This seminar will examine the rights of non-citizens in the context of a variety of substantive areas of domestic law. We will analyze the effect of immigration status on eligibility for public benefits, health care, housing, education, employment, identification documents, and driver's licenses. The course will examine current struggles over immigrants' rights in the U.S., including police power in immigration enforcement, local government efforts to drive immigrants from communities, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. We will study the intersection of immigration and family, including domestic violence in immigrant communities. The course will offer a brief overview of substantive immigration law but will not cover topics taught in a traditional immigration law course. Students will research and write a paper on a related topic and give an oral presentation to the class about the research topic. Students will read and provide written critiques on other students' drafts.
April 6, 2011