Jonathan Hafetz

@jonathanhafetz.bsky.social

Professor of Law at Seton Hall University. Formerly ACLU senior attorney. Host of Law on Film podcast.

How did emergency powers come to define the border-- restricting asylum, normalizing expulsions, and expanding executive control? My new Georgetown Immigration L.J. article traces how “crisis” became the norm and exception the rule. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Crisis Governance of the Border: The Law and Politics of Immigration Emergency,

In the United States, law and politics around immigration are increasingly framed in terms of emergency, with claims of a perpetual crisis at the border necessi

papers.ssrn.com

New Law on Film podcast--special🎙️: "Syriana" revisited with Peggy McGuinness. As the U.S.–Iran war brings strikes, energy shocks, and escalation, we ask why reality feels even more dystopian than the film—and how power now operates with even fewer constraints. www.buzzsprout.com/2073468/epis...

Syriana (2005): Special Commentary (Guest: Peggy McGuiness) - Law on Film

We return to Syriana, a film we discussed previously in Episode 40, but one that feels newly urgent in light of the current war with Iran. When it was released in 2005, the film offered a dense, unset...

buzzsprout.com

As those with Constitutional responsibilities (looking at you Congress) are flailing in the face of illegal actions by the Executive, I'm proud to be part of this professional community, willing to come together to give voice to the rule of law: www.justsecurity.org/135423/profe...

Over 100 International Law Experts Warn: U.S. Strikes on Iran Violate UN Charter and May Be War Crimes

Over 100 international law experts sign letter on Iran War, UN Charter, and international humanitarian law.

justsecurity.org

New on Law on Film podcast: I'm joined by Mark Drumbl & Barbora Hola to talk about "The Lives of Others." We examine the film’s portrayal of surveillance, informants, and moral compromise, while drawing on insights from their book "Informers Up Close". Listen here:

The Lives of Others (2006) (Guests: Mark Drumbl & Barbora Hola) (episode 56) - Law on Film

This episode looks at The Lives of Others, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s haunting exploration of surveillance, complicity, and the brittle architecture of authoritarian legality in the final year...

buzzsprout.com

On the latest episode of @LawonFilm, I’m joined by Professor Alexandra Meise to discuss "The Killing Fields"--and the Khmer Rouge genocide, journalists as witnesses to atrocity, and how film shapes our understanding of international justice. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2073468/epis...

The Killing Fields (1984) (Guest: Alexandra Meise) (episode 55) - Law on Film

The Killing Fields (1984), directed by Roland Joffe, depicts the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia and the genocide that followed, which resulted in the death of approximately 2-3 million people. The f...

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On the new Law on Film podcast, I explore "Conclave," which turns the papal election into a gripping study of institutions under pressure. Listen as Monsignor Raymond Kupke and I dig into authority, legitimacy, and what happens when rules meet moral doubt. www.buzzsprout.com/2073468/epis...

Conclave (2024) (Guest: Monsignor Raymond Kupke) (episode 54) - Law on Film

In Conclave (2024), Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) organizes a conclave to elect a new pope. Key candidates and factions vie with one another as the process plays out until finally a new pop...

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On the latest Law on Film podcast, Elliot Hasler, writer and director of "Vindication Swim," joins me to discuss Mercedes Gleitze's historic and contested swim across the English channel, which raises timeless questions of proof, reputation, and justice. www.buzzsprout.com/2073468/epis...

Vindication Swim (2024) (Guest: Elliot Hasler) (episode 49) - Law on Film

Vindication Swim (2024) tells the story of Mercedes Gleitze, the first British woman to swim the English Channel in 1927. This major accomplishment, however, was soon called into question when another...

buzzsprout.com

Few companies rely on—and benefit from—our constitutional freedoms as much as media empires like Disney and Paramount. It’s astonishing to see them trading away their freedoms and ours for short-term profits.

My latest article, "Digital Information Technologies and International Humanitarian Law: New Challenges and Opportunities" is now out in the Denv. J. Int'l L. & Policy. Thanks again to all those who offered helpful feedback along the way papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

'Digital Information Technologies and International Humanitarian Law: New Opportunities and Challenges'

Digital technologies are transforming the nature and role of information during armed conflict. They have exponentially increased the amount of information abou

papers.ssrn.com