Bates College Undergraduate Law Review
Abstract
This paper uses a human rights-based analysis to explore the legal implications of the second Trump administration’s deportation policies, using frameworks enacted by international legal organizations and state-level bodies. Drawing upon the Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and established state policies, the paper identifies important jus cogens norms against arbitrary detention and torture. With Chicago serving as a case study, the paper explores different avenues that have been employed to counter violations of prohibitions of arbitrary detention and torture, ultimately concluding that state-level policy responses and impact litigation cases serve as a more efficacious means to uphold existing human rights protections than federal or international legal avenues. The paper concludes with a list of recommended actions for state-level and international actors on how to best uphold human rights protections as deportation efforts continually encroach upon established law.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Keuer, Gianna
(2026)
"Chicago, Arbitrary Detention and Torture: an Examination of Human Rights Violations and Legal Responses Under the Second Trump Administration,"
Bates College Undergraduate Law Review: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scarab.bates.edu/bulr/vol3/iss1/5
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