Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

Raids, Rights, and the Right to Belong: Immigration and Citizenship in Crisis

Presented to inspire informed civic engagement and responsibility, this symposium will explore the evolving legal, historical, and ethical dimensions of citizenship and belonging in the United States through a critical social justice lens. A panel of legal scholars, practitioners, and advocates will examine pressing and unsettled issues, from the origins of birthright citizenship to contemporary immigration enforcement practices. The discussion will illuminate how law and policy have constructed—and constrained—belonging in America. 

Date

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Time

6 to 9 p.m.

Location

Belson Moot Court Room, 2nd Floor 

Program

Welcome

JCRED Research & Symposium Director Arielle C. Sanders ‘26

Opening Remarks

Dean and Rose DiMartino and Karen Sue Smith Professor of Law Jelani Jefferson Exum

Introduction of the Moderator and Panelists

JCRED Editor-in-Chief Juliet Tomaro ‘26

Panel

Moderator: Professor Ashley B. Armstrong
Panelists:

• Luwam Dirar, Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Faculty Research & Development, Western New England Law
• Allison Tirres, Professor of Law, University of San Francisco School of Law
• Sabrina Balgamwalla, Associate Professor of Law and Director, Asylum & Immigration Law Clinic, Wayne State Law School
• Hasan Shafiqullah, Immigration Supervising Attorney, Law Reform Unit, The Legal Aid Society

Audience Q&A

We’ll have some time for audience questions at the end of the panel program.

Networking Reception 

Please join us for networking and light refreshments after the Symposium.

More Information

For more information about the 2026 JCRED symposium, please email [email protected].

About JCRED

Established in 1984-1985, the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development (JCRED) was formerly known as the Journal of Legal Commentary. Building on its rich history of excellent scholarship on issues of social, racial, and economic justice, JCRED officially became affiliated with the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights & Economic Advancement in 2010. Since then, JCRED has continued to produce innovative symposium issues and publish high-quality student notes. In addition, JCRED students publish short articles about cutting edge topics on JCRED's website.

The subjects of recent symposium issues have included:

• Mass incarceration and the school to prison pipeline
• The political division of the Brett Kavanaugh nomination and the #MeToo Movement
• The tragedy of family separation at the border and the need for comprehensive immigration reform
• The 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (in collaboration with the National Bar Association)

Faculty Advisors

Professor Elaine M. Chiu
Professor Rosa Castello

Learn More

Please visit the St. John's Law Scholarship Repository to access JCRED's:

• Current Issue
• Current Editorial Board
• Current Members
• Membership
• Articles Archive

Contact Us

[email protected]