Immigration & Refugee Advocacy Clinic

A law student speaks with John Willshire Carrera, a HIRCP attorneyThe Immigration & Refugee Advocacy Clinic, directed by Sabrineh Ardalan, is one of the oldest immigrants’ rights clinics in the country. Founded in 1984 by Deborah Anker, the Clinic has supervised thousands of HLS students representing individuals seeking asylum and other forms of humanitarian protection in the United States.

The Clinic has also engaged in cutting-edge policy advocacy and appellate litigation before the Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court on issues ranging from expedited removal and gender-based asylum to due process protections in removal proceedings and discriminatory entry policies.

The Clinic’s team is interdisciplinary. Licensed Clinical Social Worker Liala Buoniconti and social work interns work closely with clinical students, staff, faculty, and clients to ensure the Clinic’s approach is holistic and trauma-sensitive.

Students in the Clinic work with experienced clinical instructors located either on the HLS campus or at Greater Boston Legal Services (“GBLS”). The Clinic’s long-standing partnership with GBLS has been a central component of the clinic for decades and offers clinical students an opportunity to work directly with legal services providers.

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