Despite clean record, Massachusetts Governor Healey staffer could lose visa and job this week over President Trump policy

A staffer for Massachusetts Governor Healey could soon be out of a job, or worse.

Valentina Amaro Bowser is a Venezuelan immigrant serving as Media Director in Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s office. She has held this full-time role since 2023.

Originally from Venezuela, Amaro Bowser first arrived in the U.S. in 2013 on a student visa to attend college in Miami. She later transferred to Emerson College in Boston, where she graduated in 2018. After graduation, she obtained an H-1B work visa which was extended over time. When she joined the governor’s office in 2023, the state of Massachusetts took over sponsoring her H-1B visa.

According to MassLive, she is currently in the midst of a high-profile immigration challenge. Her H-1B work authorization is set to expire on February 14th, potentially forcing her onto unpaid leave and risking her job. She and her husband, Brandon Bowser, a U.S. citizen whom she married in late 2024 in Boston, filed a federal lawsuit late last month, in U.S. District Court in Boston. The suit names Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, and Boston field office director Jerry Scott Ammons as defendants. It seeks declaratory, mandamus, and injunctive relief to compel the federal government to process and approve her pending applications for work authorization extension and permanent residency.

The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration is unlawfully delaying or pausing processing of immigration benefits, including H-1B extensions and adjustment of status, for nationals of 39 countries, including Venezuela, under recent presidential proclamations aimed at restricting entry from certain nations for security reasons. Plaintiffs claim this amounts to discriminatory punishment based on nationality, despite her clean record, long legal residency, marriage to a U.S. citizen, and contributions to Massachusetts public service.

Governor Maura Healey has publicly defended her, stating that Bowser “wants to become a United States citizen – and deserves to be,” and that the administration “will not stop fighting for Valentina.” A Healey spokesperson confirmed Bowser would be placed on unpaid leave for two weeks starting around mid-February if no resolution is reached.