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 as keynote speakers Bridget Cambria, co-founder of Aldea—The People’s Justice Center and an immigration attorney, and José Jorge Mendoza, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Washington. See below for the full schedule. Sponsors for the event are the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State Law Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, Latina/o Studies, Department of Philosophy, 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 below. 4 hours of ethics CLE credits will be available.

Symposium Schedule: Day 1 | Thursday, March 17 

6:00 p.m.: Conversation with Bridget Cambria, Co-Founder of Aldea—The People’s Justice Center and an Immigration Attorney, Moderated by Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Penn State Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Symposium Schedule: Day 2 | Friday, March 18 

11:30 a.m.: Keynote Lecture “Crimmigration and the Ethics of Migration” by José Jorge Mendoza, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington

1:00 p.m.: Lunch* 

2:00 p.m.: Panel Discussions

• “Law Enforcement and Systemic Oppression” by Amelia Wirts
• “From Slave Patrols to ICE: Revoking Citizenship” by Eduardo Mendieta
• “The Inherited Racialized Protectionism of U.S. Immigration Law” by Daniel Calzadillas-Rodriguez
• “The Ethics of Defunding the Police: ICE as a Case Study” by Désirée Lim and Ben Jones
• Discussants: Jules Wong and Kathleen Sexsmith

3:30pm: Closing 

*Those who plan to attend in person and would like a lunch Friday should order here by Monday, March 14 at 5 p.m.

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