Professor Medha D. Makhlouf and MLP students coordinate Current Challenges Facing Refugees & Immigrants event

CARLISLE, PA—On April 21, 2026, Penn State Dickinson Law’s Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic, under the direction of Professor Medha D. Makhlouf, and the International Service Center (ISC) co-coordinated the Current Challenges Facing Refugees & Immigrants event at Trinity Lutheran Church.

The day included two sessions (“Redefining Eligibility: How H.R. 1 Reshapes the Safety Net for Immigrants and Refugees” and “Operation PARRIS: Understanding the New Landscape of Refugee and Asylee Re-Vetting”). Lunch between the panels featured a selection of cultural dishes representing Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, and Ukraine as well as soft background music and visual presentations reflecting the current realities in these countries.

More than 100 people attended the event, and four MLP Clinic students participated in the panels: Jeremy Zimmerman ’26, Leo Sandler ’26, Sumitra Dhakal '27, and Mae Teweldemedhin '26. Delaram Rezaeikhonakdar '22 LLM, an attorney at Shagin Law Group, also took part in a panel.

“It was especially meaningful for the refugee service providers across this region to witness such talent and dedication of Penn State Dickinson Law’s partners in this shared mission, including legal professionals, health care providers, and social workers,” said Phuong N Truong, executive director of ISC.

Makhlouf moderated the “Redefining Eligibility” panel, which focused on the policy and human impacts of provisions of the July 2025 budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1) that restrict immigrant eligibility for public benefits, including Medicaid, Medicare, Affordable Care Act plans, and SNAP. Teweldemedhin provided background information about H.R.1’s changes to immigrant eligibility for public benefits.

Dhakal handled moderator duties for the second panel, which examined how Operation PARRIS reshapes re-vetting for refugees and asylees, exploring its legal, policy, and community impacts. Speakers outlined key changes, emerging challenges, and what practitioners and affected communities need to know to navigate this shifting environment. Rezaeikhonakdar also took part in the panel, offering insights on how refugees, asylees, and advocates can prepare for and respond to re-vetting efforts.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Jeffrey A. Dodge delivered the closing remarks at the event.

“The insights shared on H.R. 1 and Operation PARRIS were not only timely but deeply meaningful for our community partners and attendees. It was inspiring to witness the level of preparation, professionalism, and passion students brought to the discussion,” said Zahra Sultani, an ISC staff member who helped coordinate the event. “We received very positive feedback from participants, many of whom expressed appreciation for the clarity and depth of the information presented. This event would not have been as successful without the leadership of Professor Makhlouf and the remarkable efforts of her students.”

Professor Medha D. Makhlouf is the Elsie de R. and Samuel P. Orlando Distinguished Professor and founding director of the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic at Penn State Dickinson Law. She has a joint appointment in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine. Professor Makhlouf’s research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of health law, immigrants’ rights, and poverty law and policy. Her recent scholarship has been published in the Boston University Law Review, New York University Law Review, and the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law & Ethics. Professor Makhlouf is currently writing a book, tentatively titled Health Justice for Migrants, which is under contract with Cambridge University Press.