by Sunil Rao, 2025 LLAW grant recipient
It had been eight years since I last attended the International Association of Law Libraries conference in the United States. This year’s conference was held in Houston, Texas from October 19-22, 2025, presenting an excellent opportunity to reconnect with the international law library community. A big thank you to LLAW for a generous grant that helped make this trip possible!
The theme this year focused on critical issues in international trade, immigration and human rights law, with particular attention to recent policy changes and their impact on vulnerable populations. The conference featured presentations from immigration attorneys, legal scholars, lawyers specializing in international trade law and space law, and law librarians who collectively offered timely insights into some of the most rapidly evolving areas of U.S. law.
Several sessions addressed current challenges in U.S. immigration policy. One program provided an intensive overview of changes since 2017, including expanded enforcement powers for immigration agencies, the removal of protections that previously prevented immigration enforcement at schools and hospitals, and the mandatory registration requirement for undocumented individuals. The presentation highlighted the human impact of these policies—from families reluctant to seek legal assistance to labor shortages in agricultural and construction sectors—and raised important questions about how these restrictions intersect with First Amendment rights and access to justice.
There were also programs that provided valuable historical context for understanding contemporary issues. Two presentations examined the 1917 Camp Logan incident in Houston, when members of the 24th Infantry—a Black regiment—clashed with local police amid the brutal realities of Jim Crow segregation. The subsequent courts-martial, conducted with troubling speed and inadequate defense representation, ultimately led to significant reforms in military justice through the Uniform Code of Military Justice in 1950. These sessions served as powerful reminders of how racial injustice and systemic failures can catalyze legal reform.
The conference also ventured into fascinating areas of international and emerging law. A presenter from the Max Planck Institute examined how the WTO has evolved since 1995, highlighting current tensions as the U.S. moves away from cooperative international trade agreements toward going it alone—with tariff rates approaching levels not seen since the Great Depression. For countries that depend heavily on international trade, these shifts create serious concerns. Meanwhile, a space law expert from the University of Mississippi’s Aerospace Program explored the challenges of applying patent law—which is inherently territorial—to activities in outer space. Her presentation raised intriguing questions about jurisdiction, the principles of the Outer Space Treaty, and the need for clearer international agreements on intellectual property as commercial space ventures expand.
Beyond the formal programming, the conference offered excellent opportunities to connect with colleagues from around the world. Librarians from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Pakistan, Guam, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and the Nordic countries shared perspectives on topics ranging from access to information laws to how different societies handle controversial historical monuments. These conversations were a reminder of what makes IALL conferences valuable—the chance to engage with a global community facing similar challenges in legal information and human rights.
The full conference program, including additional sessions on asylum law, veterans’ courts, and international legal research, is available at https://iall.org/conf2025/program/.
Thanks again to LLAW for supporting this opportunity to engage with colleagues around the world and explore current developments in foreign and international law.