Students in the Worker & Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic (WIRAC) represent immigrants, low-wage workers, and their organizations in labor, immigration, criminal justice, civil rights, and other matters.  The clinic docket includes cases at all stages of legal proceedings in Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. District Court, the Second Circuit, and before Connecticut state agencies and courts.  Its non-litigation work includes the representation of grassroots organizations, labor unions, and other groups in regulatory and legislative reform efforts, media advocacy, strategic planning, and other matters.  All students handle at least one litigation and one non-litigation matter, and have the opportunity to explore multiple practice areas.  The WIRAC seminar meets weekly and is centered on a practice-oriented examination of advocacy on behalf of workers, immigrants, and social movements, and an extended analysis of community and social justice lawyering.

WIRAC is supported in part by the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation.

 

WIRAC members Dana Bolger ’19, Erin Drake ’20,
and Aseem Mehta ’20 in fall 2018.

Faculty

Michael Wishnie
Muneer Ahmad
Marisol Orihuela

Robert M. Cover Fellowship in the Worker & Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic

Read the 2022 Cover Fellowship in the Worker & Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic description.

Cases

Brizuela v. Feliciano

A proposed state-wide class action lawsuit against the Connecticut Department of Corrections (DOC) on behalf of all persons held by DOC on the basis of an immigration detainer.

Connecticut Students for a DREAM (C4D)

DREAM (C4D) is a statewide organization of immigrant youth compaigning to make state financial aid available without regard to immigration status

Giammarco v. Johnson

The clinic represents Arnold Giammarco, a recently deported U.S. veteran.

Mendoza v. Testo, et al.

Marvin Mendoza filed a federal lawsuit against Off the Hook Bar and Grill.

Perez v. Goodfellas Café, LLC.

Five former workers filed a federal lawsuit against Goodfellas Restaurant for violations of labor law.

Reid v. Donelan/In re Reid

The clinic represents Mark Reid, a legal permanent resident and veteran who was placed in removal proceedings and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Liberian Community Association of Connecticut v. Malloy

The Yale Global Health Justice Partnership and the Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Clinic represent clients challenging a pattern and practice of unlawful quarantine of travelers from countries affected by Ebola.

Rodriguez Alvarado v. United States

A lawsuit against the federal government seeking redress for the abuse, coercion, and prolonged detention suffered by Suny Rodriguez Alvarado and her nine-year old son, Angelo, while detained for months by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Batalla Vidal v. Nielsen

A lawsuit challenging the implementation of the Obama administration’s 2014 immigration relief initiatives, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded DACA.

Darweesh et al. v. Trump et al

The WIRAC clinic joined with other legal organizations to file suit on behalf of Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi in response to President Trump’s executive order banning certain immigrants and refugees from the U.S.
 

J.S.R v. Sessions; V.F.B v Sessions

WIRAC Files Emergency Lawsuit to Reunify Asylum-Seeking Families

Connecticut Work-Care Helpline

The Connecticut Work-Care Helpline protects the rights of pregnant workers, new parents, caregivers and victims of family violence to time off work, paid sick leave, and workplace accommodations.

Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance

The clinic has represented the Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance (CIRA)—a grassroots coalition of immigrant, faith, labor, youth, community, business and ally organizations—in legislative, regulatory, and litigation matters. In recent years, the clinic’s representation has focused on CIRA’s campaign to break the prison-to-deportation pipeline in Connecticut.

Celimen Savino, et al. v. Souza

A lawsuit seeking emergency release for all immigrants held by ICE in Bristol County and a ban on any new ICE admissions to the jail.

Ways to Engage

LSO Clinic

Our Clinics

Yale Law School offers more than 30 clinics that provide students with hands-on, practical experience in the law on a diverse range of subject matters.

YLS classroom in session

Simulation

Yale Law School offers a suite of innovative simulation courses based on real-world case studies.

Centers and Workshops

Yale Law School enhances the intellectual life of its academic community by sponsoring a variety of centers, programs, and workshops, inspired by the interests of its faculty and students.

“

The best part of YLS is the community. Since my first small group class, I was constantly inspired and challenged by my law school classmates. They are more than brilliant — they are thoughtful, passionate, and most of all, they are leaders. ”

Rahael Seifu

Class of 2007, Senior Counsel at Google