Professor Lauris Wren, Attorney-in-Charge
Maximum Enrollment: 8 Students
In the Asylum Clinic, students represent asylum applicants in immigration proceedings before Asylum Officers, Immigration Judges, and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Our clients fled their countries because of torture or other persecution, based on race, religion, nationality, opinion, or membership in a particular social group. If they are granted asylum, our clients will be able to remain in the United States, to bring their immediate family here, and one year after winning asylum, to apply for permanent residence. Our clients’ lives literally depend on the outcome of the asylum case. Students have represented clients from such countries as: Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Eritrea, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India Jamaica, Mexico, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Tibet, Trinidad, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Venezuela.
For applicants to the Asylum Clinic, please write a one to two page statement of interest explaining why you are applying to the Clinic. In particular, I am interested in hearing of any prior experiences or demonstrations of interest in the following areas: immigration, international issues, political asylum, human rights, and public interest.