Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of Uni v. of Cal.
In brief
The Court changed parts of the lower-court rulings—wiping some out (vacating them) and overturning others (reversing them)—then sent the cases back to the lower courts (remanded them).
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided 5-4 · June 18, 2020 · Opinion by Justice Sotomayor
- What it’s about
- The case concerned the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to wind down DACA, a program that deferred deportation for some immigrants brought to the United States as children.
- Who it affects
- The ruling sent all three cases back to the lower courts (remanded them) for more proceedings instead of ending the litigation in the Supreme Court.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
The Supreme Court wiped out part of the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, overturned another part, and sent the case back to the lower court (vacated in part, reversed in part, and remanded).
The dispute sits at the intersection of immigration enforcement, executive policy choices, and the rules courts use to review federal agencies.
Question presented
1. Whether DHS's decision to wind down the DACA policy is judicially reviewable. 2. Whether DHS's decision to wind down the DACA policy is lawful.
What the Court decided
Holding
The judgment in No. 18–587 is vacated in part and reversed in part. No. 18–587, 908 F. 3d 476, vacated in part and reversed in part
The vote
- Joined the judgment
- Dissented
- Wrote an opinion
- Majority · 5joined the Court's opinion
From the opinions
“Instead, it tells the Department of Homeland Security to go back and try again.”
What's next
The lower courts will continue the three cases after the Supreme Court sent them back for more proceedings (remanded them).
Why it matters
The linked cases received different results: No. 18–588's ruling remained in place (affirmed), while No. 18–589's orders were treated differently—one was wiped out (vacated), one partly upheld (affirmed), and one partly overturned (reversed).
Documents
Docket activity
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AI analysis generated: Impact Analysis
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Brief added: Questions Presented
More questions
- What legal questions did Regents present?
- The case asked whether courts could review DHS's decision to wind down DACA. It also asked whether DHS ended the program lawfully under federal administrative law, the rules governing federal agencies.
- What did the Supreme Court do in Regents?
- It wiped out part of the No. 18–587 ruling (vacated it in part) and overturned another part (reversed it in part). It also sent all three cases back to the lower courts (remanded them).
- How were the linked cases treated in Regents?
- No. 18–588's ruling remained in place (affirmed). In No. 18–589, one order was wiped out (vacated), another was partly left in place (affirmed), and a third was partly overturned (reversed).
- What remains unresolved after Regents?
- The Court sent all three cases back to the lower courts (remanded them), so further proceedings remained.
- What happens next after Regents?
- The lower courts will continue the cases after they were sent back for more proceedings (remanded).
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.