As you may have noticed, no casebook has been adopted for this course. Instead of a traditional casebook, I'm using this site: Harvard Law School’s H20 site. H20 helps law faculty create free, digital, open-source, open-licensed books for their students.

In my view, this advances Northeastern Law's social justice mission. Students spend thousands of dollars on law school textbooks. Free casebooks made education more accessible and equitable. I average about 40 students in my immigration law course. Even at a conservative estimate of $100 per book, that saves our students $4,000, collectively, per semester. If other professors at other universities use this book, it will help exponentially more students.

The only book you should buy is a copy of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA); recent used copies are acceptable and cheaper. Some students even try to do without the INA book, but I have found, in the end, that they typically regret that decision. It is much easier to mark, tab, highlight, and annotate a hard copy version of the INA. 

I will note the relevant INA section throughout the book, but it is your responsibility to find and review the provision. Of note, for every INA provision, there is a corresponding U.S. Code provision. The substantive language is the exact same, but the Title and Section numbers are different. For example, INA § 212(f) = 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f). Immigration practitioners use and refer to the INA provision, so that's what we'll use in class. 

A great thing about H20 is that I can "elide" (hide) text you don't need to read to make the reading more manageable, just like in a casebook. But unlike in a traditional casebook, you can click on any of the "eliden" (hidden) text and read more of the case if you want. I also sometimes include notes/annotations, which show up as underlineand text, and hyperlinks to other sources, which show up as blue text. This will help guide your reading or give you additional information. But one weakness of H20 is that there are a ton of typos in the cases. But most of them are self explanatory and easy enough to figure out from context clues. Lastly, if you're in a place where your internet is spotty or non-existent, you can export and download the entire casebook in advance. It looks much better on the website, but it can definitely work if you are in a place without reliable internet and want to do the reading. But remember that links don't export. 

As you go through this semester, email with any questions or comments, especially if you notice something awry or that can be improved. You're my best test of whether this is working! Thank you for you patience and flexibility. 

REPRESENTATIVE SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTIONS ON THE HYPOTHETICALS

1. I use pop culture references in my hypos to make it easier to identify them. I use movie references for hypos from previous exams and TV show references for other hypos.
   
   
2. When submitting answers, put your name at the beginning of the document you are submitting to Canvas and include page numbers on the document. 

   
   
3. Cite to the statute, including the proper subsection/prong! But don’t just cite to the statute, explain what that particular part of the statute says, and then apply the facts of the hypo to the statute. 
   
   
4. Explain how you arrived at your answer. For example, with the amount of time of unlawful presence: How did you calculate that time? What do you think counts or doesn’t count toward unlawful presence? And cite the language of the statute that details the number of years of unlawful presence. Or, if you think fraud is applicable, explain how you reached that conclusion. Don’t solely give a "yes" or "no" answer – explain why. 

   
   
5. State additional arguments that can be raised by the government. 
   
   
6. If you do not think the individual is eligible for any relief/waiver, say so and why. 
And discuss all possible bars to admissibility/procuring a visa. 
For example, “B could be inadmissible due to having failed to attend a removal hearing AND because of unlawful presence of over a year.” Flag both.
   
   
7. These are not graded or corrected, but we will go over them in class. They are reviewed to make sure you have completed them fully (and to see whether any of you are particularly struggling).