Sophie Chan

Diplomacy or Deportation: Reimagining U.S. Immigration Policy

When we talk about immigration policy today in the United States, a few words dominate the landscape – closed border, ICE, deportation. Notice anything all those words have in common? They all fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security, a domestic affairs agency. Somewhere along our discussion of immigration policy we have let the international phenomenon of the movement of people across borders become the subject of domestic policy. That framing is the fundamental mistake at the center of America's immigration debate. Immigration is not simply a domestic enforcement issue—it is first and foremost a foreign policy issue. Even as we point fingers and condemn the policies of this administration, even as millions of people flood the streets in protest, and people fear for their lives – all that happens under the false construct of migration’s perceived domesticity. Unless and until the United States begins treating immigration as a foreign policy challenge rather than merely a domestic security problem, every administration will continue cycling between enforcement crackdowns and temporary leniency without addressing the causes of migration itself.

Information Accessibility in America

The Role of NATO in Foreign Policy

This brief focuses on the critical role that NATO plays within foreign policy, laying out the organization’s history, structure, and beliefs and analyzing potential solutions to the current challenges it faces today.

Educational Programs Within Prison

This policy brief analyzes the role of education in juvenile correctional facilities, evaluates how educational access affects recidivism and reentry outcomes, and considers how these programs can support broader public safety goals.

Immigration in Foreign Policy

This brief covers various immigration issues across the globe today. It dives into the challenges of immigration policy, the impact of immigration on the global balance of diplomatic relationships, potential policy solutions, and the long-term effects of immigration on youth looking forward.

China-Taiwan Relations Escalate

This brief will cover current China-Taiwan tensions rooted in historical conflicts, its global implications, and potential solutions moving forward.

The Current Chaos of US-Latin America Relations

This brief examines the current nature of relations between the United States and countries in Latin America, assessing global implications as well as potential solutions to rising tensions.

AI and the Future of Foreign Policy

This brief examines the growing, widespread use of AI and its ongoing effects on domains ranging from everyday life to government and policy. Additionally, the brief summarizes current uses of AI in foreign policy and potential ways to maximize safety and responsibility in future applications.

Japan’s Female Prime Minister

In modern times, where women have established themselves in society, the world still sees a plethora of “first women,” including the swearing-in of the new Prime Minister of Japan. Unseen in all of Japan’s history, Sanae Takaichi was chosen as the forefront face of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, contradicting the lag that women have in this country. This “lag” for women can be referred to as the country ranking 118th out of 148 in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index, demonstrating the struggle women still face in one of the most progressive countries in the world. Though endorsing the new Prime Minister, the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan contradicts women's ideals and progressive gender-related policies. She has put herself in office with extremely conservative ideals, leading Japan into massive changes relating to economic and social issues. Takaichi and her party represent an entirely underrepresented minority in politics, but have no plans to help anyone affected. Feeding into Japan’s “representation without a progressive agenda,” this first woman Prime Minister is doing nothing for herself and her own gender.