Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies (CHRHS)

The Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice (SCIJ)

The Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice (SCIJ) trains undergraduate students to provide free legal services to asylum seekers and to organize for immigrant justice. When an asylum seeker does not have legal representation, immigration courts in the US deny 90% of cases. But with representation, asylum seekers are 5x more likely to win their case. With nearly 500,000 pending asylum cases, there are not enough lawyers to meet the need.

Through a collaborative partnership, CHRHS and SCIJ train students at Brown to provide legal services to asylum seekers and organize for immigrant justice.This program is open to all Brown University undergraduate students and SCIJ strongly encourages first-years and students with direct connections to immigration to apply.

During the fall semester, SCIJ's training will give students a broad overview of immigration law so they are prepared to provide legal services to immigrants, teach about the history and systemic issues with US immigration, and build student's skills in community organizing and advocacy. Then, starting in the spring semester, students begin to apply this knowledge by directly providing legal services to asylum seekers.

Call for Applications for the 2024-2025 Program Cohort will open in Fall 2024.

 

About SCIJ

SCIJ's mission is to provide representation for all asylum seekers by training college students to become immigration advocates, and to fight for a socially just immigration system and community transformation. To learn more, visit SCIJimmigration.org or contact SCIJ's Executive Director, Jonathan Goldman
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Questions?

  • SCIJ specific questions contact Jonathan Goldman 
  • CHRHS-SCIJ Partnership questions contact CHRHS Program Manager Maggie Murphy