In this episode, we are joined by Professor Alex Sinha, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University to discuss his recently published article "Fascist Government Speech," the history of protected speech, and the Trump administration.
UCLA Law Review 2026 Symposium
Constitutional Resistance: Self-Defense Against Unlawful Federal Force under 18 U.S.C. § 111
Abstract The federal government is increasingly weaponizing 18 U.S.C. § 111, originally enacted to protect federal officers from assault, in order to punish speech, protest, and dissent. But § 111 cannot be read to criminalize all resistance to federal authority, particularly when civilians reasonably mistake officers for private aggressors or respond to unlawful, excessive force. Through...
Organizing for Enforcement
Abstract As policy proposals for tenant protections are debated nationwide and often struck down, tenants continue to live in dangerous conditions that our legal system is ill equipped to redress. Code enforcement is ineffective, and depending on the state, the implied warranty of habitability leaves tenants without recourse to compel their landlord to make necessary repairs. In response to...
Abolishing Carceral Data
Abstract American prisons are a black box: remote, austere, and cruel. Although basic demographic data about the people confined in prisons are common—that is, data on the number of people incarcerated, their age, or their race—there is little information available to the public regarding conditions of confinement. A natural response to this data deficit is to advocate for more of it. This...
Environmentalists’ Latent Abolitionism
Abstract Criminal law and environmental law share a central question: How should the state respond to harm? Despite their common concern, these fields approach state power in sharply divergent ways. Criminal law scholars increasingly question the legitimacy of policing and punishment, while environmental law scholars and activists often embrace expanded enforcement and call for harsher penalties...
Birthright Citizenship, Denaturalization, and the Specter of Statelessness
Abstract Stateless persons, those that lack a legal connection to any nation, are among the most vulnerable people in the world. While stateless persons have always lived among us, the United States has not generally contributed to a significant expansion of the stateless population. This Essay explores an underexamined ramification of Trump administration policies that seek to redefine...
Teaching Experientially
Abstract
Each year, the UCLA School of Law presents the Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching to an outstanding law professor. On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, this honor was given to Professor Iman Anabtawi. UCLA Law Review Discourse is proud to continue its tradition of publishing a modified version of the ceremony speech delivered by the award recipient.