Tuesday, June 17, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Central
via Zoom
1.0 hour of Texas MCLE credit
One of the most significant impacts of climate change will be on human migration. As climate change progresses, more people will be displaced, both domestically and internationally. However, the issues of climate change and homelessness are often viewed as separate and distinct issues. Climate change will increase and change the nature of displacement. Despite the advent of climate change, little has been done to prepare for the impacts of climate displacement. Specifically, this lack of preparedness is most concerning in the criminal context.
There is a long history of responding to displaced populations through criminalization. In this webinar Professor Okoh argues that allowing localities to address this issue on a case by case basis will result in a continuation of this pattern. Historically this criminalization has been achieved through the prosecution of vagrancy laws. Although many vagrancy laws have failed to survive Supreme Court scrutiny, Grants Pass v. Johnson opens the door for increased criminalization of climate displacement. Professor Okoh uses historical lessons to recommend federal intervention to avoid the criminalizing of climate displacement.
