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Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al. v. Texas, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 21-10806 · judgment December 13, 2021


Decided · June 30, 2022
Pre-decision estimate: 69% cert probability (95% interval 57%–78%)

Before the decision, about 16.6× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a federal-government petitioner, a petition filed soon after the judgment below, and counsel who has won certiorari before.

Questions presented

This case concerns the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), a former policy of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under which certain noncitizens arriving at the southwest border were returned to Mexico during their immigration proceedings. On June 1, 2021, the Secretary of Homeland Security issued a memorandum terminating MPP. The district court vacated the Secretary's termination decision and remanded the matter to the agency on two grounds: (1) that terminating MPP violates 8 U.S.C. 1225 because DHS lacks capacity to detain all the inadmissible noncitizens it encounters who purportedly must be detained under that provision, and (2) that the Secretary had not adequately explained his decision. The court entered a permanent injunction requiring DHS to reinstate and maintain MPP unless Congress funds sufficient detention capacity for DHS to detain all noncitizens subject to mandatory detention under Section 1225 and until the agency adequately explained a future termination. On October 29, 2021, after thoroughly reconsidering the matter on remand, the Secretary issued a new decision terminating MPP and providing a comprehensive explanation for the decision. The court of appeals nevertheless affirmed the injunction, endorsing the district court's reading of Section 1225 and holding that the Secretary's new decision could not be considered because it had no legal effect. The questions presented are:

  1. Whether 8 U.S.C. 1225 requires DHS to continue implementing MPP.

  2. Whether the court of appeals erred by concluding that the Secretary's new decision terminating MPP had no legal effect. THE CASE WILL BE SET FOR ARGUMENT IN THE SECOND WEEK OF THE APRIL 2022 ARGUMENT SESSION. EXPEDITED BRIEFING. ORDER OF MAY 2, 2022: THE PARTIES ARE DIRECTED TO FILE SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEFS ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (1) WHETHER 8 U. S. C. §1252(f)(1) IMPOSES ANY JURISDICTIONAL OR REMEDIAL LIMITATIONS ON THE ENTRY OF INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, DECLARATORY RELIEF, OR RELIEF UNDER 5 U. S. C. §706. (2) WHETHER SUCH LIMITATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE. (3) WHETHER THIS COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO CONSIDER THE MERITS OF THE QUESTIONS PRESENTED IN THIS CASE.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Elizabeth B. Prelogar
Solicitor General

For respondent
D. John Sauer
Office of the Attorney General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Amicus briefs
18 merits
(11 supporting pet./neither, 7 respondent)

Argument & decision

Argued April 26, 2022 — Elizabeth B. Prelogar · Judd E. Stone. Audio and transcript

Decided June 30, 2022. Opinion by Roberts, C.J..

