Immigration Clinic

Students enrolled in the Immigration Clinic represent indigent immigrants who are seeking lawful permanent residence in the United States or are seeking to defend against removal proceedings.  Students will practice under the supervision of the Director of the Immigration Clinic before the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service CIS) and/or in the Immigration Court in Boston.

In the Immigration Court, students will argue bond motions for detained clients, conduct direct examination of witnesses, raise evidentiary objections and argue points of law. In preparation for hearings, students research and write motions and memoranda of law, gather documents in support of applications for relief from removal, interview witnesses, draft affidavits and research human rights issues in the countries of removal.

Applications for relief from removal can include asylum and other relief based on fear of persecution in the country of removal, waivers of deportation for long-term residents of the U.S., adjustment of status for noncitizens with U.S. citizen family and relief for victims of domestic violence. 

Before the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service, students will prepare a variety of applications for immigration benefits and represent clients at interviews scheduled by CIS relating to those applications.

In addition to case representation, students may conduct “Know Your Rights” presentations for the immigrant communities in Rhode Island and for noncitizens who are detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Bristol County House of Corrections in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Students may conduct intake interviews following these presentations and provide consultations under the supervision of a faculty member.

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.