October Term 2019 · Docket 19-67
Does providing food to undocumented people violate federal law?
The dispute centers on whether a federal statute banning the encouragement of unlawful immigration covers basic humanitarian aid.
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
Eric Feigin argued that encourage and induce mean solicitation in criminal law.
He cited legal treatises to support this narrow interpretation.
The government argued that Congress uses specific words for solicitation.
They claimed the current statutory language is much broader.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 52-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 52-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 26-38 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 26-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 52-12 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 52-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 26-34 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 26-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 38-38 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 38-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 50-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 50-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 54-8 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 54-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-48 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 40-48
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of a federal immigration law. The government argues the law bans any act that encourages illegal entry. The defense argues the law only bans solicitation or facilitation of the act itself.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 25, 2020.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 16-18
What each side wants
The government wants the Court to uphold the broad interpretation of the statute.
The defendant wants the Court to limit the statute to direct solicitation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
What each side says
The government claims the statute covers any act that encourages unlawful presence.
The defendant claims the statute only covers acts that facilitate or solicit the violation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if the law could be unconstitutional in specific applications.
Justice Kavanaugh asked if providing food to undocumented people falls under the statute.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 52-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 52-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 26-38 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 26-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 52-12 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 52-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 26-34 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 26-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 38-38 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 38-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 50-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 50-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 54-8 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 54-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-48 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 40-48
Why it matters
This case defines the legal boundary for humanitarian aid. It determines whether basic assistance violates federal immigration law. The outcome shapes the rights of aid providers and undocumented individuals.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
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 52-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 52-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 26-38 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 26-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 52-12 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 52-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 26-34 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 26-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 38-38 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 38-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 50-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 50-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 54-8 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 54-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-48 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 40-48
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 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 48-18 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 48-18
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.