Muneer Ahmad
Professor of Law
Office: Room 428
Phone: 202-274-4389
E-mail: mahmad@wcl.american.edu
Muneer Ahmad is a professor of law at American University Washington College of Law, where he teaches in an international human rights clinic and also teaches immigration law. From July 2004 to April 2007, he represented a Canadian citizen detained at Guantanamo Bay, in both in civil proceedings in federal court and in military commission proceedings at Guantanamo. In his clinical teaching, he supervises students in the provision of representation to indigent immigrants in the D.C. area facing a range of legal challenges, including detention and removal, and labor exploitation in low-wage industries. He also supervises students on policy projects, including language access in D.C., as well as the availability of legal and social services in immigrant detention centers.
His scholarship examines the intersections of immigration, race, and citizenship in both legal theory and legal practice. He has also written and spoken widely about the impact of the September 11th attacks on Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities. He is a Commissioner on the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission, and serves as an advisory board member for the newly created D.C. Community Legal Interpreter Bank. He serves as a board member for Global Workers Justice Alliance (an organization committed to "portable justice" for transnational workers), and an advisory board member to South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT).
Prior to joining the faculty at American, he was a Skadden Fellow and staff attorney at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center in Los Angeles, where he represented low-wage Latina/o and Asian workers in L.A. sweatshops, represented immigrant workers who had been trafficked into the United States, and adressed the impact of welfare reform on immigrant communities. While in Los Angeles, he was also Legal Task Force Chair of the South Asian Network. He clerked for the Honorable William K. Sessions III in the U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vermont. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
Currently Teaching
There are no classes currently associated with this professor.
Areas of Specialization
- Clinical Legal Education
- Immigration
- Labor and Employment Law
- Poverty Law
Degrees & Universities
- J.D., Harvard Law School 1996
- A.B., Harvard College 1993
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Selected Publications- Muneer Ahmad, Reclaim the High Ground in Case of Omar Khadr, Toronto Star (Aug. 24, 2007).
- Muneer Ahmad, Interpreting Communities: Lawyering Across Language Difference, 54 UCLA L. Rev. 999 (2007).
- Muneer Ahmad, A Rage Shared by Law: Post-September 11 Racial Violence as Crimes of Passion, 92 Cal. L. Rev. 1259 (2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Homeland Insecurities: Racial Profiling the Day After 9/11, 20 Soc. Text 72 (Fall 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, The Ethics of Narrative, 11 Am. U. J. Gender Soc. Policy & L. 117 (2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Serving Market Needs, Not People's Needs: The Indignity of Welfare Reform, 10 Am. U. J. Gender Soc. Policy & L. 27 (2002).
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Selected Presentations
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Preventive Detention, Habeas Corpus, and Guantánamo Bay (Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Symposium, N.Y.U. L. Sch., N.Y.C., N.Y., Jan. 20, 2006).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, The Graham Amendment: Congress v. The Supreme Court On the Rights of Guantánamo Bay Detainees (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Nov. 14, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Community Interpreters and Access to Justice (District of Columbia Access to Just. Commn., Lang. Access Roundtable, Wash., D.C., Nov. 2, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Interpreted Communities: Lawyering Across Language Difference (UCLA L. Sch., L.A., Cal., Oct. 31, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Interpreted Communities: Lawyering Across Language Difference (UCLA L. Sch. & U. of London 6th Annual Intl. Clinical Conf., Lake Arrowhead, Cal., Oct. 29, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Re-Centering Justice in Client Centeredness: A Response to Professor Susan Carle (Faculty Speaker Series, American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Oct. 14, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Treacherous Lawyering: Race, Language, and Lawyering (LatCrit: Latina & Latino Critical Legal Studies Conference, San Juan, P.R., Oct. 7, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Recent U.S. Experience with Preventative Detention: Enemy Combatants, Guantanamo, and the Promise of Habeas Corpus: A Response to Professor H.P. Lee (Faculty Workshop with Professors from Monash University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Sept. 27, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Race, Class and Katrina, Human Rights Implications for Hurrican Katrina (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Sept. 16, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Unraveling Justice: