Immigration

Immigration Law Courses and Opportunities

Immigration lawyers work both for the government and for individuals seeking lawful status, legal residency or citizenship in the United States. Some work for companies or educational institutions, helping employees with immigration issues. Others serve individual clients. Some work for non-profit groups helping people seeking political asylum or other humanitarian immigration benefits. The immigration lawyer must be knowledgeable about immigration law, such as the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952 and amendments to the INA such as the 1996 Anti-Terrorist and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA), Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA), the 2001 USA PATRIOT Act, and the 2005 REAL ID Act, and their implementing regulations. In addition to these specific laws, the immigration lawyer must have a sophisticated understanding of the legal, social, historical, cultural and political factors that constructed immigration law and policy in the U.S., including the tension between the right of a sovereign nation to determine whom to admit to the nation state and the constitutional and human rights of noncitizens to gain admission or stay in the U.S., issues that arise between noncitizens and citizens of the U.S. with regard to employment, security, and civil rights and the tension between the federal and state governments in regulating immigration law.

 
Foundational Courses
Immigration Law
Constitutional Law I & II
Administrative Law
International Protection of Human Rights (EW)

Related Courses
Federal Courts
International Law
Evidence
Family Law
Employment Law
Advanced Criminal Law
Juvenile Justice
Legislation

Related Experiential Courses and Clinics
Trial Advocacy
Advanced Legal Research
Advanced Legal Writing and Editing
International and Foreign Legal Research
Civil Clinic
Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women

Externships
Human Rights Initiative of North Texas*
Catholic Charities of Dallas*
Mosaic Family Services*
RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services)*
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Dallas Immigration Court
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services

* denotes a public service placement

Professional Organizations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association, Law Student Membership ()
  • Federal Bar Association, Immigration Law Section, Associate Membership (law student rates)
  • Dallas Bar Association, Immigration Law Study Group
  • Dallas Hispanic Bar Association

Faculty 
Here are the full-time faculty and professional staff members who teach or have an interest in this area:
George A. Martinez
Natalie Nanasi