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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August Periodical

Rapid Response

Aisha Foday, Aram Jung, Zoe Pallotta, Vance Fulton, Lindsay Chan, Simon Lee, David Halimi

This periodical examines escalating U.S.-Canada trade tensions following the Trump administration’s 50% tariffs on Canadian goods and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s retaliatory response. It also explores the political and legal dispute between Minnesota and Texas over ICE agent Christian Castro’s extradition, alongside the devastating Hawk Fire in Reno, Nevada.

Attacks on Relief Workers in South Sudan

Rapid Response

Aisha Foday, Isabel Mylnarsky, Preet Shukla, Evan Kung, Lediya Kajer, Alishba Syed

This brief will cover the growing violence against humanitarian personnel in South Sudan, including the scale, drivers of the killings, and the humanitarian and political consequences of shrinking access.

Fatal ICE Traffic Stop in Houston

Rapid Response

Aisha Foday, Aram Jung, Lindsay Chan, Vance Fulton, Zoe Pallotta, Simon Lee

On July 7, 2026, an officer fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year old Mexican national, during a traffic stop in Houston, Texas. This brief examines the circumstances of the shooting, the disputed accounts from DHS and witnesses, and the broader pattern of fatal ICE encounters that has prompted growing calls for independent oversight and federal accountability reform.

How to Protect Public Defense: Caseloads and Resource Allocation

Criminal Justice

Naomi McKenna, Aditi Karthikeyan, Afomiya Dejene, Alan Le, Mehek K. Saini, Sophie Chan, Rohan Manchanda

This brief examines the challenges posed by excessive public defender caseloads and limited resources. IIt considers policy options for reducing workloads and improving resource allocation to maintain the integrity of the criminal justice system.

Economic Resilience in an Age of Geopolitical Disruption: How Should Economies Prepare for a More Volatile World?

Economic Policy

Layla Lynch, Luke Meggers, Sarah Hutchison, Sania Sachin Sawant, Leerabari Kpea, Ayushmaan Mukherjee

While global geopolitical disruptions have increased in frequency, governments are challenged by simultaneously fulfilling their responsibilities of protecting their economies from external influences and preserving global trade and economic growth’s benefits. This brief examines policies to improve economic resilience through diversified supply chains, domestic production, stronger ally partnerships, investments in infrastructure and cybersecurity, and collaboration between the private and public sectors. Additionally, it considers how these policies can affect long-term economic stability and future generations.

Regulating AI Detection in Academic Work

Technology Policy

Ava Szajnuk, Bhavana Rupakula, Malek Kamal, Queen-Asset Blissett, Lola Agboola, Siddi Jain, Gautham Parvathanenil, Lachlan Feichthaler

The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence in education presents new challenges for academic institutions attempting to distinguish between legitimate AI-assisted learning and academic dishonesty. The absence of clear institutional policies, untrustworthy AI detection mechanisms, and unclear requirements for AI disclosures leave room for ambiguity. The proposed policy brief outlines steps that educational institutions can undertake in order to create clear and coherent rules for the use of AI in academic work, mandate disclosures when AI makes substantial contributions to student work, avoid relying only on automatic AI detection software, and have human-based review and appeal processes in case of any violations.