Course Description

Instructor: Bill Hoffman

Political asylum and human trafficking have been widely discussed in the news recently. This course will explain the historical origin and development of the doctrine of political asylum, the history of political asylum in the United States, the current law applicable to political asylum in the United States,and the policies of the current administration. It will include the process a person must go through to get political asylum, including trials before Immigration Judges. Actual stories of asylum seekers from countries including Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, and The Congo will be presented. The course will also address the rights applicable to people who are in the United States illegally because they have been trafficked here for prostitution and forced labor.