Priyanga V

The global seafood industry, a cornerstone of international trade and sustenance, has been marred by revelations of forced labor and human trafficking. A poignant example emerged in 2015 when the Associated Press uncovered the plight of Burmese fishermen subjected to inhumane conditions on the remote Indonesian island of Benjina. These individuals were lured under false pretenses, stripped of their freedom, and compelled to work under brutal conditions to supply seafood that eventually reached markets worldwide.

In early May 2025, the Trump administration unveiled a trifecta of proposals that reignited controversy over executive Power, immigration policy, and international trade. The proposals included (1) offering $1,000 payments to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States, (2) imposing a 100% tariff on foreign films, and (3) reopening Alcatraz Island as a high-security detention facility for undocumented migrants. Each measure, although distinct in domain, converges around a central constitutional question: To what extent can the executive branch wield unilateral power in service of symbolic political aims, particularly when such actions collide with established statutory frameworks and international norms?

Orleans Truck Attack: On the evening of March 26, 2025, New Orleans, a city globally renowned for its cultural richness and musical vibrancy, was the site of a horrifying act of violence. A truck plowed through a crowd of pedestrians in the French Quarter, killing seven individuals and injuring more than a dozen others. Authorities swiftly identified the driver, 45-year-old U.S. citizen Brandon Troy Lee, who was apprehended at the scene and charged with multiple counts, including vehicular homicide and acts of terrorism.

The first quarter of 2025 introduced the United States to a federal employment crisis not seen in nearly a century. A sweeping wave of Federal mass layoffs across multiple federal agencies resulted in the dismissal of over 150,000 federal employees. Triggered ostensibly by a complex cocktail of political gridlock, fiscal prioritization, and administrative realignment, the 2025 federal mass layoffs have come to symbolize a new era of ideological confrontation over the size, purpose, and structure of the federal government.

In early 2025, the United States witnessed a significant resurgence of measles, a disease previously declared eliminated in the country in 2000. The 2025 Southwest Measles Outbreak: Legal, Policy, and Societal Implications of a Public Health Crisis outbreak began in Texas and rapidly spread to neighboring states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas, with over 800 confirmed cases reported by April . This resurgence has sparked intense debate over public health policies, legal frameworks, and societal responsibilities.

The United States Supreme Court's recent engagement with cases involving former President Donald Trump has reignited debates surrounding the extent of presidential immunity and the balance of powers within the federal government. Notably, the Court's intervention in halting the deportation of Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act marked a significant moment in the judiciary's assertion of authority over executive actions. This development underscores the ongoing tension between safeguarding national security and upholding constitutional protections.