Student Engagement

Immigration Practicum – Advancing International Human Rights Protections (Law 470 – 2 to 4 credits)

Immigration law is one of the most complex, dynamic, and rewarding areas of practice. At the same time, in the practice of immigration, we witness some of the United States’ most egregious human rights abuses (from indefinite detention to family separation) While immigration and human rights are often viewed as specialized fields that rarely connect to other public interest areas of law, including child and family law, poverty law, housing, education, health, and criminal justice; the disciplines are all, in fact, intersecting and bear upon the ability of both documented and undocumented to people to exercise their rights. The goal of this course is to teach the current realities of immigration law as experienced in practice, to understand immigration in the larger human rights paradigm, and to show how it intersects with other fields of public interest law in the pursuit of social justice. Substantive topics include family immigration, protection for persons fleeing persecution, unaccompanied children, crimmigration, the right to life and US border policy, and abolitionist theory.  Practical topics include providing trauma informed services, affidavit drafting, brief writing, and deportation defense exercises.

• Students will receive 2 skills credits for participating in the seminar component only.
• The practicum is offered for 2 skills credits and one experiential learning credit to students interested in an immigration law externship in conjunction with the seminar.

Service Trip

• The practicum is offered for 2 skills credits and 2 experiential learning credits to students interested in participating in an immersive spring break legal service trip to the US Southern border, partnering with local legal service providers working with detained immigrant children and families. Learn more

Human Trafficking Seminar & Practicum– Advancing Protections for Children (NEW!)

(Law 249; Sections 001 - 002)
Fall 2022
Loyola University Chicago

Section 001 (2 credits) – Human trafficking is one of the most egregious crimes that occurs both globally and domestically. While there have been improvements to both global and domestic responses to human trafficking, children who are compelled into forced labor and sexual exploitation continue to be the least identified cohort of survivors. This interactive and interdisciplinary seminar will explore the legal, social, and practical issues confronting children who are survivors of human trafficking, as well as an examination of efforts to prevent and intervene in this social problem. While the seminar will focus on unique issues affecting (international and US citizen) survivors of child trafficking, students will gain knowledge and skills that are applicable to other marginalized populations of children and youth, as well as adult trafficking survivors.

The seminar will begin with an overview of a history of anti-slavery statutes and case law to provide a foundation for contemporary international human rights and domestic laws addressing human trafficking. Students will be introduced to various frameworks, including criminal justice, public health, gender-based, human rights, and abolitionist, to combat human trafficking. Students will analyze current research in the field, and explore interventions utilized by both legal, social and public health providers. Assignment and exercises will include mock interviews, critical analysis of legislation, and a final project addressing ways to advance the movement to combat child trafficking in the United States. Scholars and practitioners in the field will provide occasional guest lectures.

Section 002 – (1-2 credits) The live client experience (LCE) component of this course is available for a select number of students who are interested in augmenting the seminar with experiential work (legal research, advocacy, policy, direct services) that intersects with child trafficking. This can include working on projects at the Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC), or placement at an off-site organization providing legal services to human trafficking survivors. Applications for Section 002 are required, and student selection will depend on the number of positions available at selected external sites and CHRC. Participants will be selected by Katherine Kaufka Walts, Director, Center for the Human Rights of Children. While students with a demonstrated interest in this topic will be prioritized, no prior training or experience is required. 1 credit is equivalent to 55 hours of work.

Note: 1L students are not eligible for LCE credits.

Questions? Contact Katherine Kaufka Walts at kkaufkawalts@luc.edu.

International Human Rights (Law 294 – 2 credits)

This course offers an introduction to the theory and practice of international human rights law. Through course readings and discussion, students will learn about international and domestic laws and institutions responsible for the creation and operation of the human rights regime. The course will examine sources of international human rights laws including treaties, customary international law, and domestic law. The course will evaluate international mechanisms involved in human rights protection including the United Nations, regional mechanisms (such as the Inter-American, European and African systems). In addition to legal theory, the course will help students understand the practice of human rights law with an eye toward understanding the place of the United States in the support of and adherence to human rights norms.

The CHRC Legal Fellowship program is an academic internship opportunity with the Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC) for Loyola law students (2L-3L). This competitive scholarship program provides a Loyola University Chicago School of Law student with tuition remission for the academic year and an internship opportunity at the CHRC.   

The program provides an opportunity for students to be trained in interdisciplinary research and advocacy that promotes the human rights of children in CHRC’s core focus areas: trafficking and exploitation, immigration and climate impact. Fellows will become familiar with current children’s rights laws and policy and help

Recognizing that much of CHRC’s work involves advocacy, applied research, and outreach on behalf of racially and ethnically marginalized communities, the CHRC will give preference to candidates from the communities that CHRC seeks to serve and/or students with a clearly demonstrated commitment to the areas of child exploitation and trafficking, child migration, and climate impact on youth. To apply for the CHRC Fellowship, please submit a cover letter explaining your nexus to or commitment to communities in these areas of impact. Applications are due by May 25, 2023.  Interested applicants should send their cover letter and resume to CHRC Associate Director, Sarah Diaz, at sdiaz10@luc.edu.

The CHRC is seeking a part-time law student to assist with policy analysis and research addressing contemporary issues facing children in the United States and internationally, including child trafficking and issues facing child migrants. Duties and responsibilities will include working with the Center Director to analyze current and pending policies, identify and analyze research (legal and social science), respond to policies, legislation, develop briefs and other publications related to the issue. This internship is an excellent opportunity to work on an issue that has both national and international impact addressing the rights of trafficked children.

Application Deadline: TBD Spring 2022

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and CDC guidance, IDP participants will not travel in 2021. All work will be completed remotely, both synchronously and asynchronously, with supervision.

The Immigration Detention Project (IDP) provides an opportunity for School of Law students, faculty, and alumni to provide direct representation of detained immigrants around the country where the need is greatest. Faculty and practitioners will supervise students, with one practitioner per two students. Selected participants will collaborate with local and national immigrant legal service provider organizations to advance their work. Some cases may require ongoing representation, which will be coordinated through the Center for the Human Rights of Children.

There are two possible sessions for participation, students can choose the session that best fits their schedules.

Session 1: January 11 – 15, 2021, 8:30 am  - 5pm 

Session 2: February  5, 12, 19, 26, and March 5 (5 Fridays) 8:30am- 5pm

Up to 16 student participants will be selected for this experience via an application process (number will vary by session and projects available). Selected students will participate in both coursework related to each session, as well as training related to their substantive work assigned for their session. The coursework for each session will cover a brief history of immigration law and policy, and an introduction to foundational law and skills applicable to the work completed during that session, which may include Special Juvenile Status applications, asylum applications, preparation for credible fear interviews, as well as more complex policy projects, or appellate work. Each session will provide in-person, skills-based training, including trauma-informed interviewing, legal research and writing, and managing vicarious trauma. Reading materials will be assigned in advance. 

Student participants should expect to commit their entire day during business hours during each session. Optional luncheon and evening programs will be provided to learn more about the work of community-based organizations collaborating with each legal service partner. Participants may be required to submit personal information to access confidential databases and servers of partner organizations.

Please access the application (named 2020 IDP, but updated for 2021) here.

For more information about the Immigration Detention Project, please contact Katherine Kaufka Walts (kkaufkawalts@luc.edu), Director, Center for the Human Rights of Children, or Sarah Diaz (sdiaz10@luc.edu), Associate Director, Center for the Human Rights of Children.