Citizenship and Immigration Clinic

The Citizenship and Immigration Program provides direct representation to immigrants in south and central Virginia who cannot afford the services of private attorneys, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable populations. It is located at Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. We work with unaccompanied minors, victims of domestic violence, and refugees to obtain immigration benefits that allow them to fully pursue their lives in the United States. The Program handles U visas, VAWA self-petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile cases, deportation defense, asylum claims, applications for permanent residence, BIA appeals, and other immigration cases for those who cannot afford private attorneys.

This Program has made a deliberate effort to extend its reach to all parts of southwest Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, and as far as Richmond. We currently have cases in Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Waynesboro, Buena Vista and Richmond, among other cities in the Commonwealth. We strive to fill the gap in immigration legal services to these vulnerable population groups in this region through direct representation. We also seek to enhance the service ethic among Washington and Lee law students so they will continue to work in the public interest throughout their careers.

The Program is open to new cases. We can be reached by email at immigration@wlu.edu. We can be reached by telephone at (540) 458-8334. If you call, please leave your name and phone number, and we will return your call. Due to the academic calendar and limited resources, we will not be able to accept every potential case for representation.

The director of the program is Aaron Haas, the Oliver Hill Law Fellow at Washington and Lee. He can be reached at (540) 458-8066 or haasa@wlu.edu.