At the Crossroads of Law and Society: Understanding the world of Immigration Attorneys.

Authors

• Elvis Ariri, The College of WoosterFollow

Abstract

This independent study examines the professional experiences of immigration attorneys working with immigrant clients in the United States. Through qualitative, semi-structured interviews, the research explores how immigration law operates in practice, emphasizing systemic complexity, administrative delay, and discretionary decision-making. Findings reveal that attorneys navigate a fragmented legal framework shaped by shifting policies, inconsistent adjudication, and high emotional stakes. Beyond technical expertise, immigration practice requires emotional resilience, ethical judgment, and strategic adaptability. By centering attorneys’ perspectives, this study highlights immigration law as a lived social system that structures belonging, exclusion, and stability, illuminating the gap between statutory intent and human consequence.

Advisor

Frese, Pamela

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Recommended Citation

Ariri, Elvis, "At the Crossroads of Law and Society: Understanding the world of Immigration Attorneys." (2026). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 13393.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/13393

Disciplines

Sociology

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis Exemplar