Explore the question, the ruling, and who voted how. These are selected decisions as issued, not a complete voting record or a statement of personal beliefs.
3 decisions
2020 · Administrative law
Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California
5–4
Immigration · Executive power
The question
Did the administration follow the Administrative Procedure Act when it rescinded DACA?
The outcome
The Court found the 2017 rescission arbitrary and capricious because the agency failed to consider important aspects of the decision, including reliance interests. It did not hold that DACA could never be ended.
The 5–4 division concerns the rescission ruling. Sotomayor did not join Part IV, addressing equal protection; the other opinions concurred and dissented in part.
Only participating justices are assigned votes. Separate writings and partial joins can differ from the overall judgment.
Must courts defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute under Chevron?
The outcome
The Court overruled Chevron and held that courts must exercise independent judgment on statutory meaning under the Administrative Procedure Act. Existing holdings upholding particular agency actions were not automatically overturned.
What immunity does a former president have from criminal prosecution for conduct while in office?
The outcome
The Court recognized absolute immunity for conduct within exclusive constitutional authority, presumptive immunity for other official acts, and no immunity for unofficial acts. It remanded for application of that framework.
Barrett joined the Court’s opinion except Part III–C, concerning use of official-act evidence. Sotomayor’s dissent was joined by Kagan and Jackson; Jackson also wrote separately.
Only participating justices are assigned votes. Separate writings and partial joins can differ from the overall judgment.
