At the turn of the twentieth century, the United States transformed itself into an empire, acquiring overseas territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific. This program examines the ongoing legacy of the Insular Cases and how legal frameworks like the territorial "incorporation doctrine" have profoundly influenced the rule of law in U.S. territories. It then discusses recent Supreme Court decisions related to the arbitrary and unequal treatment of the residents of U.S. territories and Congress' role in addressing these constraints.
Co-Sponsors: ABA Center for Public Interest Law, ABA Division for Public Education, ABA Section of State and Local Government Law, American Civil Liberties Union, Bar Association of Puerto Rico, Guam Bar Association, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, National Native American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Right to Democracy, Virgin Islands Bar Association
Resources
- ABA Territories Engagement and Recommendations | Bruce Leal
- Resolution and report of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on the U.S. Territories - First Task Force Report, November 2022
- The Supreme Court 2022 Term | Harvard Law Review, Vol. 137, No. 1 (November 2023)
- The People v. Hate Campaign | National Association of Attorneys General
- Introduction to “The Future of the Insular Cases” Special Issue | Lía Fiol-Matta, Columbia Human Rights Law Review, Spring 2022
- Enough with the Insular Cases! The Tragedy of Vaello Madero | Lía Fiol-Matta, CUNY Law Review, November 2022
- The Scourge of the Insular Cases: Ending Constitutional Apartheid in Puerto Rico | Lía Fiol-Matta, Co-authored with Francisca D. Fajana, Revista Jurídica Universidad de Puerto Rico, October 2023
- An Anomalous Status: Rights and Wrongs in America’s Territories October 2022, Fordham Law Review | Lía Fiol-Matta, Panelist: “The United States’ Colonies Problem”
- When the Supreme Court Ignores Race-Based Inequities in Citizenship and Sovereignty for Puerto Ricans and Others Born in U.S. Territories, What Can be Done? | Lía Fiol-Matta, Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, June 2, 2023
- The Insular Cases: It’s Time to Turn the Page | Lía Fiol-Matta, Bloomberg Law, March 14, 2022
- After Vaello Madero, the Fight Continues | Lía Fiol-Matta, The Mother Court, Federal Bar Association of the Southern District of New York, Summer 2022
- Indigenous Rights: A Pathway to End American Second-Class Citizenship | William J. Fife III & Beylul Solomon
- Indigenous Rights: A Vehicle to Address Mental Health and Academic Outcomes in the CNMI | William J. Fife III & Beylul Solomon
- Video | Marianas participates in historic summit with territories