be able to cover the full amount for you. We will discuss with you the full amount and see what support we can offer.
If you want to talk to the Pro Se Project, the first step is to speak with a volunteer immigration lawyer to determine what immigration processes you may be eligible for. You can contact us to schedule a meeting at [email protected] or 413-271-5390. The people monitoring the phone speak English and Spanish; for any other language, please text or email us, and we will get an interpreter to help us respond.
Please note: Participating in this program is not the same as thing as hiring a lawyer to represent you. If you are looking for a lawyer for your case, nonprofit legal aid organizations serving Western Mass include: