In Motley Speaker Series, Professor Johnson Discusses History of Immigration Law and Racism in U.S.

Professor Kevin R. Johnson participated in the Feb. 5 Motley Speaker Series webinar “Past is Present: How Racism Has and Does Shape Immigration in America.”

Johnson and other scholars discussed the history of American immigration laws, motivations behind the enactment of various statutes and their racially disparate effects over the past 150 years.

Kevin R. Johnson is a distinguished professor of law, Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law, and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law. Johnson also has an appointment as professor of Chicana/o studies at UC Davis. He served as dean of UC Davis Law from 2008 to 2024. Johnson is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of immigration law and policy, refugee law, and civil rights.