Transnational Organizing of Women Garment Workers in Los Angeles, California and Ahmedabad, India (Rockefeller Fellowship in the Humanities Symposium, Cal. St. U., L.A., Cal., May 26, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Lawyering Across Language Difference (University of Maryland School of Law (faculty workshop), Balt., Md., Apr. 28, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Guantanmo is Everywhere, Homeland 'In' Security: Race, Immigration and Labor in Post-September 11 North America Symposium (University of Oregon Knight Law Center, Eugene, Or., Mar. 31, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Litigating Human Rights Cases at a Time of War (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Feb. 15, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Globalization, Gender and the Transnational Garment Industry (California State University, Los Angeles (class of Prof. Beth Baker-Cristales), L.A., Cal., Jan. 22, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Guantanamo Bay and Asian America (Asian Pacific American Legal Center, L.A., Cal., Jan. 17, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Immigration, Gender and the Los Angeles Garment Industry (California State University, Los Angeles (class of Prof. Alejandra Marchevsky), Wash., D.C., Jan. 15, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Lawyering for Limited English Proficient Clients: Rethinking Tradiational Interviewing and Counseling Strategies (American Assocaition of Law Schools Annaul Conference, S.F., Cal., Jan. 6, 2005).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, An Introduction to Clinical Legal Education in the United States (Delhi University Law College, New Delhi, India, Dec. 14, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Language, Lawyering and Racial Treachery (Critical Race Lawyering Conference, Fordham Law School, N.Y.C., N.Y., Nov. 5, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Cross-Racial Lawyering & Organizing (Law & Society Association Annual Conference, Chi., Ill., May 26, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Workshop for the Future: Immigration, Asylum, and International Human Rights Clinics (AALS Clinical Conference, San Diego, Cal., May 2, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Law & Organizing and Legal Clinics (AALS Clinical Conference, San Diego, Cal., May 1, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Lawyering for Limited English Proficient Clients (New York Law School Clinical Theory Workshop, N.Y.C., N.Y., Mar. 26, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, LGBT Immigrants' Rights and Organizing Post 9/11 (Queer Asian Pacific Legacy, N.Y.C., N.Y., Mar. 6, 2004).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Immigrants After September 11: What Process is Now Due? (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Oct. 8, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Lessons of Korematsu: Balancing Civil Liberties and National Security (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Sept. 25, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Islam on Trial? Today's Religious and Ethnic Targeting and Its Historical Context (Patriotism in a Time of War: Defending the Bill of Rights and the Individual Accused in Terrorism Cases Federal Defenders Conference, Det., Mich., May 9, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Lawyering for Limited English Proficient Clients (Mid-Atlantic Clinical Theory Workshop, University of the District of Columbia Law School, Wash., D.C., Apr. 25, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Why Diversity Matters, Society of American Law Teachers Discussion on Grutter v. Bollinger (Georgetown University Law Center, Wash., D.C., Apr. 1, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Panel, Lawyers as Activists: Responses to INS Racial Targeting (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Mar. 20, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Addressing Socio-Economic Disparities in South Asian America (Yale University, New Haven, Conn., Feb. 8, 2003).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Re-Racing Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians, Re-Imagining Asian America: Race, Religion and Asian America After 9/11 (Simpson Center for the Humanities, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash., Nov. 19, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Keynote Speech, The River Hasn't Changed, The Raft is Still te Same: Why September 11 is an Asian Pacific American Issue and What We Can Do About It (Asian American Bar Association of the Delaware Valley, Phila., Pa., Oct. 25, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Defending Immigrants After 9/11 (National Association of Muslim Lawyers Conference, Columbia Law School, N.Y.C., N.Y., Oct. 12, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Liberty, Security and the Constitution: A Town Hall Meeting for the Muslim Community (The Constitution Project and Karamah, George Mason University, Fairfax, Va., Sept. 25, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Hate Crimes Against South Asians (Congressional Staff Briefing, Sponsored by U.S. Reps. Lynn Woolsey and Mike Hond, Wash., D.C., Jul. 25, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Labour Law and the