Many aspects of immigration law and its enforcement, in the United States and elsewhere, fall short of what justice demands. Some aspects of immigration enforcement—like family separation—are especially egregious and the easiest to criticize. But it is far more challenging to formulate a coherent vision of what immigration policy should be beyond just what it should not be. Equally challenging is determining the ethical responsibilities of policymakers and law enforcement officials who must act under nonideal conditions. Moreover, histories of colonialism, racial discrimination, and violence and their lasting legacies complicate the requirements of justice for present-day immigration policy. 

The Symposium on the Ethics of Immigration Enforcement—which will take place March 17 and 18, 2022, at the Penn State University Park campus—will explore these and other issues. This interdisciplinary event aims to bring together researchers at Penn State in the humanities, law, and social sciences engaged in research at the intersection of immigration and policing. The event will feature immigration attorney Bridget Cambria and philosopher José Jorge Mendoza as keynote speakers. Sponsors for the event are the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State Law Center for Immigrants’ Rights, Latina/o Studies, Philosophy Department, and Schreyer Honors College. 

This two-day symposium is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. Registration is not required to attend in person, but is for those who wish to attend virtually. Links for each event are listed on this page here.

For those attending in person who would like a complimentary lunch Friday, please register at the following link: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aggRFg2mAZu2cMC.

4 hours of ethics CLE credits will be available.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Rock Ethics Institute Assistant Director Ben Jones (btj7@psu.edu).

Materials for Symposium Attendees

Wirts Policing and Criminal Oppression 

Crimmigration and the Ethics of Migration 

Crimmigration and the Ethics of Migration Powerpoint 

Inside Berks Family Detention: Observations by Penn State Law Center for Immigrants' Rights Clinic, March 2021

Biden Transition Team - Policy Recommendation on Family Detention, ALDEA, Penn State Law Center for Immigrants' Rights Clinic, January 2021.

Inside Family Detention: Stories from the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, Thursday, November 1 | 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. | Sutliff Auditorium, Lewis Katz Building. Attendees heard from law students and Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia about their experiences with detained families in Berks County Residential Center. Event Video

Detained Immigrants and Access to Counsel in Pennsylvania, Detained Immigrants and Access to Counsel in Pennsylvania highlights the importance of providing counsel to improve immigrants’ due process rights. Under the supervision of Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar and founding director of the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, Penn State Law students, including Sara Firestone and Yousra Chatti worked on the report for more than a year, conducting research and drafting the report itself while working closely with the PAIFUP members. Press Release
Philadelphia Inquirer Coverage

Inside Family Detention: Notes on the Ground by Penn State Law Center for Immigrants Rights' Clinic
From September 30 through October 4, Penn State Law Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic served as advocates for families who are about to undergo their credible or reasonable fear interviews. This publication is a journal of their experiences at Berks. Press Release