T. Alexander Aleinikoff
Encyclopedia
T. Alexander Aleinikoff is a law professor and dean at Georgetown University Law Center
in Washington, D.C.
He is currently on leave to be the Deputy High Commissioner in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
in Geneva
, Switzerland.
from Swarthmore College
in 1974. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received a J.D.
from Yale Law School
in 1977. He served as a law clerk
to Judge Edward Weinfeld
of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
and from 1981 to 1987 was on the faculty of the University of Michigan Law School
.
Aleinikoff joined the law faculty of Georgetown University Law Center
in 1997. From 2003 to 2004, Aleinikoff was associate dean of the Law Center and was named dean of the Law Center and executive vice president of Georgetown University in 2004. In February 2010, he became the Deputy High Commissioner in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNCHR has twice won the Nobel prize
.
Aleinikoff specializes in immigration policy and has written a number of books on the topic. He has been a senior associate at the Migration Policy Institute
, executive associate commissioner of programs, Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) at the U.S. Department of Justice
(it is now part of the Department of Homeland Security), and general counsel
of the INS. Aleinikoff was co-chair of the Immigration Policy Review Team for the Presidential transition of Barack Obama
.
On December 2, 2009, Aleinikoff notified students and faculty of his intention to accept appointment as Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR. António Guterres
of Portugal said, "Mr. Aleinikoff brings a rich combination of skills and experience that will serve refugees and UNHCR extremely well." Mr. Aleinikoff expressed his gratitude for the appointment, saying, "I am honored to be joining UNHCR, an organization I have admired for many years. I look forward to contributing to UNHCR's work on behalf of more than 34 million refugees, internally displaced and other persons of concern around the world."
As executive associate commissioner at the INS, Aleinikoff oversaw program development from 1995 to 1997. Prior to that, as general counsel for the INS from 1994 to 1995, he participated in major decisions that included reform of the US asylum process.
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He is currently on leave to be the Deputy High Commissioner in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland.
Background
Aleinikoff received a bachelor's degree summa cum laudeLatin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
from Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
in 1974. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1977. He served as a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
to Judge Edward Weinfeld
Edward Weinfeld
Edward Weinfeld was a longtime federal judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, from 1950 to 1988....
of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
and from 1981 to 1987 was on the faculty of the University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
.
Aleinikoff joined the law faculty of Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 1997. From 2003 to 2004, Aleinikoff was associate dean of the Law Center and was named dean of the Law Center and executive vice president of Georgetown University in 2004. In February 2010, he became the Deputy High Commissioner in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNCHR has twice won the Nobel prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
.
Aleinikoff specializes in immigration policy and has written a number of books on the topic. He has been a senior associate at the Migration Policy Institute
Migration Policy Institute
The Migration Policy Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank established in 2001 by Kathleen Newland and Demetrios G. Papademetriou. It is "an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think-tank dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide." The Migration policy Institute works...
, executive associate commissioner of programs, Immigration and Naturalization Service
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
(INS) at the U.S. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
(it is now part of the Department of Homeland Security), and general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
of the INS. Aleinikoff was co-chair of the Immigration Policy Review Team for the Presidential transition of Barack Obama
Presidential transition of Barack Obama
The presidential transition of Barack Obama began when he won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008, and became the President-Elect. He was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15, 2008...
.
On December 2, 2009, Aleinikoff notified students and faculty of his intention to accept appointment as Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR. António Guterres
António Guterres
António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, GCC is a Portuguese politician, a former prime minister and President of the Socialist International. Currently he is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.-Early life:...
of Portugal said, "Mr. Aleinikoff brings a rich combination of skills and experience that will serve refugees and UNHCR extremely well." Mr. Aleinikoff expressed his gratitude for the appointment, saying, "I am honored to be joining UNHCR, an organization I have admired for many years. I look forward to contributing to UNHCR's work on behalf of more than 34 million refugees, internally displaced and other persons of concern around the world."
As executive associate commissioner at the INS, Aleinikoff oversaw program development from 1995 to 1997. Prior to that, as general counsel for the INS from 1994 to 1995, he participated in major decisions that included reform of the US asylum process.
Selected books
- Migration and International Legal Norms (T. Alexander Aleinikoff & Vincent Chetail eds., The Hague: T.M.C. Asser 2003).
- Immigration and Citizenship: Process and Policy (with David A. Martin and Hiroshi Motomura) (West Group 5th ed. forthcoming 2003).
- Migration and International Law, ed. (Associated Press, forthcoming 2003).
- Semblances of Sovereignty: The Constitution, the State, and American Citizenship (Harvard U. Press 2002).
Selected journal articles
- "Detaining Plenary Power: The Meaning and Impact of Zadvydas v. Davis," 16 Geo. Immigr. L.J. 365 (2002).
- "Securing Tribal Sovereignty: A Theory for Overturning Lone Wolf," 38 Tulsa L. Rev. 57 (2002).
- "American Citizenship: An Introduction," 5 Citizenship Stud. 5 (2001).
- "Citizenship Talk: A Revisionist Narrative," 69 Fordham L. Rev. 1689 (2001).
- "Between National and Post-National: Membership in the United States," 4 Mich. J. Race & L. 241 (1999).
- With Rubén Rumbaut, "Terms of Belonging: Are Models of Membership Self-fulfilling Prophecies?," 13 Geo. Immig. L.J. 1 (1998).