2nd Mass. attorney confirms receiving email to leave US despite citizenship (2025)

A second immigration attorney from Massachusetts confirmed she has received a letter from federal authorities to self-deport due to the expiration of parole.

In both instances, however, the attorneys are U.S. citizens and were not on parole status.

Immigration attorney Carmen Bello works in the East Boston area and she received a letter on Friday from the Department of Homeland Security ordering her to leave the country immediately.

“It is time for you to leave the United States,” the email reads and states that “your parole will terminate in 7 days … If you do not depart the United States immediately you will be subject to potential law enforcement actions that will result in your removal from the United States.”

Bello is originally from the Dominican Republic but became a U.S. citizen in 2007.

“I was surprised that it was sent out to me,” Bello said on Monday. “I have never belonged to parole so I knew it wasn’t for me ... That is very irresponsible because you are scaring a person that you are getting deported, that we are going to get you.”

Many of her clients received the same letter, and she described the “psychological threat” contained within the emails that have scared many people who are afraid their parole is being imminently revoked.

The email from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ends with the message, “Do not attempt to remain in the United States — the federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately." It also provides the steps to report their departures to federal immigration authorities.

On Sunday, DHS gave a statement explaining that Customs and Border Protection is sending notices about parole termination for people who do not have lawful status to remain.

Some notifications are going to American citizens in instances where an immigrant provided federal authorities with an attorney’s email address, the statement said.

“Notices may have been sent to unintended recipients,” DHS said.

“CBP is monitoring communications and will address any issues on a case-by-case basis,” the statement read.

Bello said she is moving forward from the email without seeking clarification from DHS.

“The whole idea is to make them (immigrants) scared and leave,” Bello said. “With everything you see in the news, clients will believe this will happen to them after all these raids.”

Last week, another immigration attorney received the same email and described the situation as “a little concerning” since they were being sent to U.S. citizens.

“Probably, hopefully, sent to me in error,” immigration attorney Nicole Micheroni told NBC Boston.

“The language in the email is very threatening,” she told the outlet. “And it looks kind of like a sketchy spam email. It doesn’t look like an official government notice, but it is.”