Theologically Informed Immigration Law Scholarship
Abel Rodriguez, MTS '04, an Assistant Professor of Law at St. John's University School of Law whose research focuses on immigration law and race, holds that his time at HDS prepared the way for his current scholarship.
Abel Rodriguez, MTS ‘04
Assistant Professor of Law, St. John's University School of Law (Queens, NY)
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Describe the work you do today:
I teach Criminal Law, Immigration Law, and Crimmigration. I also research and write on issues of race, migration, and the intersection of criminal and immigration law.
How has your HDS degree influenced your career journey?
My experience at HDS prepared me for a career teaching everything from language and culture to religion and law. At HDS, I was able to continue studying language, and it provided the preparation to teach religion at a small liberal arts college. My experience at HDS continues to inform my work teaching and writing about law.
What career advice would you offer to current HDS students?
Talk about your experience in divinity school. Even beyond teaching religion, people have been interested in how my background in theology informs my work, whether it was teaching language, practicing law, collaborating with community organizers, or working in legal academia.