News

Professor Lisa Pruitt presented at the International Sociological Association Forum of Sociology on July 10 at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.

In a July 25 piece in the Conversation,  Professor Kevin R. Johnson writes that it is far from clear that President Donald Trump’s current deportation tactics will result in fewer undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Professor Nila Bala was quoted extensively in a June 13 Law360 article about jails and prisons phasing out physical mail for incarcerated people in favor of scanned and digitized letters available via tablets. In some instances, the devices also are used in lieu of visits from loved ones and other in-person activities.

Professors Gabriel “Jack” Chin, Raquel Aldana and Kevin R. Johnson spoke to media about the widely publicized July 17 arrests of 12 people by masked Border Patrol officers in a Sacramento Home Depot parking lot.

Professor Raquel Aldana wrote a July 18 piece for The Conversation about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan, endorsed by President Donald Trump, to deputize the state’s National Guard Judge Advocate General’s Corps officers to become immigration judges.

Professor Afra Afsharipour presented her paper “Effective Corporate Governance and Inclusion” (co-authored with McGill Law School Professor Darren Rosenblum) at the Law & Society Association Annual Meeting on May 25 in Chicago and at the National Business Law Scholars Conference on June 25 at UCLA School of Law.

The Civil Rights Clinic prevailed on behalf of its client in a case decided on May 29 by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco. In Campbell v. Herrera, the appeals court affirmed the trial judge’s order denying qualified immunity to four prison health care providers.

Professor Christopher Elmendorf spoke to the New York Times for a June 30 story on recent rollbacks of the California Environmental Quality Act, which in recent years had become closely associated with the state's housing crisis.

Professor Kevin R. Johnson spoke to the Los Angeles Times for a June 30 story about the detrimental effects of recent immigration enforcement raids on the city’s restaurant industry.

Professors Gabriel “Jack” Chin and Kevin R. Johnson spoke to national and regional media on June 27 about the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in the birthright citizenship case to limit universal injunctions issued by federal courts.

Professor Kevin R. Johnson spoke to Reuters on June 2 about how the U.S. Supreme Court has supported many aspects of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans while expressing some reservations about his tactics.

Professor Kevin R. Johnson wrote a June 11 guest commentary for CalMatters that lent historical context to the Trump administration's recent immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles, which included mobilizing the National Guard despite Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom objecting.

San Francisco law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters has selected Trinity Balla ’27 as a 2025 Diversity Scholar. One of four Northern California law students selected, Balla will receive $25,000 in scholarship funds.

Professor Lisa Ikemoto spoke to Newsweek for a June 26 story about a new California law (SB 729) that requires employers with 100 more workers and state insurance plans to cover infertility and IVF treatment for all Californians regardless of sexual orientation, marriage status or gender expressi

The American Bar Association’s Business Law Section selected Firyal Bawab ’27 to participate in its prestigious Business Law Diversity Clerkship Program.

One of four U.S. law students chosen for this year’s program, Bawab is externing this summer for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy, who handles civil and business law cases. The program includes a stipend.

Professor Leticia Saucedo spoke to the Christian Science Monitor for a June 20 story exploring the potential economic impact of immigrants not going to work because of fears stoked by recent raids on farms, hotels and other workplaces under President Trump's mass deportation campaign.

Meredith Hankins ’16 spoke to NPR’s Up First on June 12 about the Trump administration’s plans to roll back limits on greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. fossil fuel-fired power plants.

Professor Chimène Keitner wrote a June 16 essay in The Fulcrum about the danger of President Donald Trump’s rhetoric toward Canada, including his threats to annex the United States’ northern neighbor.

Chancellor Gary May has honored Professor Raquel Aldana with a 2025 Chancellor’s Fellowship for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Chancellor’s Fellowships for DEI represent exceptional contributions in supporting, tutoring, mentoring and advising underrepresented students and/or students from underserved communities.

The fellowship includes a one-time award of $5,000 in Academic Enrichment Funding.

Professor and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences Director Karrigan Börk appeared on the May 29 episode of the Fish Water Trout podcast presented by the conservation nonprofit California Trout.

Börk explained the historical development of water rights, including riparian and appropriative rights, and how the public trust doctrine has evolved to protect ecological interests.

The New York Times quoted Professor Leticia Saucedo in a June 12 story about how President Donald Trump acknowledged that his immigration crackdown is hurting the agriculture and hotel industries.

On June 7, Professor Raquel Aldana spoke as part of the “Tule Lake Concentration Camp: Reflections and Lessons” event hosted by Trinity Cathedral Episcopal church in Sacramento.

The Tule Lake War Relocation Center in Modoc and Siskiyou counties imprisoned Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes during World War II under the Aliens Enemies Act and by presidential executive order.

Aldana’s talk was titled “The Modern and Universal Dimensions of the Alien Enemies Act.”

In May 7, Professor Raquel Aldana gave a “Know Your Rights” presentation and training for lawyers through Rutgers Law School regarding the legal rights of students who were subject to visa revocation as part of the Trump administration’s effort to quell student-led anti-war protests on behalf of Palestine liberation.

Professor Lisa Pruitt appeared on the May 8 episode of KDVS’ Office Hour podcast hosted by UC Davis Professor of Religious Studies and Undergraduate Faculty Advisor Naomi Janowitz.

Professor David Horton spoke before the California Senate Judiciary Committee on April 22 in support of Senate Bill 82, which bans “infinite” arbitration clauses.