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Senior Matthew Parrott (Columbia, Md.) spent this year examining the legal implications of declining civil liberties in this country, focusing on how the United States government is prosecuting immigrants accused or suspected of being terrorists.
Parrott undertook the study in pursuit of departmental honors in government and law. His adviser for the project was Jim Lennertz, associate professor of government and law.
“My thesis examines the use of secret evidence in immigration cases and the implications this practice has for anti-terrorism legislation and treatment of immigrants and suspected terrorists,” says Parrott. “So far, no immigration court has ruled the use of secret evidence to be unconstitutional, but the trend of recent decisions reveals that judges are wary of allowing the government unchecked accusatory powers.”
According to Parrott, secret evidence is information the government uses against an immigrant that is not disclosed because it is deemed nationally secure or harmful to the public interest in a deportation or detention hearing; the immigrant is not allowed to examine or refute the evidence.
“This project allowed me to learn not only about the specific issues involved in secret evidence and immigration cases, but about many of the new and ambiguous Constitutional issues that have arisen concerning terrorism, immigration, and civil liberties,” he says.
Parrott has noticed a marked change in positions on the topic since beginning his research.
“Before the September 11th attacks, there was an influential trend in Congress and among many prominent politicians to repeal the use of secret evidence in immigration hearings. However, due to increased fears of terrorism and unlawful immigration, the secret evidence issue has been marginalized or forgotten. While my focus was once a hot political issue, politicians and judges appear less likely to tackle the problem. Thus, the amount of information being disseminated concerning secret evidence and similar INS and government policies has become more difficult to find,” he says.
“This is an important topic for more than just legal wonks,” Lennertz says. “Matt’s research examines the relationship between the war on terrorism and civil liberties. He may eventually publish a paper in a law journal based on this work.”
Parrott credits his adviser with leading him through a thicket of sources on the topic as well as helping him overcome research challenges.
“I was excited and grateful to work with Professor Lennertz because his knowledge and understanding of Constitutional law is extensive, and he is a valuable resource in the government and law department. He is a caring mentor and a powerful teacher,” says Parrot.
The student hopes to pursue a career in law or politics, perhaps with an international perspective. In particular, he is drawn to the legal quandaries and special cases of marginalized groups.
“Sometimes the social problems of marginalized ethnic, racial, or otherwise unique populations are government-inflicted, and special precautions must be taken to prevent state-sponsored manipulation,” he says. “Hopefully, my career will allow me to focus on these problems and promote ethical and responsible government policy.”
Tackling an honors thesis is just one of many academic experiences Parrott has enjoyed at Lafayette.
“Lafayette is a great place to pursue a research project like this because the professors are accessible and the library services offer an amazing array of academic resources,” he says.
“I think Lafayette is a great academic environment for academic projects like mine because each department offers many opportunities for students to work alongside professors and develop interesting and relevant research questions,” he adds. “From my experience, professors are usually more than willing to guide students in their intellectual pursuits outside of the classroom and help them develop strong techniques for intellectual success.”
Winner of the Minerva and Emil V. Novak Prize for academic excellence in the government and law department and citizenship in the Lafayette community in 2002, as well as the Jean Corrie Poetry Prize for 2002, Parrott has made Dean’s List and Academic Athlete Honor Roll every semester. He plays varsity lacrosse, is a tutor for the Boys and Girls Club of Easton, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Parrott presented at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research last spring, was published in the NCUR Annual Journal in 2001, and made the Patriot League Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2002. He has been a member of Geology Club and a participant in Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, in which students collaborate closely with faculty members on research while earning a stipend.