Six teams, including three that traveled from Texas, participated in the Columbus School of Law's first annual Immigration Law Moot Court Competition, held Feb. 27-28 at the law school.

Over two days, the teams of two or three students each argued a theoretical case that involved the effort of a Guatemalan man to remain in the United States, after the Board of Immigration Appeals found him ineligible to stay due to crimes committed out of the country as a member of the MS-13 gang.

Teams were expected to address issues and relevant case law surrounding the appeal, including "Whether the Board erred in finding petitioner ineligible for relief from removal because he committed a serious nonpolitical crime." The University of Houston Law Center fielded two separate teams to compete in the moot competition. Other schools represented included Baylor Law School (the eventual victor), CUA Law, the University of Detroit, and George Washington University. Ronalda Kosh (3E), Patricia Zermeno (4E), and Ana Victoria Perez (3D) were the members of Catholic University's team, coached by Jonathan Jacobs (3E). Twenty-six local practitioners and judges, including multiple CUA Law alumni, served as final round judges, preliminary round judges, or briefing judges during the competition. CUA Law is now one of only three law schools in the nation that sponsor moot competitions dealing with immigration law. Participants had high praise for how smoothly the first-time event was run by the CUA Law Moot Court Association, and have already suggested returning next year.