October Term 2021 · Docket 20-322
Does the word enjoin require courts to stop or start immigration actions?
The government argues enjoin means stop. The detainee argues it means both stop and start.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion 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. Gannon argued the government's position on the statutory text.
Mr. Adams argued for a hearing before an independent decisionmaker.
Justice Kagan questioned the natural meaning of the word operation.
Justice Kagan explored the dictionary definition of the word enjoin.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-53 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 55-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 55-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-35
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the meaning of the word enjoin in immigration law. The government says it means to stop an action. The detainee says it means to stop or start an action. This definition controls which courts can review detention orders.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 11, 2022.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-43
What each side wants
The government wants courts to only stop actions when enjoin appears.
The detainee wants courts to stop or start actions when enjoin appears.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
What each side says
The government argues enjoin means to stop the functioning of a statute.
The detainee argues enjoin means to order or require a specific action.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
What the justices asked
Justice Kagan asked if enjoin means both stop and require.
Justice Kagan asked if the ordinary reading suggests stopping something.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-53 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 55-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 55-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-35
Why it matters
The definition of enjoin determines which courts can review detention. It controls access to independent decisionmakers for prolonged detention. It shapes the balance between executive power and individual liberty.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
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 17-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-53 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 55-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 55-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-35
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 37-39
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.