One thing is for sure: I didn’t wake up one day and realize I wanted to become a social worker. This realization came with many academic and life experiences that brought me to pursue this journey. In undergrad, I majored in English Writing and wasn’t sure where life would take me after that. My first…
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The Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) is deeply disappointed by today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on Department of Homeland Security v. Thuraissigiam, which will fast-track deportations of certain asylum-seekers. HIRC had previously submitted an amicus brief in this case. We echo the words of ACLU attorney Lee Geherent, who argued the case before the…
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HIRC Director Sabi Ardalan was one of the many Harvard community members who spoke with the Harvard Gazette about the recent DACA decision.
“‘Given the tough questions asked at oral argument, it wasn’t at all clear which way the court would come out,’ said Sabrineh Ardalan, director of the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical program, which provides legal help to immigrants. ‘This is such a critically important victory and recognition that the Trump administration’s efforts to end DACA…
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This is a reflection piece by HIRC Summer Intern Alma Estefani Martinez Ramirez Today marks a historic day: June 19th is known as Juneteenth, which memorializes the day slavery ended in the United States in June 19, 1865. On this day, Texas was officially the last state liberated from slavery, making the United States free…
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Today, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will block the Trump Administration’s misguided attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA, which was established by former President Barack Obama in 2012, provides protection against deportation and work authorization to over 600,000 individuals in the United States. “We applaud the Court’s…
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This Friday, June 19th at 2pm EST/ 11am PST please tune in for a virtual panel discussion with DACAmented or formerly undocumented Harvard staff professionals, who will share advice and personal reflections about living with and without DACA, how they’ve advocated for immigrant communities throughout their higher education, and how they’ve navigated their careers given…
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The Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) strongly opposes the Trump administration’s proposed regulations on asylum, which were announced on June 10, 2020. These sweeping regulatory changes would undermine critical legal protections for immigrants fleeing persecution and torture. In its proposal, the administration admits that “the proposed changes are likely to result in few…
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“‘Our concern is that due to COVID-19 safety restrictions, USCIS will likely only be able to naturalize a handful of individuals at each ceremony,’ said Sameer Ahmed, clinical instructor at the Harvard program. ‘Given that the federal court previously held large-scale oath ceremonies for hundreds of individuals, we believe that the agency’s current effort will be unable to resolve the significant…
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“Sameer Ahmed, an attorney and clinical instructor with Harvard’s Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program, estimates nearly 7,000 Massachusetts residents — and more than 100,000 people nationwide — are still waiting to take the citizenship oath.”