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Harvard University Law School - Immigration and Refugee Clinic

  • Location:
    6 Everett St
    Suite 3103
    Cambridge, MA 02138
  • Phone:
    (617) 384-8165
  • Fax:
    (617) 495-8595
  • Contact methods:
    Email
  • Appointments accepted:
    No

The Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC), in partnership with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), has worked with hundreds of immigrants and refugees since its founding in 1984. HIRC combines representation of individual applicants for asylum and related relief with the development of theories and policy relating to asylum law. HIRC students take the lead in representing clients from all over the world who are seeking protection from human rights abuses in their country of origin, protection from exile after years of living in the United States, or reunification with their families. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have engaged HIRC in the training of immigration judges and asylum officers with regard to issues relating to asylum law. HIRC published the first major treatise on U.S. asylum law, The Law of Asylum in the United States. In addition, HIRC provides advice, support, and supplemental services to advocates around the United States.

State served: Massachusetts

Services Provided

Are immigration legal services provided? Yes
Areas of immigration legal assistance: Asylum applications, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Removal hearings, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions
Types of immigration legal services provided: Representation at Asylum Interviews (Credible Fear Interviews, Reasonable Fear Interviews), Representation before the Immigration Court, Representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), Federal court appeals
Non-legal services: Administrative advocacy (CIS/ICE/CBP), Housing referrals, Legislative advocacy (state or national), Referrals to other services
Populations served: Detained individuals, Domestic Violence Victims, Human Trafficking Survivors, Individuals who are not in legal immigration status, Individuals with criminal histories, Individuals with physical/mental disabilities, Juveniles, Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender, Torture survivors
Languages spoken: English, Farsi, French, Spanish
Access to a commercial interpreting service or language bank: No
Nominal fee charged? No
Other information: Clients must be able to travel to the office.