Informal Economy, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (Geneva, Switz., Jun. 15-16, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, 9.11 Global Emergencies (University of California, San Diego, Institute for International Comparative and Area Studies, San Diego, Cal., May 7, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, September 11 and the Challenge to Coalition (LatCrit VII - Latina and Latino Critical Race Theory Conference, Portland, Or., May 2, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, 9/11 and the Asian American Community (American Bar Association of the Delaware Valley Annual Conference, Phila., Pa., Apr. 27, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Racial Profiling, Feminism and 9/11 (Feminism and Legal Theory Workshop, Cornell Law School, Ithaca, N.Y., Apr. 20, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Hate Crimes Against South Asians: A Legal, Social and Cultural History (South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow (SAALT) Program: Raising Our Voices, Wash., D.C., Mar. 28, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, The Ethics Narrative, Homophobia in the Halls of Justice: Sexual Orientation Bias and Its Implications Within the Legal System Conference (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Mar. 26, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Panelist, A Place at the Table: Legal Rights of Women in Afghanistan (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Mar. 21, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Immigrants' Rights Before and After 9/11 and the Challenge of Coalition (National Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans Dialogue: South Asian Americans Post 9/11, Wash., D.C., Feb. 12, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Labor Law and the Informal Economy (Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing (WEIGC) Annual Meeting, Ahmedabad, India, Jan. 20, 2002).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, (Re)Racialization of Arab, Muslim and South Asian Communities Post-9/11 (American Studies Association Conference, Wash., D.C., Nov. 10, 2001).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Trafficked Women as Labor Activists (National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Meeting, Wash., D.C., Nov. 7, 2001).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Media Representations of Arabs and Muslims Post 9/11 (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Oct. 16, 2001).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Human Trafficking in teh U.S. of South Asian and Southeast Asian Women (U.S. State Department International Visitor Program, Presentation to South Asian Delegation, Wash., D.C., Aug. 21, 2001).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Infomalization of the Formal Economy in the Los Angeles Garment Industry (The Informal Economy in North America, Harvard Trade Union Program, Cambridge, Mass., May 21-22, 2001).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Labor Standards and Worker Health in the Informal Economy: A Look at the Los Angeles Garment Industry (Work and Health: New Relationships in a Changing Economy, sponsored by the Rockerfeller Foundation, the California Endowment and the California Wellness Foundation, S.F., Cal., Mar. 16, 2001).
- Muneer Ahmad, Lecture, Asian Americans and the Law Class (UCLA, L.A., Cal., Oct. 17, 2000).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Diversity, Marginality and Cross-Racial Work Within the Asian Pacific American Civil Rights Community (National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Annual Convention, Civil Rights Forum, Wash., D.C., Oct. 14, 2000).
- Muneer Ahmad, Lecture, Los Angeles: Past, Present, Future (California State University-Northridge, Northridge, Cal., Mar. 8, 2000).
- Muneer Ahmad, Lecture, Asian Pacific Americans and the Law Class (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Feb. 29 & Oct. 16, 2000).
- Muneer Ahmad, Lecture, Contemporary Issues in Asian Pacific American Communities (Loyola Marymount University, L.A., Cal., Feb. 23, 2000).
- Muneer Ahmad, Panel, The Perversity of Impoverishment: The Case of Public Interest Law in Los Angeles (UCLA Law School Symposium, L.A., Cal., Sept. 27, 1999).
- Muneer Ahmad, Conference, Impact of Welfare Reform on Refugee Commuities: Identifying Language Access Issues (California Statewide Refugee Information Exchange Conference, San Diego, Cal., Sept. 2, 1999).
- Muneer Ahmad, Lecture, Strategies for Improving Language Access to Public Benefits Programs (Western Center on Law and Poverty, Health and Welfare Statewide Task Force, Riverside, Cal., May 14, 1999).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, Race, Identity, and Multi-Racial Legal Advocacy: The Role of Advocate Identity in Public Interest Law (Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium, “Trying the System: Lawyers and Racial Justice,” University of Michigan Journal of Race & Law, Ann Arbor, Mich., Jan. 25, 1999).
- Muneer Ahmad, Speech, The Role of Private Industry Councils, the County, Private Sector and Advocates in Welfare-to-Work (Getting it to Work: A Conference on Welfare-to-Work and Families, L.A., Cal., Sept. 24, 1998).
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Selected Media Appearances
