The Rutgers Center for Security, Race and Rights and the Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice opened in Newark

Sahar Aziz is spearheading the Rutgers Center for Security, Race and Rights.

Rutgers Law School in Newark announced the opening of two new centers that tackle issues of immigration and civil rights.

Sahar Aziz, a chancellor’s social justice scholar, launched the Rutgers Center for Security, Race and Rights. The center will examine civil rights law and policy that disproportionately affect Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities in the United States through an interdisciplinary and cross-community approach.

“A lack of knowledge about the diverse Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities in the U.S., as well as Muslim-majority countries, has resulted in entrenched, negative stereotypes and widespread prejudice against these communities,” said Aziz, an expert in the Middle East, national security, race, and civil rights.

 “The Center for Security, Race and Rights engages in research, education and advocacy to counter discrimination and preserve civil rights for racial and religious minorities,’’ she said.

Rose Cuison Villazor, another chancellor’s social justice scholar, started the Center for Immigration Law, Policy, and Justice (CILPJ). The mission is to advance equitable and more inclusive immigration and citizenship laws, policies and practices.

The center will host a Colloquium on Sanctuary speaker series in the fall semester where scholars, advocates and students will explore the legal, political and ethical meaning of providing “sanctuary” to immigrants. In the spring, the center will launch a citizenship initiative to assist legal permanent residents in their application for naturalization.

Rose Cuison Villazor started the Center for Immigration Law, Policy, and Justice.

“Immigration is one of the most critical and compelling issues of our time,’’ said Villazor, an expert in immigration, citizenship, property law and race and the law. “Through interdisciplinary scholarship, legal and policy and initiatives and public engagement, the CILJP seeks to support the passage of progressive immigration and citizenship laws.”

Upcoming events planned by the new centers include:

An Islamophobia lecture series hosted by The Center for Security, Race and Rights. Topics include Islam in Liberalism at noon on Oct.4 and Islamophobia, Race and Global Politics, 11:30 a.m., Feb. 6, 2019.

A Colloquium on Sanctuary, hosted by the Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice with events on Oct. 10, Oct. 24 and Nov. 14

All events will be held at the Center for Law and Justice at 123 Washington St. in Newark.

The two centers will be the newest in the law school’s successful tradition of academic centers in Newark and Camden. Other academic centers at Rutgers Law School include: The Center for Corporate Law and Governance; the Center for Gender, Sexuality, Law & Policy; the Center for Government Compliance and Ethics; the Center for Law, Inequality & Metropolitan Equity; the Center for Risk and Responsibility; the Center for State Constitutional Studies; the Center for State Health Policy; the Institute for Information Policy & Law; and the Institute for Law & Philosophy.