October Term 2004 · Docket 03-878
Can the government detain inadmissible aliens indefinitely?
The government claims it can hold inadmissible aliens forever. the sides that brought the case argue this violates due process.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Mills argued the statute is not a detention law.
Mr. Kneedler argued the government must protect its borders.
Ms. Dahl argued the same words mean the same thing.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 5-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 5-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-60 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-60
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The government seeks to detain inadmissible aliens indefinitely. the sides that brought the case want release from detention.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 13, 2004.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-19
What each side wants
The government wants to keep detaining inadmissible aliens.
the sides that brought the case want the court to order their release.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
What each side says
The government argues it has fundamental power to exclude aliens.
the sides that brought the case argue the statute does not permit indefinite detention.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked how the rule applies to border crossers.
Justice Stevens asked if the statute draws that distinction.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 5-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 5-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-60 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-60
Why it matters
This case defines the limits of government detention power. It determines how long the state can hold people. It impacts due process rights for non-citizens.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 5-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 5-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-60 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-60
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 7-41 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 7-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 15-13
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.