Prosecutorial discretion in immigration cases to be discussed in Cannon Lecture

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Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, the Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar and Clinical Professor of Law at the Pennsylvania State University School of Law, will present the annual Cannon Lecture Monday, Sept. 11, at noon in the Law Center McQuade Law Auditorium.

Her lecture is titled “Beyond Deportation: The Role of Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Cases in the Wake of the Trump Administration.”

“This is a timely topic from a recognized national expert,” Geoffrey Rapp, associate dean for academic affairs in the UT College of Law, said. “With a focus on the role of individual decision makers in immigration enforcement, it’s a perfect fit for this year’s Cannon Lecture.”

A nationally known expert on immigration law, Wadhia published her New York University Press book, “Beyond Deportation: The Role of Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Cases,” in 2015. Her book traces the role of prosecutorial discretion from the case of the Beatles front man John Lennon to the challenges of enforcing immigration policy in the post 9/11 era and during the Obama administration.

Her work also has been published in leading journals, including Emory Law Journal, Texas Law Review, and Columbia Journal of Race and Law. Additionally, her work has been cited by federal courts, and she has appeared in popular media, including MSNBC, C-SPAN, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

Prior to entering teaching, Wadhia served as deputy director of the National Immigration Forum, an advocacy organization that provided advice to government officials and the public on topics that included immigration reform and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

At the Pennsylvania State University School of Law, Wadhia teaches asylum and refugee law as well as immigration law. She also serves as the founder and director of the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, working with law students in the clinical immigration law setting.

She received a bachelor of arts degree from Indiana University and her law degree from Georgetown University.

This free, public lecture is part of the Cannon Lecture Series, which was established in 1980 to honor former Toledo attorney Joseph A. Cannon. The series hosts nationally known individuals who explore both the humanistic dimensions and limitations of the U.S. legal system. Food and beverages will be provided.