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VIDEO

125 Years of Empire: Examining the Separate and Unequal Status of U.S. Territories

Mary L. Smith, Charles Ala’ilima, Adriel I. Cepeda Derieux, Dr. Carlyle G. Corbin, William Fife, Anne E. Lopez, Lia Fiol Matta, Hon. Linda Murnane, Stacey Plaskett, Jaqueline Terlaje, Sherry Levin Wallach, and Daniel Immerwahr

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

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