Courses | Columbia Law School

Research paper required.

Writing credit available.

This seminar will focus on current issues of immigration law and policy. We will study our immigration laws, examine how they work in practice, and analyze proposals for reform. We will also consider the rights of noncitizens under the immigration laws, as well as under general constitutional principles. This seminar will have a strong policy focus.

Among the issues the seminar will address are the rights of immigrants to due process and equal protection; the continuing relevance of and challenges to birthright citizenship; expatriating acts and loss of citizenship; the economic impact of immigrants on U.S. workers and businesses; the current system and proposed alternatives for admitting employment-based and family-based immigrants; business immigration visa categories and policy issues; employer sanctions; plenary power and limitations on consular and judicial review; the preemption doctrine and the constitutionality of state and local government efforts at immigration enforcement; asylum law protections and policy considerations; and deportation grounds and relief from removal.

We will analyze current legislative proposals to legalize the undocumented immigrant population, to create temporary guestworker programs, to increase workplace and border enforcement, and to reconfigure the family and employment-based immigration categories. The seminar will include a visit to the Immigration Court to observe an asylum hearing.

A research paper will be required. A prior course in immigration law is helpful, but not required.