This week, President Donald Trump delivered a controversial speech to the United Nations General Assembly, where he warned European leaders that immigration posed an existential threat to their nations. He said, "It's time to end the failed experiment of open borders."
But immigration advocates and other world leaders have pushed back on these claims, as well as the president's efforts to shut down asylum at the border through a series of lawsuits.
On Sept. 25 and 26, Case Western Reserve University will be hosting its annual Inamori Ethics Prize Symposium centered on the work of this year's winner, human rights advocate Oscar Chacón, who co-founded Alianza Americas, a group of organizations championing immigrant justice and other systemic inequities in the U.S. and Latin America.
On Thursday's "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk with Chacón about his career of advocacy, inspired by his personal story of migration to the U.S. from El Salvador. And we'll discuss how immigration and human rights work has evolved over ever-changing political priorities.
Later in the hour, this week Cleveland will host legal professionals from around the world, as the American Society of International Law holds its Midyear Meeting, with sessions focused on global issues like trade, security, and the rule of law.
One of the keynote speakers coming to the meeting held at Case Western Reserve University's School of Law is Alex Chalk, a partner in the London office of Jones Day and the United Kingdom's former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He served in multiple senior roles in the British government and was a member of Parliament for nearly a decade.
Chalk is in town to speak on how international law is adapting in an era shaped by technology, global conflict, and shifting political dynamics.
Guests:
-Oscar Chacón, Strategy Advisor, Co‐founder and Former Executive Director, Alianza Americas
-Shannon French, Ph.D., Inamori Professor in Ethics, Director, Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence, Case Western Reserve University
-Rt. Hon. Alex Chalk, KC, a partner in the London office of Jones Day and the United Kingdom's former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
