Immigration is one of the most contentious issues facing society today. Experience in the field will help prepare you for career opportunities in law firms, nonprofit legal organizations, government and international organizations — both in immigration law and in a wide variety of other areas within the law. The need for immigration attorneys is expected to grow as government rules continue to change — and as people from other nations keep coming to our shores for sanctuary and a better life, to be reunited with family, or to pursue studies or business opportunities.
As a student lawyer in the clinic, you will provide pro bono representation and make a profound difference in the lives of people who have fled torture, violence, persecution, or rape and other abuse in their home countries. In some cases, your client's freedom — or life — is at stake.
Since 2001, our students have resolved more than 200 cases in Immigration Court, before the U.S. Court of Appeals, or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Clinic students have been successful in securing asylum, winning protection under the Convention Against Torture or otherwise obtaining legal status for almost every client.
USC Gould Immigration clients Bibiana and Tindi Mashamba are safe in Los Angeles, thanks to the work of USC law students, who fought for their asylum and ultimately proved that the teenagers would face grave danger if they returned to Tanzania.
