Tag: 2017 ACS National Convention

ACS 2017 National Convention Plenary: Norms, Conventions, and Constitutional Governance

Historically, elected and appointed officials who lead American political institutions have operated under both legal constraints and non-legal but obligatory constitutional conventions, which are norms that guide officials in their exercise of political discretion. Among other virtues, conventions keep partisanship within reasonable bounds so that governmental institutions can function effectively and the public can hold officials accountable for their actions.

Recently, political actors have become increasingly willing to abandon longstanding conventions in pursuit of their own partisan or personal objectives. What role do conventions play in constitutional governance and how do they relate to duties and rights found in the Constitution? How do we know what constitutes a convention and, once identified, how do we determine its scope? What arguments can be made when conventions are breached, and to whom should they be addressed? And what are the consequences of such breaches for our democracy?

ACS 2017 National Convention: A Nation of Immigrants No More?

Our national debate over immigration policy is certainly not new, but with executive orders suspending refugee admissions and immigration from certain Muslim- majority nations, and sweeping DHS memoranda designed to make all undocumented immigrants fair game for deportation, the Trump Administration has generated a heated debate about the very nature of America. As its agenda continues to take shape, what responses are available legislatively, administratively, or in the courts? Topics include the executive orders, due process rights, detention, deportation, prosecutorial discretion, childhood arrivals and the legality of registration systems.