Asylum and Human Rights Clinic

The Asylum and Human Rights Clinic provides desperately-needed representation to refugees fleeing from persecution, while giving law students an intensive learning experience that enhances their advocacy skills, fosters cross-cultural sensitivity and competence, and deepens their understanding of international human rights issues. Over its first six years, the Clinic has gained asylum or equivalent relief for 45 clients and their families, enabling them to remain in the United States as lawful residents rather than be deported to countries where they face persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or social group. The Asylum Clinic's representation has resulted in successful outcomes for our clients in 88% of the cases that it has handled so far. In contrast, the average "grant" rate for asylum cases in the immigration courts nationwide over roughly the same period has been 31%. The Clinic's success shows how essential it is for asylum seekers to have vigorous and effective legal representation. Not every case, of course, results in a grant of asylum, and for those clients whose cases could not be won the zealous representation and emotional support provided by the Clinic's law students was equally important.

The remarkable stories of several of the cases handled by the Asylum and Human Rights Clinic during the 2007-08 academic year are told below. The sections that follow provide a fuller description of the Clinic's program, staff, and activities.