M. Isabel Medina

M. Isabel Medina is the Victor H. Schiro Distinguished Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She serves as Vice Chair of the University Senate and was elected to the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) Board of Governors in 2025. Her expertise spans constitutional law, immigration law, civil rights, race and gender bias law, and experiential/online learning methodologies.

• J.D., Tulane University (cum laude)
• M.A./M.F.A., University of New Orleans
• B.A., Monash University (Australia)

Her research focuses on the intersection of race, gender, immigration, and constitutional law, with a particular emphasis on citizenship rights, federal-state immigration conflicts, and ethical issues in immigration proceedings. Her recent articles address migration frameworks, DACA litigation, and systemic barriers in legal access.

Key trends in her 15 most recent publications (2008–2024) include constitutional challenges in immigration policy, intersectional analysis of civil rights, and critiques of detention practices. Notable works examine derivative citizenship, federalism in immigration enforcement, and racial/gender bias in legal systems.

• 2018 Dux Academicus Award (Loyola University New Orleans)
• Elected member of the American Law Institute (2005)

She has organized conferences on gender-based violence, constitutional law, and immigration issues. Her advocacy includes addressing attorney-client access barriers at La Salle Detention Center and contributing to feminist rewrites of U.S. Supreme Court cases.