Minnesota Journal of International Law

The Minnesota Journal of International Law is a student-led publication at the University of Minnesota Law School. We aspire to be a leader in the multidisciplinary study of international and comparative law. The Journal annually publishes two print volumes and one online edition.

Current Issue

MJIL Blog

Is Biden’s call to stall the wall the end of it all?

February 12, 2021

By Zack Crandell On his first day in office, January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation exploring options to terminate the national emergency and temporarily cease construction of the wall being built on the U.S.-Mexico border, while awaiting a review of the legality of the wall on multiple grounds.[1] This prompted the Supreme […]

The Beginning of the Biden-Harris Term: A Review of Policy & Executive Orders

February 5, 2021

By Parth Deshmukh In just over two weeks in office, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have issued nearly fifty executive orders,[1] actions and memoranda alike in the realms of immigration, COVID-19, environment, health care, economy, and equity.[2] About 16 orders directly reverse policies of the former administration.[3] The immigration policy changes are […]

The War on Huachicol: Mexico’s Crackdown on Gas Thieves

January 29, 2021

By Mike Green Mexico’s recent military clampdown on organized criminals that sell stolen gas, or huachicol, has produced short-term results. But until the corruption that enables the black market for contraband is addressed, the long-term effects of the measures are unclear. Large-scale gasoline theft takes many forms, such as siphoning pipelines, bribing employees, and intercepting […]

How Advancing Property Rights Will Promote Economic Growth for Rural Colombian Women

January 14, 2021

By Grace Swindler Colombia’s existing property ownership laws can be traced back to the Spanish conquest of South America.[1] After Colombia’s liberation from Spain in the early 18th century, the wealthy and elite obtained ownership to the property.[2] This resulted in extreme economic disparity that has continued until today. As of 2018, a majority of […]

The Trademark Modernization Act of 2020: Potential Protections Against Fraudulent Trademark Applications from China

November 20, 2020

By Emma Janicki The Trademark Modernization Act of 2020, a bill with bipartisan and bicameral support, was introduced in both houses of Congress in March to address problems with US trademark law. [1] Its goal is to combat the rise in fraudulent trademark applications, as well as provide new procedures to cancel fraudulent registrations, and […]

Flags of Other Nations: Explaining How Cruise Companies Pay Less in Taxes

April 24, 2020

By Sam Logterman The current coronavirus epidemic has affected businesses across the United States. As the economy remains shuttered for an increasingly extended period of time, the United States Congress will have to determine which industries to prop up and which ones to let succeed or fail on their own. One of the industries under […]

The Threat of COVID-19 Emergency Powers to the Right to Privacy

April 24, 2020

By Jay Ettinger Imagine if in response to COVID-19 the U.S. government announced a new program in which large tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon shared personal data collected through their apps with various government agencies including local law enforcement. The government then used this data to track and collect information about your […]

Proposal to Overhaul International Tax System Faces Challenges

April 24, 2020

By Tucker Windels Last fall, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development secretariat released a statement outlining a proposal called the Unified Approach that would shift taxing rights to market countries using new nexus rules and a hybrid-transfer pricing system.[1] The new nexus rules aim to address the growing concern that international taxation in the […]

Four Societal Consequences of Quebec Bill 21

April 24, 2020

By Cody Humpherys Quebec’s recently passed secularism law, Bill 21, prohibits a wide array of government employees from wearing religious symbols (such as hijabs, turbans, and kippahs) in the course of their work.[1] While there may be debate as to whether this legislative measure is allowable under Canadian constitutional law,[2] the passage of the bill […]

Throwing Away the Burning Sun: How South Korea’s Privacy Laws Leave Women Unprotected

April 24, 2020

By Gloria Park On March 11, 2019, a famous South Korean singer was revealed to have circulated illegal and explicit “molka” footage in a chatroom including other male celebrities.[1] This was the singer’s second known time being accused of committing the offense.[2] Eventually, he was sentenced.[3] This allegation was one cog of the broader Burning […]