2025 Law Review Symposium Explores Immigration Policies and Reform

One hundred fifty-five attendees came to hear from three panels on topics including expanding legal services to vulnerable populations, leveraging international human rights to reform U.S. immigration policies, and the evolving legal landscape that continues to reshape the federal agencies that impact noncitizens and their rights.

Gaby Pacheco, President and CEO of TheDream.US and the first undocumented Latina to address Congress, gave the symposium’s keynote address. Pacheco shared her experiences as an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador, including her struggle to enroll in college without documentation, which first inspired Pacheco to become an advocate for fellow immigrants.

Addressing the audience of practicing attorneys and future lawyers, Pacheco noted, “The law is not a weapon to be wielded against the vulnerable. It’s a tool to protect humanity. The law can evolve and it must evolve. Because our fight is not just for immigrants, it’s for the soul of our nation and for future generations to come.” 

Panelists and moderators included law faculty, clinicians, and immigration defense attorneys. In his closing remarks, Symposium Editor Aram Manoukian ‘25 reminded attendees that, “Every one of us, whether we're in academia or policy, law or advocacy, has a vital role to play in shaping the future of migration law and ensuring that, at the very least, human dignity is at the center of those conversations.”

Watch the Recorded Event