Proceedings

  1. Aug 01 2022
    JUDGMENT ISSUED
  2. Jun 30 2022
    Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Kavanaugh, JJ., joined. Kavanaugh, J., filed a concurring opinion. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Gorsuch, JJ., joined. Barrett, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch, JJ., joined as to all but the first sentence.
  3. Jun 06 2022
    Letter from the Solicitor General providing update regarding statistical corrections to reports cited in their petition filed. (Distributed)
  4. May 13 2022
    Supplemental reply brief for respondents Texas, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  5. May 13 2022
    Supplemental reply brief of petitioners Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  6. May 09 2022
    Supplemental brief of petitioners Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  7. May 09 2022
    Supplemental brief of respondents Texas, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  8. May 09 2022
    Supplemental amici curiae brief of Indiana, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  9. May 09 2022
    Supplemental amicus curiae brief of America First Legal Foundation filed. (Distributed)
  10. May 09 2022
    Supplemental amicus curiae brief of National Immigrant Justice Center filed. (Distributed)
  11. May 09 2022
    Supplemental amicus curiae brief of American Civil Liberties Union in support of neither party filed. (To Be Recovered) (Distributed)
  12. May 09 2022
    Supplemental amicus curiae brief of Public Citizen filed. (Distributed)
  13. May 05 2022
    Supplemental amicus curiae brief of Immigration Reform Law Institute filed. (Distributed)
  14. May 02 2022
    The parties are directed to file supplemental briefs addressing the following questions: (1) Whether 8 U. S. C. §1252(f)(1) imposes any jurisdictional or remedial limitations on the entry of injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or relief under 5 U. S. C. §706. (2) Whether such limitations are subject to forfeiture. (3) Whether this Court has jurisdiction to consider the merits of the questions presented in this case. The briefs, not to exceed 6,000 words, are to be filed simultaneously with the Clerk and served upon opposing counsel on or before 5 p.m., Monday, May 9, 2022. Amicus curiae briefs, not to exceed 3,000 words, may be filed with the Clerk and served upon counsel on or before 5 p.m., Monday, May 9, 2022. Reply briefs, not to exceed 3,000 words, are to be filed simultaneously with the Clerk and served upon opposing counsel on or before 5 p.m., Friday, May 13, 2022.
  15. Apr 26 2022
    Argued. For petitioners: Elizabeth B. Prelogar, Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. For respondents: Judd E. Stone, II, Solicitor General, Austin, Tex.
  16. Apr 25 2022
    Letter from the Solicitor General noting statistical corrections to reports cited in their petition filed. (Distributed)
  17. Apr 19 2022
    Reply of petitioner Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  18. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Center for Immigration Studies filed. (Distributed)
  19. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amici curiae of Indiana, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  20. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime filed. (Distributed)
  21. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Landmark Legal Foundation filed. (Distributed)
  22. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of America First Legal Foundation filed. (Distributed)
  23. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Immigration Reform Law Institute filed. (Distributed)
  24. Apr 14 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Advancing American Freedom filed. (Distributed)
  25. Apr 07 2022
    Brief of respondent Texas filed. (Distributed)
  26. Mar 23 2022
    Record from the U.S.C.A. 5th Circuit is electronic and located on PACER.
  27. Mar 23 2022
    Record received from the U.S.D.C. Northern District of Texas (Amarillo) has been electronically filed.
  28. Mar 23 2022
    CIRCULATED
  29. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of Bipartisan Former Officials of the Department of Homeland Security and the Immigration and Naturalization Service filed.
  30. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of Former DHS Secretary Jeh C. Johnson and Former Ambassador to Mexico Roberta S. Jacobson filed.
  31. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of State of Illinois, et al. filed.
  32. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Center for Immigration Law and Policy, UCLA School of Law filed.
  33. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of The Border Project and the National Immigrant Justice Center filed.
  34. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of Administrative Law Professors filed.
  35. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of 61 Immigration Advocacy and Legal Service Organizations filed.
  36. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, et al. filed.
  37. Mar 21 2022
    Brief amici curiae of 25 Cities and Counties filed.
  38. Mar 18 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Public Citizen filed.
  39. Mar 18 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Professor Benjamin Eidelson filed.
  40. Mar 16 2022
    Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 5th Circuit.
  41. Mar 15 2022
    ARGUMENT SET FOR Tuesday, April 26, 2022.
  42. Mar 14 2022
    Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Texas
  43. Mar 14 2022
    Brief of petitioners Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al. filed.
  44. Mar 14 2022
    Joint appendix filed. (Statement of cost filed.)
  45. Mar 08 2022
    Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al.
  46. Feb 18 2022
    Petition GRANTED. The case will be set for argument in the second week of the April 2022 argument session. Petitioners' brief on the merits is to be filed on or before Monday, March 14, 2022. Respondents' brief on the merits is to be filed on or before Thursday, April 7, 2022. The reply brief is to be filed with the Clerk and served upon opposing counsel on or before 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
  47. Feb 02 2022
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/18/2022.
  48. Feb 02 2022
    Reply of petitioners Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  49. Jan 28 2022
    Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for distribution of the petition for a writ of certiorari pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed.
  50. Jan 28 2022
    Brief of respondents Texas, et al. in opposition filed.
  51. Jan 19 2022
    Response to motion to extend the time to file a response filed.
  52. Jan 19 2022
    Motion to extend the time to file a response DENIED.
  53. Jan 18 2022
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from January 28, 2022 to February 28, 2022, submitted to The Clerk.
  54. Dec 29 2021
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 28, 2022)