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  • Civil Rights Enforcement in the Trump Era

    By Ali Boyd Associate Editor, Vol. 22 Online Publications Editor, Vol. 23 In the wake of President Trump’s recent inauguration, millions of people across the world came out in protest of his rhetoric and policy agenda.[1]  The day after the inauguration, the Women’s March on Washington and sister-marches around the world demonstrated a widespread fear shared by millions that the rights of vulnerable Americans will be violated under President Trump’s administration.[2]  Civil rights could, of course, be curtailed through the legislative process, but often this takes time.  What is perhaps even more terrifying is the reality that the Trump administration could simply stop enforcing rights that are currently in place, a decision which could have immediate effect. One of the key institutions for the federal government’s enforcement of civil rights is the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, which was created after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.[3]  Since that time, the Division has been responsible for enforcing federal statutes designed to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society, [4] including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act.[5]  The Civil Rights Division has been responsible for some remarkable legal work since its installation.  The DOJ website boasts of the prosecution of the eighteen individuals for civil rights violations surrounding the murder of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964 as well as the Civil Rights Division’s involvement in the investigations of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.[6]

  • Betsy DeVos, School Choice, and the Resegregation of American Public Schools

    By Laura Page Associate Editor, Vol. 22 The Senate confirmation hearing of Betsy DeVos, the President’s nominee for Secretary of Education, was one of the most contentious and heated in recent history.[1]  Critics contend that the billionaire Republican donor has no experience in public education—neither she nor her…

  • Reflecting on Race Relations: Thanks Obama

    By Marcus Baldori Associate Editor, Vol. 22 In 2008, it was an open question of how race relations would unfold under America’s first Black president. Eight years later, polling shows that 54% of Americans think race relations between Whites and Blacks have gotten worse; it is hard to recall the sense…

  • Sanctuary Cities Resist Donald Trump’s Plan to Withhold Federal Funding

    By Anonymous Associate Editor, Vol. 22 From the outset of his presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump[1] took extreme stances on immigration.[2] He spoke about heavier enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal crossings during his speech announcing his candidacy, claiming, “I will build a…

  • Trumping Trump

    By Jason Raylesberg Associate Editor, Vol. 21 Contributing  Editor, Vol. 22 It is a very real and terrifying possibility that Donald Trump will be our next president. Accepting that prospect means accepting that the hatred, divisiveness, and racism he has given voice to across America will continue to intensify along…

  • Senator Elizabeth Warren delivers a rousing speech in Boston

    By Thomas Topping Associate Editor, Vol. 21 On Sunday, September 27, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren delivered a speech at the Edward Kennedy Institute in Boston. The speech has been hailed by many observers as bold, splashy, and stirring. In her speech, Senator Warren discussed the…

  • Loretta Lynch vote: Democrat says race and gender ‘a factor’ in Senate delay

    By Luis E. Gomez Associate Editor Vol. 20; Contributing Editor Vol. 21 Democrats have questioned the Republican party’s motives for dragging out unnecessarily the confirmation of Loretta Lynch as attorney general. Some Democrats attribute the delay to race and gender. Lynch was selected by President Obama four months…

  • Future of Undocumented Immigrants Still Uncertain Even After Obama’s Immigration Policy Deal

    By Daniela Tagtachian, Associate Editor Vol. 20 On Thursday, November 20, 2014 Obama announced his plan to allow millions of undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows and be protected from deportation temporarily. Obama plans on using an executive order to enact this temporary protection. Excerpt from Obama’s Speech:…

  • Obama picks NYC prosecutor Loretta Lynch to be next US Attorney General

    By Luis E. Gomez, Associate Editor Vol. 20 President Barack Obama named federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch as his pick to be the next attorney general. The 55-year-old Lynch would be the first African-American woman to serve in the post. She is currently the top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York.

  • Missouri Governor May Call National Guard Back to Ferguson

    By Lauren Tortorella, Associate Editor Vol. 20 As Ferguson, and the world, awaits the grand jury’s decision on whether or not to charge officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is considering calling up the Nation Guard. Gov. Nixon expects protests after the grand…