Topics in International and Immigration Law
(November 2006)
Eleanor Newhoff, issue editor, writes:
In the November issue of Mass Dissent, we visit several issues of international and immigration law.
The first is a brief summary of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, the response of the Bush Administration to the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (June, 2006). The Court’s decision that common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions protects detainees designated as “enemy combatants” is reversed by language in the MCA 2006. The War Crimes Act, part of US law, which incorporates common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions is vandalized to retroactively decriminalize activity which is a violative of the provisions of that instrument. The MCA2006 now permits torture which is not a “grave breach” of the Conventions and probative use of the “evidence” obtained during that torture.
Spring Miller, Harvard Law Student and founding member of the Harvard Immigration Project describes HIP’s most recent activities regarding current issues of human rights and the impact of DHS policies on immigrant communities occurring as a result of US policies and practices.
Margaret Kwoka, law student at Northeastern and former Peace Corps volunteer, writes of spreading democracy through the expanded influence of international human rights law and instruments.
Our last piece is a very moving article by Sara Sluszka, a Northeastern law student, who recuptures her experience from time spent in Morocco.
As a closing thought, we join you in recalling that where there is hope, all things are possible.
Also, please check our new column on page 4: Members in Action. This new section is dedicated to our Guild members and their political and legal work. We welcome reports from all Guild members.
