CLINICAL PROGRAMS : IMMIGRATION CLINIC

Duration: Full-year clinic
Credits: 8 credits (4 credits per semester/letter grade)

Students will represent non-citizens facing deportation from the United States and seeking to redress misconduct by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (“ICE”) agents during arrest.  Individual representation will include deportation defense before the Immigration Court in the clinic’s on-going cases (political asylum, cancellation of removal, U-Visas, etc) as well as intake and representation of persons seeking release from civil detention and relief from deportation.  Through individual representation, students will be exposed to all aspects of litigation including fact development (in-depth client interviewing), legal research and writing, witness preparation, oral arguments and direct and cross-examinations in court in a closely supervised setting.  Students will also work on a range of legislative and advocacy projects that will include collaborations with nationally recognized co-counsel, community organizations and the media.  The class will focus on preparation for interviewing clients as well as preparation for oral and written arguments to the Immigration Court.  This includes heavy emphasis on the Immigration and Nationality Act, its accompanying regulations and interpretive case law and agency memoranda.

In order to prepare for the rigorous advocacy these cases require, students will participate in an intensive out of class simulation first semester which consists of interviewing and counseling a client, preparing motions to the Immigration Court and arguing those motions in a Mock Hearing at the end of first semester.  At the same time that students are engaged in the simulation, they will also be conducting intake and working on the Clinic’s on-going cases.  Thus, the time commitment for first semester is substantial and it is recommended that students take an otherwise light load.

Students also must be available for visits to the Suffolk County Jail on Wednesday mornings from 8:30 am – 1:00 pm.  Every student will not visit the jail every week, but it is best if students do not have classes scheduled during this time.  Each student will also need to set aside an hour a week for supervision with Professor Shah, days and times to be determined.  Students are required to have taken or be currently enrolled in Immigration Law and Criminal Procedure.  Fluency in relevant languages other than English (particularly Spanish and Portuguese) is preferred.  Students who have already taken Immigration Law and Criminal Procedure or are fluent in a relevant second language will be given preference. 

Questions: Contact Ragini Shah at rnshah@suffolk.edu