SLS Immigrants’ Rights Clinic Files Federal Lawsuit on Behalf of Local and National Organizations Against Dept. of Homeland Security for Improperly Withholding Records about Trump Administration’s Immigration Priorities

Stanford, Calif., June 7, 2018—The Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Stanford Law School today filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to obtain information about the Trump Administration’s immigration priorities on behalf of Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG).   

Immigrants' Rights Clinic 57
Anthony Gutierrez JD ’19

The lawsuit seeks to uncover information about how the Trump Administration prioritizes immigration arrests. Previous administrations have set “prosecutorial discretion” guidelines that required immigration agents to prioritize only certain immigrants for deportation. The Trump Administration rescinded these earlier guidelines but has not publicly released new guidance. The lawsuit asks a federal district judge to force the Trump Administration to reveal how it is choosing which immigration cases to prioritize.  

The Trump Administration’s failure to reveal its immigration policies has caused fear and confusion in immigrant communities across the United States, including in Northern California.

The federal complaint filed today was written by Stanford Law students Anthony Gutierrez (’19) and Ruthie Welch (‘19), under the supervision of Clinic Director Jayashri Srikantiah and Clinical Supervising Attorney Jennifer Stark. The Immigrants’ Rights Clinic brought this lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552 et seq. (“FOIA”), on behalf of CLSEPA and NIPNLG.

A copy of the complaint can be found here.

About the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic
Students in the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic have full responsibility for defending clients against deportation in San Francisco Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts of appeals. As part of that work, students write complex legal briefs, argue cases, conduct fact investigation, interview witnesses and clients, and represent clients in mini-trials. Students also engage in cutting-edge litigation and advocacy in partnership with local and national immigrants’ rights organizations.

About Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is one of the nation’s leading institutions for legal scholarship and education. Its alumni are among the most influential decision makers in law, politics, business, and high technology. Faculty members argue before the Supreme Court, testify before Congress, produce outstanding legal scholarship and empirical analysis, and contribute regularly to the nation’s press as legal and policy experts. Stanford Law School has established a model for legal education that provides rigorous interdisciplinary training, hands-on experience, global perspective, and focus on public service, spearheading a movement for change.