
Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes
Clinical Associate Professor of Law
Associate Director, Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Clinic
BA, cum laude, Bates College
JD, cum laude, Boston College Law School
Biography
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is a clinical associate professor at Boston University School of Law. Ms. Sherman-Stokes teaches Immigration Law and is the associate director of the Immigrants’ Rights & Human Trafficking Clinic. Her scholarship takes a critical look at immigration law and policy, including at the intersections of asylum law, detention and deportation, and immigrant surveillance, enforcement and abolition. Her recent law review articles have been published in the Denver Law Review, Hastings Law Journal, Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, Villanova Law Review and the Indiana Law Review. She regularly speaks and appears in the media on issues including asylum, detention and deportation. She has published op-eds in The Washington Post, USA Today, Cognoscenti, Bloomberg Law and The Hill.
In 2021, Professor Sherman-Stokes was part of a team of lawyers and law school clinics awarded the Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA) award for Excellence in a Public Interest Project, for their work in a federal class action on behalf of 12 women subjected to non-consensual medical procedures in ICE custody at the Irwin County Detention Center. In 2020, Professor Sherman-Stokes was awarded the Metcalf Cup and Prize for Excellence in Teaching, the highest teaching honor awarded by Boston University.
Professor Sherman-Stokes received her B.A. cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Bates College and her J.D. cum laude from Boston College Law School. Previously, she was an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project where she represented noncitizens in removal proceedings, with a special focus on the representation of detained immigrants with mental illness.
- Profile Types
- Faculty, Full-Time Faculty, and Professors & Clinical Instructors
- Areas of Interest
- Immigration Law & Policy
- Profiles
- Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes
Publications
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Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes, Public Health and the Power to Exclude: Immigrant Expulsions at the Border 36 Georgetown Immigration Law Journal (2021)
Scholarly Commons -
Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes, Third Country Deportation 53 Indiana Law Review (2020)
Scholarly Commons -
Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes, Reparations for Central American Refugees 96 Denver Law Review (2019)
Scholarly Commons -
Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes, No Restoration, No Rehabilitation: Shadow Detention of Mentally Incompetent Noncitizens 62 Villanova Law Review (2017)
Scholarly Commons -
Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes, Sufficiently Safeguarded?: Competency Evaluations of Mentally Ill Respondents in Removal Proceedings 67 Hastings Law Journal (2016)
Scholarly Commons
In the Media
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Cognescenti January 11, 2023
Biden’s New Immigration Orders Look a Lot Like Trump’s
Sarah Sherman-Stokes pens an opinon.
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BU Pardee Global Studies December 15, 2022
Nolan and Sherman-Stokes Awarded CFD 2023 Seed Grant
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is awarded a grant.
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Boston University News Service November 11, 2022
Ballot Question 4 Stays in Massachusetts
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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BU Today October 21, 2022
Should Undocumented Immigrants Be Allowed to Get a Driver’s License?
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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Boston Globe September 23, 2022
In Praise of Activist Lawyers
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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Miami Herald September 21, 2022
2 Million Migrants Were Encountered at Border in Past Year. Where Are They Coming From?
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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Business Insider September 18, 2022
Senator Ted Cruz Says That Transporting Migrants Is Illegal, But Commends GOP Governors for It Anyway
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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The Washington Post September 16, 2022
What The Law Says About DeSantis and Abbott Sending Migrants to Blue States
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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Denton Record-Chronicle
What The Law Says About DeSantis and Abbott Sending Migrants to Blue States
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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LA Press June 29, 2022
Un Drame Prévisible, Jugent Les Experts
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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Bloomberg Law October 20, 2021
Despite Promises, Biden Looks a Lot Like Trump on Border Issues
A piece authored by Sarah Sherman-Stokes.
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BU Today June 18, 2021
POV: Supreme Court Rules that over 400,000 Immigrants are Ineligible to Permanently Remain in United States
A commentary by Sarah Sherman-Stokes.
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Boston 25 News June 15, 2021
Boston City Council Wants More Transparency with Police Gang Database
Sarah Sherman-Stokes is quoted.
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USA Today June 4, 2021
Trump Expelled Refugees Against CDC Advice. As COVID Subsides, Why Won’t Biden Admit Them?
An opinion co-authored by Sarah Sherman-Stokes.
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The Hill May 28, 2021
There is Nothing ‘Civil’ or Humane About the Detention of Noncitizens
An opinion piece by Sarah Sherman-Stokes.
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Stories from The Record


The High Court Considers DACA
January 30, 2020
Fleeing Gang Violence, Clients Win Asylum with Help of BU Law Students
August 21, 2019
Offering a Helping Hand to Migrants Waiting to Enter the US
January 15, 2019
Boston-Area Volunteers Offer Legal Advice To Migrants In Tijuana
December 17, 2018
BU Law and School of Social Work Team Aids Detainees in Arizona
October 24, 2018
One case, one victory: BU Law Students Win Asylum for a Political Activist from Somalia
June 26, 2018
What Does Trump’s Immigration Order Mean?
