Immigrant Civil and Human Rights, National Security and The Law

This course will explore the constitutional history of immigrant civil and human rights, tracing the evolution from early case law addressing the United States’ legacy of genocide and slavery, acquisition of citizenship, to contemporary Supreme Court cases concerning the qualifications for protected status under the Constitution and national security enforcement priorities. Additionally, the course will provide a comprehensive overview of the current structure of immigration law, examining the diverse pathways and obstacles to citizenship. It will also review the roles of key agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the human rights implications of their broad discretionary powers to surveille and detain immigrants.