Seminar in Law & Society: Immigration Law

This seminar surveys the history and practice of immigration law and policy in the United States. We will divide the semester along three dimensions. First is the citizen: who are they, what makes them so, and what hinges on the distinction? Second is structural: how does federal law structure who is admitted or inadmissible into the United States? This is a question both about immigrants and the visa system, but also about refugees and asylum seekers. Third is historical: how have debates and conversations in the United States shifted and evolved across time? The seminar will examine old and new questions, such as the boundaries of citizenship, the plenary powers doctrine, debates over the Dream Act, the recent travel ban, the allotment of visas, and the role of the federal government in immigration.