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CCOG for PL 140 Spring 2024

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Course Number:
PL 140
Course Title:
Immigration Law for Paralegals
Credit Hours:
3
Lecture Hours:
30
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Provides an overview of United States immigration laws. Includes review and study of many critical immigration law doctrines, including nationality and citizenship, inadmissibility and deportability grounds, the worldwide immigrant selection system, basic administrative law concepts, asylum and refugee law, and defenses to deportation. Includes analyzing fact situations, reviewing caselaw, drafting documents and applying remedies, principles and doctrines. Prerequisites: PL 101. Audit available.

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

  1. Prepare and draft immigration applications and forms.
  2. Understand and interpret the immigration code, regulations and case law.
  3. Under lawyer supervision, provide clients with information, regarding immigration laws and regulations.
  4. Draft persuasive documents and correspondence to government adjudicators.
  5. Prepare case briefs and draft legal memoranda regarding relevant laws as applied to facts of the case.

Course Activities and Design

Use of Class discussion, Class lecture, Briefing cases and discussion of case law, Discussion of problems assigned, Special projects, Small group projects in class, oral presentation and drafting documents.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

Project Review evaluation
Class presentation evaluation
Classroom participation evaluation
Special project evaluation
Final Examination evaluation

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

Overview of immigration laws including concepts which are critical for familiarity in order to provide high quality representation of clients.
Concept include: including nationality and citizenship, inadmissibility and deportability grounds, the worldwide immigrant selection system, basic administrative law concepts, asylum and refugee law, and defenses to deportation.
Communication skills: PCC graduates should be able to communicate effectively by determining the purpose of the communication; analyzing the audience and context to use appropriate language and modality; and by responding to feedback to achieve clarity, coherence and effectiveness.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: PCC graduates should be able to think critically and creatively to solve problems, understanding and using various methods of reasoning and evaluating information and its sources.
Cultural Awareness: PCC graduates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the varieties of human cultures, perspectives and forms of expression as well as their own cultures complexities.
Professional Competence: PCC graduates should demonstrate master of their discipline at a level appropriate to the program and transfer requirements through application of skills, concepts, processes and technology in performance of authentic tasks that enhance their employability.
Self-Reflection: PCC graduates should be self-appraising in applying knowledge and skills they have learned, examining and developing personal beliefs and professional skills.