Supreme Court of the United States
Judulang v. Holder
December 12, 2011132 S. Ct. 476
Summary
The Supreme Court held that the Board of Immigration Appeals' (BIA) 'comparable-grounds' rule for determining eligibility for § 212(c) discretionary relief in deportation cases is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. The Court reasoned that the rule hinges eligibility on irrelevant statutory comparisons rather than factors related to the alien's fitness to remain, creating arbitrary outcomes dependent on charging decisions. The Court reversed the Ninth Circuit's decision upholding the policy, noting the BIA must provide a reasoned explanation for its actions.