Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant: The Role of the Media in Shaping Immigration Policy

On February 21, 2017, one month and one day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as the forty-fifth President of the United States, the Washington Post debuted a new slogan: “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” This phrase draws on our country’s tradition of recognizing the importance of a free and open press, but is it still true? In today’s world, does the media still play a fundamental role as a check on our government? Furthermore, in areas like immigration law, where considerable power and deference lies with the President and Department of Homeland Security, what is the role of the “Fourth Estate” in holding governmental institutions accountable? This article examines these questions by analyzing the role of the press in shaping immigration policy by the Obama and Trump Administrations with respect to two groups: Central American asylum seekers—particularly unaccompanied minors and family units—and Syrian refugees. The article first examines how press coverage and public engagement served as a check on the Obama Administration and shaped President Obama’s response to the Central American Migrant Crisis and Syrian Refugee Crisis during his second term. The article then describes executive actions taken by the Trump Administration that adversely impacted Central American asylum seekers and Syrian refugees, and analyzes how media coverage shaped the Trump Administration’s ability to implement policies against these groups

Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant: The Role of the Media in Shaping Immigration Policy

On February 21, 2017, one month and one day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as the forty-fifth President of the United States, the Washington Post debuted a new slogan: “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” This phrase draws on our country’s tradition of recognizing the importance of a free and open press, but is it still true? In today’s world, does the media still play a fundamental role as a check on our government? Furthermore, in areas like immigration law, where considerable power and deference lies with the President and Department of Homeland Security, what is the role of the “Fourth Estate” in holding governmental institutions accountable? This article examines these questions by analyzing the role of the press in shaping immigration policy by the Obama and Trump Administrations with respect to two groups: Central American asylum seekers—particularly unaccompanied minors and family units—and Syrian refugees. The article first examines how press coverage and public engagement served as a check on the Obama Administration and shaped President Obama’s response to the Central American Migrant Crisis and Syrian Refugee Crisis during his second term. The article then describes executive actions taken by the Trump Administration that adversely impacted Central American asylum seekers and Syrian refugees, and analyzes how media coverage shaped the Trump Administration’s ability to implement policies against these groups

Mitchell Hamline School of Law Summer 2020 Covid-19 Legal Response Clinic

This essay is a reflection on lawyering in a time of crisis. It details the Mitchell Hamline School of Law Clinical Faculty’s response to the community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic by creating the COVID-19 Legal Response Clinic. It also recounts the impact of the murder of George Floyd and the long overdue national reckoning with systemic racism, sparked in our city. Additionally, against this backdrop, it examines the trauma-informed approach taken in clinical work and the classroom to help students process their own trauma and apply this approach in their work with clients. Amid these concurrent crises in our city and country, five clinicians and eleven law students came together through the COVID-19 Legal Response Clinic to serve the community, working on a variety of issues including domestic violence, unemployment, workplace safety, and conditional medical release from prison. With the passage of time, this essay reflects, one year later, on the experience of renewed purpose and optimism through caring for our community, our students, and each other in an otherwise dark and challenging time

Mitchell Hamline School of Law Summer 2020 Covid-19 Legal Response Clinic

This essay is a reflection on lawyering in a time of crisis. It details the Mitchell Hamline School of Law Clinical Faculty’s response to the community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic by creating the COVID-19 Legal Response Clinic. It also recounts the impact of the murder of George Floyd and the long overdue national reckoning with systemic racism, sparked in our city. Additionally, against this backdrop, it examines the trauma-informed approach taken in clinical work and the classroom to help students process their own trauma and apply this approach in their work with clients. Amid these concurrent crises in our city and country, five clinicians and eleven law students came together through the COVID-19 Legal Response Clinic to serve the community, working on a variety of issues including domestic violence, unemployment, workplace safety, and conditional medical release from prison. With the passage of time, this essay reflects, one year later, on the experience of renewed purpose and optimism through caring for our community, our students, and each other in an otherwise dark and challenging time