In collaboration with Ceiba, a community organization, students help low-income taxpayers prepare their returns and obtain the refunds and credits to which they are entitled.
On-Going
Immigration “detainers”
With a coalition of organizations including the ACLU and the PA Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, students investigated immigration detainers – i.e., situations in which inmates of county jails who have fully served their sentences are detained at the request of federal immigration authorities. The students’ report, A Changing Landscape, documents the legal problems with detainers and the steps that some counties are taking to get out of the detention business.
Access to higher education
Undocumented students cannot get in-state tuition or financial assistance at our state colleges and universities. With the PA Immigration & Citizenship Coalition, Sheller Center students created Benefits of the Pennsylvania Dream Act, an informational guide for legislators considering proposals for change.
Individual representation
Students represent low-income workers in wage-theft cases – situations in which an employer has failed to pay workers the full amount that they are owed. Employers may fail to pay minimum wage or overtime, take unlawful deductions, or simply fail to pay. Cases may be resolved through negotiation, or may go to state or federal court. We particularly focus on low-wage workers who are the most vulnerable, such as those who are immigrants, have limited English proficiency, or perform contingent work.