Rapid Response Analyst

Zoe Pallotta

Zoe Pallotta is a high school student based in Los Angeles, California. Passionate about law and public policy, she is committed to using research and advocacy as tools to drive meaningful change on pressing national and global issues.

Zoe Pallotta is a high school student based in Los Angeles, California, with a deep interest in law and public policy. As a Rapid Response Analyst at the Institute for Youth in Policy, she contributes to timely, research-driven briefs spanning a broad range of domestic and global issues, from geopolitical conflicts to public health crises. Zoe is drawn to the ways in which policy shapes legal systems and institutions, and is passionate about building a future where she can contribute meaningfully to that process. Through her work at YIP, she has developed a rigorous approach to sourcing, research, and analytical writing, grounded in a commitment to accuracy and nuance.

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Policy Briefs by the author

June Periodical

Rapid Response

July 10, 2026

This periodical examines three developments that shaped June across Europe and the transatlantic policy landscape. We open with the record-breaking heatwaves that swept Europe from late May to late June, and the adaptation and air-conditioning debate they reignited. We then turn to the U.S. House's passage of a major Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions package, and what its uncertain path through the Senate reveals about the current foreign-policy divide. We close with the resignation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the leadership contest now reshaping UK politics.

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Judicial Limits on Immigration Enforcement: The Nationwide Ban on Courthouse Arrests

Rapid Response

June 30, 2026

The following brief discusses the nationwide judicial injunction against courthouse arrests imposed by Judge P. Casey Pitts of the Northern District of California, which nullified the 2025 ICE courthouse-arrest policy after finding it arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. This brief will look at the legal issues considered by Judge Pitts in making the decision, including the failure of ICE and the Executive Office for Immigration Review to give valid reasoning for rescinding the restrictions on courthouse civil immigration arrest. Also, this brief will explore the consequences of this decision, the Trump administration’s response, and the related litigations in other jurisdictions.

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Ukrainian War Persists: Strikes and Drones Exchange, Negotiations Pending, Tides Turn

Rapid Response

June 21, 2026

This brief examines the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, with particular focus on the escalating exchange of drone and missile strikes between Russia and Ukraine, the fragile state of ceasefire negotiations brokered in part by the United States, and the shifting momentum on the battlefield as of mid-2026. The persistence of the conflict despite repeated short-term truces underscores the deep mistrust between the two parties and the complexity of achieving a lasting peace settlement. The brief analyzes current military dynamics, the role of drone warfare in shaping frontline outcomes, diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration and European powers, and the political stakes heading into potential long-term negotiations.

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U.S. and Iran Ceasefire Consistently Fragmented as Strikes Exchange

Rapid Response

June 16, 2026

This brief examines the ongoing ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran following continued military exchanges throughout May and June 2026. It analyzes ceasefire violations, diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, regional security concerns, and the economic and geopolitical implications of prolonged instability. This brief also evaluates current policy discussion surrounding Iran’s nuclear program sanctions relief, and international mediation efforts aimed at preventing a return to full-scale conflict.

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2026 Ebola Virus outbreak in Central Africa

Rapid Response

May 30, 2026

Dating from May 2026, the Ebola virus resurfaces throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, sparking a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. From the origins of Ebola towards the recent 2026 outbreak, this brief will examine policy impact, political stances, and potential options moving forward.

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