June 22, 2018Courses
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: Pretrial Advocacy/Pro Resp.: LAW JD 973
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Pretrial Advocacy is the companion fall classroom component for students in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program IRL and fall ERC clinics. Pretrial Advocacy is taught in groups of roughly 14 students with two clinical professors per group. Classes are devoted to learning the theories of practice for use in the field, reinforced by activities and simulations in which students practice skills through role play. NOTE: Students who enroll in this component of the clinic may count the credits towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement or the Professional Responsibility requirement. It may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2022: LAW JD 973 A1 , Sep 6th to Dec 6th 2022Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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Tue | 4:30 pm | 7:30 pm | 3 | Mary C. Connaughton | LAW | 417 |
Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tue | 4:30 pm | 7:30 pm | 3 | Mary C. Connaughton | LAW | 417 |
Civil Litigation and Justice Program: Trial Advocacy: LAW JD 974
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Civil Litigation and Justice Program. Trial Advocacy is the companion spring classroom component for students in the Civil Litigation and Justice Program IRL and spring ERC clinics. Trial Advocacy is taught in groups of roughly 14 students with two clinical professors per group. Classes are devoted to learning the theories of practice for use in the field, reinforced by activities and simulations in which students practice skills through role play. NOTE: This course does not count towards the Professional Responsibility requirement. NOTE: This course counts towards the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
SPRG 2023: LAW JD 974 A1 , Jan 17th to Apr 25th 2023Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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Tue | 4:20 pm | 6:20 pm | 3 | Sean AhernConstance A. Browne | LAW | 418 |
Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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Tue | 4:20 pm | 6:20 pm | 3 | Constance A. BrowneSean Ahern | LAW | 419 |
Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Clinic: Fieldwork (C): LAW JD 859
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program. Students have three fieldwork options: (1) concentration in immigrants' rights; (2) concentration in human trafficking; or (3) work on both types of cases. Students focusing on immigrants' rights will represent adult and children asylum seekers and other vulnerable noncitizens with the opportunity to litigate an immigration case in the Boston Immigration Court. Students focusing on anti-trafficking work will represent survivors of labor and sex trafficking in a wide range of civil matters and engage in policy-related work to address gaps in the local and national landscape. Students focusing on both immigrants' rights and human trafficking will represent immigrant clients and survivors of human trafficking in a range of civil matters. All students will have the opportunity to engage in immigrants' rights and human trafficking work through "Know-Your-Rights" visits at the local jail/detention center and by conducting intake at the Family Justice Center for human trafficking survivors. Students, working in pairs, assume the primary responsibility for multiple clients' complex cases, from start to finish. Students conduct client interviews, track down witnesses, speak with experts, develop documentary, testimonial and expert evidence, and write legal briefs. The clinical supervisors prepare students for their cases through weekly supervision meetings, mid-semester and final individual meetings, and mock hearings, as appropriate. NOTE: The Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program counts toward the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. PRE/CO-REQUISITE: Evidence. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2022: LAW JD 859 A1 , Sep 6th to Dec 8th 2022Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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ARR | TBD | TBD | 3 | Julie A. DahlstromSarah R. Sherman-Stokes |
Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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ARR | TBD | TBD | 3 | Julie A. DahlstromSarah R. Sherman-Stokes |
Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program: Core Lawyering Skills (C) : LAW JD 882
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program. The seminar is the fall companion course for students enrolled in the Program. It provides a practice-oriented introduction to advocacy on behalf of indigent clients, including noncitizens and survivors of human trafficking. Students will develop a wide range of competencies with classes focusing topics including: (1) client interviewing and counseling; (2) case planning; (3) legal research and writing; (4) cultural competency; (5) legal story-telling and developing a theory of the case; (6) affidavit writing; (7) vicarious and secondary trauma; and (8) professional responsibility. Students will participate in class simulations, present in case rounds, and actively engage in facilitated discussions. There also will be two boot camp classes for students with specialized training in the following areas: (1) immigration law with a focus on asylum law and representing vulnerable noncitizens; and (2) human trafficking law with a focus on the protection framework in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and multi-disciplinary lawyering. NOTE: The Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program counts toward the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
FALL 2022: LAW JD 882 A1 , Sep 6th to Dec 6th 2022Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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Tue | 2:10 pm | 4:10 pm | 3 | Julie A. DahlstromSarah R. Sherman-Stokes | LAW | 416 |
Immigrants' Rights Clinic: Adv. Advocacy & Trial Theory (C): LAW JD 888
THIS CLASS IS RESTRICTED to students who have formally applied to and been accepted to the Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program. In this seminar, students will further develop their trial advocacy skills by participating in multiple mock hearings and portions of simulated trials. In particular, this course will focus on developing students' competencies in the following topics: (1) witness preparation, including working with lay and expert witnesses; (2) oral advocacy, including direct/cross examination and opening and closing statements; (3) factual and legal research; (4) cross-cultural lawyering and implicit bias; (5) legal advocacy and brief writing; (6) basic negotiation; and (7) developing professional roles and identities. Students will also be introduced to the intersections between criminal and immigration law, and to law and organizing in the immigration context. NOTE: The Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program counts toward the 6 credit Experiential Learning requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This course does not offer the CR/NC/H option.
SPRG 2023: LAW JD 888 A1 , Jan 18th to Apr 26th 2023Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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Mon | 2:10 pm | 4:10 pm | 3 | Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes |
Immigration Law: LAW JD 968
This class will cover the immigration laws of the United States, including the administrative and regulatory framework of the United States agencies charged with enforcing U.S. immigration laws. The topics covered by this course include the power of the Congress to regulate immigration; the effect of politics on immigration policy; nonimmigrant and immigrant visa classifications; the law of asylum; the intersection of immigration law and criminal law; grounds of removal from the United States; relief from deportation, immigration court representation and access to justice; and the law of naturalization and derived citizenship.
FALL 2022: LAW JD 968 A1 , Sep 7th to Dec 7th 2022Days | Start | End | Credits | Instructors | Bldg | Room |
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Mon,Wed | 11:00 am | 12:30 pm | 3 | Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes | LAW | 702 |