An upcoming conference at the University of Oregon will bring together immigration scholars and advocates with judges and lawyers to discuss the timely topic of immigration law.

The conference, titled "Immigration Law and Policy 2018," takes place Feb. 8-9 in Room 175, Knight Law Center and is organized by the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics.

"Debates about immigration law and policy live at the heart of our national politics today and have become central features in our climate of political polarization, so I can hardly think of a more urgent or timely subject for this conference," said Ellen Herman, co-director of the Wayne Morse Center.

Conference panels will focus on asylum; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA; interpretation services in courts; detention and deportation; as well as the effect past and current policies have had on women, children and families.

The keynote address, which takes place Feb. 8 at 7 p.m., is titled "Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Historical Context and Contemporary Issues in the Trump Era" and features Karen Musalo, professor of law and director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California Hastings College of Law.

The conference is free and open to the public; however, advance registration is required for those wishing to purchase a box lunch or continuing legal education credits.

The conference is supported by the Lorwin Lectureship on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the O’Connell Conference. It is co-sponsored by the UO School of Law.