Policy Briefs

YIP's policy briefs provide clear, nonpartisan summaries of key national issues and policies. Designed for accessibility, they distill complex topics into concise, understandable analyses, bridging the gap between intricate policy debates and a broad audience. These briefs embody our commitment to informed, unbiased discourse, crucial for fostering a well-informed public and encouraging active engagement in policy discussions.

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Briefs harmonize diverse political perspectives in policy teams of 4-6 for insightful policy solutions.

Recent Policy Briefs

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Not all that Glitters is Geopolitical Gold: Greenland.

Foreign Policy

Sanjay Karthikeyan

Trump’s Greenland gambit has morphed from flippant musing into actual strategy. Cloaked in the rhetoric of ‘national security,’ it is an unsubtle attempt to unseat China from its position of mineral dominance. Yet this gambit is redolent of neo-imperial hubris: it risks imperilling alliances, flouts international law, and—at its core—treats acquisition as diplomacy. In seeking to mine Greenland’s riches, Trump may impoverish America’s global standing.

From Protection to Disruption: Trump’s 2025 Tariffs and the Future of U.S. Trade Policy

Economic Policy

Benjamin Halimi

Trade policy among nations has historically been a pivotal tool for shaping economic relationships. Mechanisms such as tariffs are utilized to protect domestic industries, generate revenue, and counteract unfair trade practices. However, the unintended consequences of trade policy, like rising consumer prices and manufacturing uncertainty, can lead to controversy among government officials and the general public. This brief examines President Donald Trump’s 2025 trade policy, exploring its impacts on key stakeholders and potential policy options to address ongoing controversy.

Unpacking the Impact: The US Immigration Ban and Its Effect on Particular Countries

Immigration Policy

Emily Tsai

This brief discusses the impact that Executive Order 13780, or the ‘Muslim Ban,’ had on immigration from Muslim and African countries. The brief puts this ban into historical context, discussing how the affected countries were impacted by this order, and how it came to be rescinded under the presidency of Joe Biden.

An Analysis of the Impact of Health Research Funding Cuts

Public Health Policy

Avi Agrawal

This brief explores the impact of the Trump administration’s cuts to key public-health research branches, including the National Institute of Health (NIH), the World Health Organization, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Retribution and Rehabilitation: Juvenile Justice

Criminal Justice

Naomi McKenna

This brief reexamines the topic of juvenile justice reform, examining the evolution of youth treatment under the criminal justice system.

An Analysis of the Efficacy of Value-Based Care Health Systems

Public Health Policy

Avi Agrawal

Value-based care (VBC), which pays a fixed rate per patient, deviates from healthcare’s traditional fee-for-service (FFS) model in which practitioners are paid per service (doctor visit, surgery, vaccine, etc.) they do. Given the growing prevalence of this system, this brief aims to analyze the efficacy of VBC to improve patient outcomes.