An important United States Senate subcommittee got a taste recently of the quality education Widener Law Harrisburg students are exposed to in the classroom, when Professor Jill E. Family shared her expertise in immigration law at a government hearing.
Family, director of the Law &amp; Government Institute at Widener Law Harrisburg, was invited to testify March 19 before the Senate Judiciary’s Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts subcommittee chaired by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. She was one of three experts who discussed the immigration policy President Obama announced recently that would have provided temporary relief from deportation for some undocumented immigrants – and the ensuing court challenge that resulted in a federal judge blocking the new policy last month. 
“It was an invaluable experience, where I was in deep discussion with policymakers who were focused on my area of immigration law,” Family said. “It was gratifying to know my work was making a difference, and contributing to an important discourse on Capitol Hill.”
Family’s contributions already enrich the discourse in Harrisburg classrooms. Third-year law student Marissa Mowery, who has taken Family’s civil procedure and immigration law classes and served as her research assistant, felt compelled to travel to Washington for the hearing.
“It really drove home for me what we talked about in class,” Mowery said, recalling a lesson on the importance of government administrative agencies, which provide critical information for Congress and the American people. “It was so cool to see her answering questions about something that is cutting edge in immigration law right now.”
Family was one of four law professors in the United States who authored an open letter – signed by 104 legal scholars and law professors – that decried U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s decision to block Obama’s immigration policy. The letter was made public shortly before U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, the ranking subcommittee Democrat, invited Family to testify at the hearing.
The subcommittee also heard from two witnesses who were invited by Republicans: Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and David B. Rivkin Jr., partner at BakerHostetler in Washington.
Family had three days to draft written testimony for the subcommittee, which she submitted in advance of the hearing. The preparation was intense. “It was a challenge to respond to all of the senators’ questions quickly,” she said.   
Despite that, Mowery said she was impressed with Family’s delivery. The professor talked to the Senators with the same pace, tone and attention to detail that Mowery said she appreciates as a student.
“I really solidified for me that she’s very genuine and honest in what she has to say,” Mowery said.
Click here to view Professor Family’s testimony.