United States ex rel. Knauff v. Shaughnessy
| United States ex rel. Knauff v. Shaughnessy | |
|---|---|
| Decided January 16, 1950 | |
| Full case name | United States ex rel. Knauff v. Shaughnessy |
| Citations | 338 U.S. 537 (more) |
| Holding | |
| (a) Congress is "implementing an inherent executive power" by authorizing the executive to exercise the power of exclusion. (b) Due process for an alien denied entry is “whatever the procedure authorized by Congress is". Admission of aliens to the United States is a privilege granted by the government subject to conditions prescribed by Congress. (c)The decision to deny entry “is final and conclusive” and “it is not within the province of any court, unless expressly authorized by law, to review the determination of the political branch of the Government to exclude a given alien.” | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Minton, joined by Vinson, Reed, Burton |
| Dissent | Frankfurter |
| Dissent | Jackson, joined by Black and Frankfurter |
| Douglas and Clark took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. | |
United States ex rel. Knauff v. Shaughnessy, 338 U.S. 537 (1950), was a United States Supreme Court case that notably ruled that the executive and legislative branches have the inherent power to exclude immigrants from the United States, that courts lack jurisdiction regarding the deportation of individuals within the United States unless it is explicitly stated in law, and that the Constitution does not grant aliens any protections when trying to enter the United States. In a four-to-three decision, this case firmly demonstrates the plenary powers of Congress and the Executive Branch, as it is one of the first cases that bars the judicial review of executive or legislative orders of exclusion in most circumstances.