LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Reader, I am proud to present to you the 37th volume of the WMU Cooley Law Review. I would like to begin by thanking you for your continued support and patronage. The Western Michigan University Cooley Law Review members have devoted themselves to tirelessly working on the articles presented in this edition and I am honored to have had an opportunity to work with them. I would also like to thank the authors for their patience, understanding, and confidence in our team. Allowing us to collaborate with you toward advancing legal discourse has been a privilege. This edition contains a primer on Michigan Administrative Law and four articles focused on the United States Constitution and its application to matters that include: the separation of powers, federal executions, firearm ownership, and immigration. The first article examines the executive branch and its use of emergency powers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The second article discusses federal executions under the Trump Administration and the controversy surrounding lethal injection. The third article demonstrates how involuntarily committed individuals are stripped of their rights to bear arms and introduces a judicial remedy. The final article sheds light on the lack of due process rights afforded to immigrants. In addition, we are especially honored to include two of the three awardwinning briefs from the 2021 Distinguished Brief Awards hosted by the WMU Cooley Law Review. Hon. Christopher Murray, then chief judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, provided the keynote address, stating: “The power of the written word, persuasion on paper, is what wins your client a day in court. These chosen briefs are examples of what all attorneys need to excel at written advocacy.” The first brief was written by Hon. Sima Patel, prior to being elected to the Michigan Court of Appeals. The second brief was written by Jessica Zimbelman, a managing attorney with the State Appellate Defender Office. As society continues to evolve, the constutional protections and limitations surrounding the executive power, death penalty, right to bear arms, and immigration rights will be challenged. For this reason, we hope to add additional insight and potential resolutions to this ongoing dialogue. I am confident you will enjoy this edition and wish you the very best. Sincerely,
Nancy Zieah xiii