Overview
Purpose
This exercise has two goals. First, it seeks to further your understanding of the dual system of American laws and courts. Second, it also seeks to foster the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence.
Generative AI Policy
This assignment has two parts. The first part requires you to use a generative AI tool of your choice. The second part is expected to be your own writing.
Alignment
This assignment aligns with the course- and module-level outcome(s):
- 2.2 Explain how jurisdiction is determined and how state, local, and federal authority can overlap.
- 2.3 Describe the federal court structure and identify what makes a case a federal question.
- 2.4 Given a crime, determine which court or courts would have jurisdiction and why.
Helpful Resources
- As of September 2026, as an ASU student, you have access to a ChatGPT Edu license free of charge. For development after September 2026, see ChatGPT Edu | Artificial Intelligence for details.
Review the grading criteria for additional guidance.
Instructions
Traditionally, immigration to the United States has been viewed as a matter of federal concern, and only federal law enforcement and courts have jurisdiction over immigration-related crimes. However, recently, a handful of states, including Texas (SB 4)Links to an external site. and Arizona (Prop 314)Links to an external site., have passed laws to make illegal entry a state crime, therefore enabling state law enforcement and courts to handle cases previously handled by federal agencies and courts. In addition to the obvious political sensitivity and controversy surrounding these laws, there have been legal challenges to them. As of the time this assignment was created, a federal circuit court allowed the Texas law to take effectLinks to an external site.. However, there are likely to be continued legal fights over these laws.
In the past, controversies of this nature were typically the other way around: states accusing the federal government of infringing on state sovereignty, especially when Congress is controlled by one party and the state legislature by another. With these laws, practitioners and scholars realize that states may also step into federal power.
This assignment has two components.
First, please engage in a dialogue with a generative AI tool of your choice about the legal and constitutional nature of state immigration laws. Instead of discussing the pros and cons of immigration and various border policies in general, please focus on jurisdiction and the division of power between the federal and state governments. You can start this conversation with either a specific state law or state laws of this type in general. When the generative AI tool gives you a response, please follow up using contents in that response whenever possible. For example, if AI gives you reasons why such laws are constitutional (or unconstitutional), please ask a follow-up question about one of the reasons it mentioned, rather than ask a question unrelated to anything mentioned in the response. You should ask a total of 6-8 questions for this exercise.
Second, after the conversation, please write a half-page to one-page (12-pt, double-spaced) reflection essay summarizing your takeaways from this exercise.