Immigration Article of the Day: AI For Good: Expanding Legal Services for Immigrants by Huyen Pham and Bryan Garcia
AI For Good: Expanding Legal Services for Immigrants by Huyen Pham and Bryan Garcia, 77 Rutgers Univ. L. Rev. 1315 (2025)
Rutgers University Law Review, Vol. 77, No. 5, pp. 1315-32, 2025
Abstract
In this Essay, we explore the possibilities for putting AI technology in the hands of clients themselves, considering the advantages and disadvantages. Thinking about the specific context of immigration law, we could envision apps that help individuals to prepare for interviews for affirmative asylum, visas, or naturalization; to educate them about their rights in ways that are more specific, timely, and convenient than current know-your-rights formats; or, in a more attorney-adjacent interaction, using an app to conduct the initial intake interview and organize that information, making the usual time-consuming intake process more efficient and effective. We are not envisioning apps that give legal advice or replace lawyers entirely; as Chief Justice Roberts said in his 2023 end of year report, “[L]egal determinations often involve gray areas that still require application of human judgment.” But as lawyers, it would be remiss of us to ignore the promise of AI to increase legal assistance for immigrants because we fear its perils.
