{"argument_date":"2021-04-27T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2021-04-27T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2020","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Ross argued the statute text resolves the question.","Mr. Garcia argued the removal order was invalid.","Justice Thomas questioned the government's motivation for the case.","Chief Justice Roberts asked about the availability of remedies."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 47-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 25-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 17-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 17-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 53-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 41-47"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Palomar-Santiago","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:18.414751Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T23:57:02.096509Z","explanation":"An official Court opinion was verified.","status":"decided"}],"case_status":"decided","dek":"The government seeks to convict a man for reentry. He argues his prior removal order was void.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2021-04-27T00:00:00Z","maturity":"post_opinion","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2020","official_disposition_urls":["https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/593us2r38_n648.pdf"],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/20-437.html","primary_docket":"20-437","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T17:08:05.826337Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The case tests whether a void removal order blocks a reentry charge."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 27, 2021."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants a conviction for illegal reentry.","The defendant wants the dismissal of the indictment."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the statute text resolves the question.","The defendant argues the removal order was invalid."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Thomas asked why the government pursued the case.","Chief Justice Roberts asked about administrative remedies availability."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 47-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 25-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 17-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 17-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 53-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 41-47"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the scope of reentry prosecutions. It affects how courts treat void orders. It shapes future immigration enforcement actions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 47-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 25-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 17-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 17-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 53-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 41-47"}]}],"slug":"2020-20-437-united-states-v-palomar-santiago","term":"2020","title":"Does a void removal order bar reentry prosecution?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-437_n758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-17"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":"latest_argument_date","updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}