Immigration & Naturalization (LAW-655-001)
Gabriel Gonzalez
Meets: 06:00 PM - 07:20 PM (TuTh)
Enrolled: 20 / Limit: 45
Notices
There are no notices at this time.
Description
Immigration law is an area of law where one person can make a meaningful contribution, whether to one client or to an entire Agency. Immigration law is about people, and every person, every claim for relief, every statute to interpret will lead you through a different path. >/p>
I hope that you will find this class rewarding and that it helps you understand how immigration law has helped shape the United States.
This class will provide you with an introduction to immigration law – an area of the law that is complex, ever-changing, often frustrating, and subject to political winds, and that also can be the foundation for many rewarding legal careers. ?
Most of the class is devoted to a close analysis of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (INA), as amended by numerous laws, and the Act’s implementing regulations. In particular, we will focus on the Act’s provisions regarding the admission of nonimmigrants and immigrants into the U.S.; the deportation and exclusion of nonimmigrants and immigrants; refugee and asylum law; the regulation of noncitizen employment; and the acquisition of citizenship.
We will then discuss some of the major constitutional questions in immigration law, including the source of federal power over immigration and the division of authority between the executive and legislative branches.
Finally, the course provides an introduction to the immigration bureaucracy, focusing on the roles played by federal agencies and their interactions with the legislative and judicial branches. Throughout the course we will discuss the policy questions that shape the INA and other immigration laws, regulations, and practices.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
Course Materials
- Casebook: Stephen H. Legomsky & David B. Thronson, Immigration and Refugee Law and Policy (7th ed. 2019) (referred to throughout the syllabus as “CB”)
- Regarding statutory sections that you need to read, I direct you to reading those online (the Cornell site is solid), rather than having you buy another book (i.e., Aleinikoff et al., Immigration & Nationality Law of the U.S.: Selected Statutes 2020). You may purchase the book if you prefer.
- I have also assigned some op-eds, articles, government documents, and other materials, which should also be posted under the course modules. If any of these become no longer available, I will replace them with other options.
Other Resources:
Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook, by Ira Kurzban. A useful (but expensive) volume intended for immigration practitioners (may be available through the law library).
First Class Readings
- Overview of immigration law [CB 1-11]
- Moral Dimensions of Immigration Law [CB 27-38]
Syllabus
Use your MyAU username and password to access the syllabus in the following format(s):
Microsoft Word 2007 (DOCX)