States defending immigration rules
Arizona v. City and County of San Francisco
In brief
The Supreme Court dismissed (threw out) the writ of certiorari (request for Supreme Court review) without deciding whether the states could defend the rule or whether it was lawful.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · June 15, 2022
- What it’s about
- The Supreme Court dismissed (threw the case out) the writ of certiorari (request for Supreme Court review) as improvidently granted (accepted for review but not suitable for a decision).
- Who it affects
- The dismissal did not choose a winner or settle the rule's legality in this Supreme Court case. It gives lower courts, agencies, and affected parties no new Supreme Court ruling on those questions.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.

What it's about
It did not decide whether Arizona and other states could intervene (join the case) to defend a federal immigration rule after the United States stopped defending it, or whether the rule was lawful.
The case raised who may defend a federal policy when the federal government changes position, but the Court left that question and the rule's legality unresolved here.
Question presented
1. Whether States with interests should be permitted to intervene to defend a rule when the United States ceases to defend. 2. Whether the Rule is contrary to law or arbitrary and capricious. 3. Alternatively, whether the decision below as to the Rule should be vacated as moot under Munsingwear.
What the Court decided
Holding
Writ of certiorari dismissed as improvidently granted. Opinion per curiam. Roberts, C. J., with whom Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch, JJ., join, concurring.
- Result
- Dismissed
What's next
The Supreme Court review ends without a ruling on the main legal questions. Lower courts, agencies, and the parties receive no specific new instruction from this order.
Documents
Docket activity
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AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Impact Analysis
AI analysis generated: Opinion Summary
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AI analysis generated: Decision Record
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Opinion added: Opinion
Brief added: Petition
Brief added: Questions Presented
More questions
- What did Arizona v. City and County of San Francisco decide?
- The Supreme Court dismissed (threw out) its review as improvidently granted (accepted but not suitable for a decision). It did not decide the legal questions.
- How did Arizona and other states seek to participate?
- They sought to intervene (join the case) to defend the federal immigration rule after the United States stopped defending it.
- Did the Court decide whether the immigration rule was lawful?
- No. The Court did not decide the rule's legality or whether the states could defend it.
- What happens next for lower courts and agencies?
- The Supreme Court review ends without a ruling on the main legal questions. This order gives lower courts, agencies, and the parties no specific new instruction.
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.