Student Engagement: 黑料门University Chicago

Student Engagement

As a critical part of our mission, the CHRC looks to involve others who are passionate about advancing efforts to understand, protect, and apply the human rights of children. We invite students, faculty, and staff from 黑料门and surrounding universities to become involved with research projects, events, and other initiatives. The CHRC also frequently offers fellowship and internship opportunities, to support various endeavors in this field.

Course Offerings

Immigration Practicum 鈥� Advancing International Human Rights Protections (Law 470 鈥� 4 LCE 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 a class on abolition in the context of immigration.

Students will receive 2 LCE credits for participation in the seminar component which includes working on immigration and asylum cases in connection with the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). Students will develop affidavits, evidence, country conditions, and trial briefs in support of NIJC clients under faculty supervision.
An additional 2 LCE credits are offered for the weeklong service immersion trip to the US-Mexico border hosted during the week of spring break. These trips involve working alongside legal services providers on the US-Mexico border on behalf of detained immigrants. ImmigrationPracticumFAQs.

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

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

Section 001 (2 credits) 鈥� 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.

鈥� (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 鈥� 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.

Refugee Law and Policy (Law 273 鈥� 2 credits)

Refugee law is one of the most dynamic and rewarding areas of law. Nonetheless, in observing the administration of refugee law, we bear witness to some of the United States鈥� most egregious human rights abuses and the abandonment, in some cases, of the rule of law. The goal of this course is to teach students the history of the norm of non-refoulement and, in doing so, to understand how political, religious, racial and other minority groups are intended to be protected (from persecution, from torture, and from death). Students will learn the history of the Refugee Convention鈥攆or whom the document was written, and, consequently, who is left out of protection (considering for example the treatment of victims of private-sphere persecution or climate refugees). Students will learn the role of xenophobia, racism, and subjugation of the 鈥渙ther鈥� in this case the 鈥渁lien鈥�-other in administering the rule of asylum law. The class will contain a comparative analysis of refugee law under various international and domestic systems. Finally, students will learn about the treatment of child asylum seekers in the United States鈥攏amely, the treatment of children as adults in miniature and the 鈥渙thering鈥� that facilitates this deviant practice.

This course is ambitiously designed to teach the contours of law through both an Ignatian lens and through the lens of anti-racism, often calling upon the tenets of abolition to understand a path forward. In doing so, this course employs extensive reading, not only from a course book, but from the lived experience (articles, observations, discussions with/of/by those seeking and offering protection in the United States) and vis-脿-vis Catholic pedagogy (namely, by exploring the teachings of Pope Francis). The centerpiece of the Pontificate鈥檚 teachings concern embracing the foreigner, the migrant, and the refugee 鈥渙ther鈥� in a radical call for protection and equitable treatment in all aspects of daily life.

Student Opportunities

Applications Due May 23, 2025

Are you a passionate law student ready to use your legal skills to advocate for justice and advance human rights? The Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC) at 黑料门University Chicago School of Law invites you to apply for the 2025-2026 academic year CHRC Legal Fellowship—a competitive and impactful academic fellowship opportunity designed to equip future lawyers with hands-on experience in interdisciplinary advocacy.

CHRC Legal Fellows will report to the Director and Co-Director. Work will be conducted on-site and virtually.

As a CHRC Legal Fellow, you’ll join a dynamic team committed to centering children’s rights and voices in law, policy, and practice. This includes:

Gain real-world experience working 10–12 hours per week on cutting-edge legal and policy issues;
Contribute to impactful advocacy in our intersectional, focus areas of child trafficking and exploitation, child migration, and climate justice;
Learn from and collaborate with experts across disciplines to advance intersectional human rights efforts;
Participate in events, publications, and potentially represent CHRC in local or national forums.
A tuition remission scholarship for the academic year ($7000)*;

Professional mentorship from faculty and legal practitioners;
A unique chance to shape public policy and make a difference in the lives of children;
Skill-building in legal writing, policy analysis, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community-centered advocacy.

We strongly encourage applications from students who:

Are a 2L, 3L, or 4L/WJD;

Identify with or are from the communities CHRC seeks to serve;
Have a demonstrated commitment to issues such as child rights, anti-trafficking, immigration/migration justice, racial equity, and environmental advocacy;
Are eager to work in collaborative, justice-oriented environments.

Other qualifications:

Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Strong writing skills, including ability to adapt writing for various audiences ranging from layperson to seasoned legal professional.
Strong time management and organizational skills - stays on top of multiple projects, develops and executes a plan of action.
Strong research skills. Legal research is a priority, interdisciplinary research also desired.
Proficiency in second language desired.

*Students must be eligible to receive tuition remission.

Applications are due by May 23, 2025. Interested applicants should send their cover letter and resume via email with the subject line, “2025/26 CHRC Fellowship,” to to Liza Rivas at lrivas1@luc.edu.

Questions? Please contact CHRC Director, Katherine Kaufka Walts at kkaufkawalts@luc.edu or CHRC Associate Director, Sarah Diaz at sdiaz10@luc.edu.

The Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC) at 黑料门University Chicago School of Law is seeking a research assistant for the Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 semesters.* The Center works with LUC faculty and students, community-based organizations, and non-governmental and governmental organizations in the US and internationally. The program provides an academic opportunity for graduate-level students to be trained in research and advocacy that promotes the human rights of children. The Research Assistant will provide research support to ongoing CHRC projects in law, policy, and practice. The position requires 10-15 hours per week, at an hourly rate commensurate with School of Law policy. The Research Assistant will become familiar with current children’s rights policies and laws, issues, and develop and identify strategies to ensure the protection of children. The Research Assistant will work directly with the CHRC Director and Associate Director.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested candidates should send their resume and cover letter to Liza Rivas at lrivas1@luc.edu. Please indicate which academic semester(s) you are available.

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