Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.’s (CLINIC’s) mission is to enhance and expand the delivery of legal services and immigration-related education to indigent and low-income immigrants, principally through community-based immigration programs and immigrant self-help organizations. Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration brings the best in social science, legal and policy expertise to the complex issues raised by international migration, both in its research and academic programs.

The goal of the project is to promote greater respect and protection of the human rights of immigrants. The specific objectives are: 1) to mainstream the human rights focus into representation, advocacy and education/training activities of our organizations and our collaborators; 2) build capacity to inform noncitizens about their rights and to encourage community advocates, service providers, and law students to reflect upon and apply relevant human rights norms and laws to their study and work; and 3) forge effective collaborations between universities and practitioners on human rights practice.

The foundation of this work is to undertake a review of the applicability of international and human rights norms in promoting the rights of migrants and refugees, with an initial focus on children in migration. Having made a comprehensive analysis of the applicability of these instruments, the research team will prepare a report on the applicability and use of regional and international human rights norms and laws to protecting the rights of noncitizen children in the United States.

The second phase of the project involves the development and pilot-testing of curricula, initially concentrating on curricula for community-based immigration practitioners. The practitioner curriculum will provide an overview of applicable international human rights instruments and ways to incorporate these standards into community advocacy and legal representation of immigrants.

In a future phase of the project, we plan to develop ‘know your rights’ workshops and training materials for members of unauthorized migrant families. Also in a future phase, the project will enhance the use of human rights norms and laws in our own organizations’ representation of migrants and asylum seekers, especially those in deportation and detention.