The Trump Administration, COVID-19, and the continuing assault on the rights of asylum seekers and refugees
HIRC Director Sabi Ardalan recently published a post on the Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law’s COVID-19 Watch Hub.
Immigration representation during a pandemic
While many businesses and institutions across the country have temporarily closed due to COVID-19, students, staff, and attorneys at the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) have continued to work with clients throughout the pandemic. Since all work has moved remote, HIRC has had to adapt to new restrictions and rules in order to…
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HIRC signs on to letter denouncing illegal expulsions by DHS
The Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) joined over 100 legal, faith-based, humanitarian, human rights and community organizations in signing on to a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which urges DHS to immediately stop the expulsion of asylum-seekers. The letter raises deep concerns over…
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HIRC fights for release of detainees
As COVID-19 continues to spread, more and more people are feeling the impacts of this pandemic. Detainees face particularly grave health risks and HIRC is working tirelessly to advocate for the release of all immigrants in detention. Recently, HIRC attorneys and students submitted a number of habeas petitions on behalf of clients who are currently…
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HIRC co-signs letter on ICE’s Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations response to COVID-19
Recently, the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) joined the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Prisoners Legal Services of Massachusetts in submitting a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local county sheriffs/wardens of the jails that contract with ICE, urging them to release immigrants in ICE custody in light of the ongoing…
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Supporting immigrants during the COVID-19 crisis
(Espanol abajo) The COVID-19 pandemic has put extraordinary strains on individuals across the Commonwealth. While this crisis has affected all members of our community in some capacity, it has created unique obstacles for immigrant families and workers. To that end, we have compiled a growing list of resources for those in need and those looking…
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Immigration professors urge action from EOIR on COVID-19
On March 20th, immigration professors from across the country, including HIRC Director Sabi Ardalan and Managing Attorney Phil Torrey, submitted a joint letter to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which urges EOIR to develop and enact policies that address the COVID-19 crisis and its possible effects on immigration court proceedings. The letter has…
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HIRC Statement on COVID-19 and ICE Activity
As the status of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shift, many people across the United States are experiencing drastic changes in their day-to-day life. For the Harvard Law School community this has meant that all students are no longer on campus for the remainder of the semester and HLS staff has transitioned to remote work…
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