U.S. legal institutions, many have
recognized, harbor systemic biases that create profound racial inequalities.
Immigration law is no exception. From the Chinese Exclusion era to modern
distinctions in the treatment of Central American, African, Haitian, and
Ukrainian asylum seekers, race affects migrants’ access and experience
immigrating to the United States. This historical trajectory raises questions
that can inform broader conversations about systemic racism: How should we
approach a legal regime with explicitly racist foundations? How does the
expressly exclusionary function of immigration regulation affect its
application to different groups? What role does the discretion inherent in
immigration law enforcement play?
Business meeting at program conclusion.