Five years after the VOICES Act became law in Illinois, the IRC has conducted a statewide survey to evaluate its impact. This survey revealed widespread violations of the VOICES Act by agencies across the state.
When Victor Cedeño, ’21, heard last fall that the Law School was set to launch a new Immigrants’ Rights Clinic—a combination of litigation and policy work led by a rising star in the field—he knew he wanted in.
About the Clinic
The Immigrants' Rights Clinic provides legal representation to immigrant communities in Chicago and around the country, including individual representation of immigrants in removal proceedings, immigration-related complex federal litigation, and policy and community education projects on behalf of community-based organizations. Students will interview clients, develop claims and defenses, draft complaints, engage in motion practice and settlement discussions, appear in federal, state, and administrative courts, and brief and argue appeals. In the policy and community education projects, students may develop and conduct community presentations, draft and advocate for legislation at the state and local levels and provide support to immigrants' rights organizations. Current projects include a high-profile national security habeas petition, a civil rights lawsuit against an Illinois County for violating the Illinois Way Forward Act prohibiting immigration detention in Illinois, a Seventh Circuit appeal regarding the definition of “crime of violence” under federal immigration law, a lawsuit on behalf of a father and son separated at the border as a result of the Trump Administration’s zero tolerance policy, and representation of refugees evacuated from Syria and Afghanistan, unaccompanied minors from Central America and human trafficking victims.
Both 2L and 3L students are encouraged to apply. Students with questions may contact Professor Hallett at [email protected] to learn more.
Iraqi refugee Omar Ameen has won a ruling from a federal immigration judge that bars the government from sending him back to Iraq because of the possibility he could face torture there, but the Sac
The Immigrants’ Rights Clinic (IRC) had a busy year with several federal lawsuits and multiple victories for our clients. As always, IRC took on a variety of immigration-related cases, including individual representations, federal impact litigation, challenges to immigration detention, national security-related cases, and applications for humanitarian relief.