Introduction
USCIS issued a formal alert on June 26, 2026, notifying former clients of Alexandra Lozano that her disbarment has created immediate, time-sensitive obligations for anyone with pending immigration cases she filed or managed. USCIS issued the alert after a rapid sequence of disciplinary and administrative actions: Lozano resigned from the Washington State Bar on May 26, 2026, to avoid discipline — a permanent bar from practicing law in that state — closed her law firm on June 10, 2026, and the Board of Immigration Appeals suspended her on June 18, 2026, from practicing before the Department of Homeland Security, all Immigration Courts, and the Board itself. For the many applicants and petitioners who relied on Lozano for USCIS-related representation, the USCIS disbarment alert is not background news — it is a direct notice requiring action.
Background
Alexandra Lozano established a notable national reputation as an immigration attorney. She primarily served Spanish-speaking communities and clients seeking relief under special immigrant categories. Her firm managed a large caseload (had over 35,000 clients) involving various immigration benefit types. Consequently, the disciplinary actions taken against her in May and June 2026 impact many individuals with active, pending matters before federal immigration agencies.
When DHS suspends an attorney from practice — which includes USCIS — that attorney can no longer represent clients. This suspension also prevents them from filing documents or receiving correspondence related to pending matters. USCIS cannot route case-related notices to an attorney without legal authority to act in the case. This is why the agency is requesting updated contact information from affected individuals.
What Is Changing
The Board of Immigration Appeals formally suspended Lozano from practice before DHS, the Immigration Courts, and the BIA on June 18, 2026. Her law firm ceased operations eight days earlier on June 10, 2026. No one at her former firm has the legal authority to represent her former clients going forward. USCIS has no valid attorney of record to correspond with on affected cases.
USCIS is requesting that all former Lozano clients with pending petitions or applications provide an updated mailing address. This is necessary for case processing to continue. The agency has communicated that individuals may withdraw their application or petition by submitting a written request to USCIS. USCIS Contact Center staff can assist in identifying which office is responsible for a given file.
Who Is Affected
Any individual who retained Alexandra Lozano or her firm is directly affected by this alert. This includes those with a petition or application currently pending before USCIS. This includes applicants across a broad range of immigration benefit categories that her firm handled. USCIS has identified VAWA self-petitioners, applicants and recipients of T nonimmigrant status, and petitioners and recipients of U nonimmigrant status as categories with separate, specific address-change procedures — a distinction that matters because those case types carry heightened confidentiality protections under federal law.
Individuals whose cases were decided — either approved or denied before the firm closed — do not share the same immediate posture. However, they should consider whether any appeals, motions, or follow-on filings might be outstanding. Employers or petitioners who used Lozano to file employment-based petitions on behalf of foreign national workers should also assess whether any pending I-129 or related filings now require updated contact information or new legal representation.
Practical Implications
The most urgent practical step for anyone represented by Lozano is to update their mailing address with USCIS immediately. If USCIS cannot contact an applicant and lacks a valid attorney of record, it may send notices to an unmonitored address. Missing those notices can result in case abandonment, denial, or significant delays that are difficult to reverse.
VAWA, T, and U case filers encounter added complexity due to confidentiality rules. These rules specify how individuals manage and access their address information. USCIS has directed those individuals to a separate address-change procedure. It is important that they follow the correct process instead of using the general address-change pathway.
Former clients also have the option to withdraw their pending application or petition in writing. Withdrawal may not be suitable for everyone. The appropriateness of this action depends on the individual’s immigration situation and case specifics. Individuals in this position should be cautious about withdrawing without first consulting qualified legal counsel.
USCIS has also highlighted obtaining a copy of the alien file through a Freedom of Information Act request. This is another option available to affected individuals. It is essential to have a complete record of what was filed and when. Transitioning to new representation is a sensible first step, as the replacement attorney needs to understand what is pending and which documents have already been submitted.
What to Watch For Next
USCIS has not announced a specific deadline by which former Lozano clients must submit updated address information, but the practical deadline is effectively immediate: any case currently awaiting an RFE, interview notice, or other correspondence will stall if USCIS cannot reach the applicant. Individuals should not wait to act in hopes that further agency guidance will clarify their timeline.
It is also worth monitoring whether any state bars beyond Washington take reciprocal disciplinary action. Attorneys admitted in multiple states who face discipline in one jurisdiction are often subject to parallel proceedings in others, and the scope of BIA suspension already extends nationally across all federal immigration tribunals. Stakeholders affected by this situation should stay attentive to any further announcements from the BIA or DHS regarding related proceedings.
How Immigration Professional Association Can Help
This situation places thousands of individuals in a position that requires immediate, competent attention — and Immigration Professional Association is prepared to help. Our team regularly assists clients in transitioning from prior representation, reviewing the status of pending petitions and applications, and developing a clear path forward when a case has been interrupted by circumstances outside the client’s control.
For individuals with pending USCIS filings — whether family-based petitions, adjustment of status applications, VAWA self-petitions, or U and T visa matters — we can review what has been filed, identify what is outstanding, and help ensure that the transition to new representation does not result in missed deadlines or abandoned cases. We understand that many of the people affected by this situation are navigating the immigration system under already difficult circumstances, and we approach every case with the seriousness and care it deserves.
If you were a client of Alexandra Lozano and need guidance on how to protect your pending case, update your representation, or understand what steps come next, we encourage you to reach out to Immigration Professional Association. The situation calls for prompt attention, and our team is ready to help you take the right steps forward.
