Immigration has become a divisive issue for our nation. At the end of 2016, NBC news identified immigration as one of eight issues that would shape politics in 2016. After the election of President Donald J. Trump, immigration became a hotly debated issue as the President threatened to withhold federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities. The problem is that sanctuary city is not defined in law. Nonetheless, it prompted hundreds of cities and towns, including several in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to offer “sanctuary” for immigrants who came to this country illegally. These cities vowed not to prosecute otherwise law abiding immigrants. Meanwhile, President Trump moved quickly once in office to institute a travel ban barring refugees from seven Muslim countries for 120 days and suspending travel from these countries for 90 days. The order was effective against foreign visitors and permanent U.S. residents. A day later, a federal judge in New York issued an emergency stay of the order allowing for the release of travelers with visas at U.S. airports and stopping deportations of travelers. Following this, several states took legal action against the President claiming that the ban will cause “irreparable harm.” On February 3rd, a federal judge out of Washington issued a temporary restraining order suspending the ban nationwide. On February 9th, the Ninth Circuit of Appeals heard the appeal and refused to reinstate the travel ban arguing that the government had not shown that irreparable injury would be caused by the stay.
The back and forth continued in March as the President signed a new executive order, but it met a similar fate at Federal District Courts in Hawaii and Maryland. Then a few weeks later, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge ruled that the order was justified. The order is currently in limbo right now but it is very possible that it may go before the Supreme Court.
As a result, the University of Massachusetts Law Review has decided to take on this topic for our annual law school symposium. The event entitled, The Immigration Symposium: Beyond the Wall, is scheduled for April 6th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will not only discuss the legal intricacies of this complex topic but it will also mark the American Bar Association’s Law Day which focuses on the 14th Amendment this year. It will also mark a milestone for the University: the 15th anniversary of the Immigration Law Clinic, which provides free legal assistance to individuals with immigration matters.
The event will start with a light breakfast at 8 a.m. This will be followed by an alumni panel from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. featuring local immigration attorneys who graduated from the University of Massachusetts School of Law and participated in the Immigration Clinic. At 10 a.m. the discussion will continue as we zero in on the topic of sanctuary cities featuring Sheriff Hodgson, Mayor Curtatone of Somerville, Councilwoman Emily Norton of Newton, and Sarand Sekhavat, the Federal Policy Director for Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. This has been a hotly debated issue in Massachusetts and has made headlines in both the Boston Globe and the New York Times. Mayor Curtatone, most notably, being one of the first mayors to announce that his city would be a sacntuary city and forego federal funding if it came down to it. Meanwhile, law enforcement officials like Sheriff Hodgson of Dartmouth, Massachusetts shot back saying we should prosecute illegal immigrants to the full extent of the law. The panel promises to be lively as well as informative and balanced.
The third panel of the day (11:30-12:30) will feature three subject matter experts on the Middle East and refugees discussing issues surrounding the travel ban. We will talk to immigration attorney Subhan Tariq about practicing in the field as a Muslim attorney. He will also weigh in on the legal implications of the travel ban. We will also check in with Dr. Joseph Roberts of Roger Williams University. Dr. Roberts is a Middle Eastern expert who will discuss the implications of the travel ban in an international context. Lastly, a representative from the Massachusetts Bar Association will join us to discuss local efforts to overturn and challenge the travel ban.
The keynote speaker at the event will be former Congressman Barney Frank. Congressman Frank will weigh in on both the President’s policy on sanctuary cities and his recent executive orders concerning immigration. He will discuss the future of our nation and immigration as well as some of the circumstances leading up to President Trump’s immigration crackdown. Congressman Frank will speak at 12:45 p.m. Then the event will conclude with lunch and refreshments.
UMass Law Review 