Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/14pdf/13-1034_3dq4.pdf
Page Number: 6.0

Cite as:  575 U. S. ____ (2015) 

3 

Opinion of the Court 

“possess[ion]  with  intent  to  use  any  drug  paraphernalia
to,”  among  other  things,  “store”  or  “conceal”  a  “controlled
substance.”  Kansas defines “controlled substance” as any 
drug  included  on  its  own  schedules,  and  makes  no  refer-
ence  to  §802  or  any  other  federal  law.  §21–5701(a).1    At  
the  time  of  Mellouli’s  conviction,  Kansas’  schedules  in-
cluded at least nine substances not included in the federal 
lists.  See §65–4105(d)(30), (31), (33), (34), (36) (2010 Cum. 
Supp.);  §65–4111(g)  (2002);  §65–4113(d)(1),  (e),  (f )  (2010
Cum. Supp.); see also Brief for Respondent 9, n. 2. 

The  question  presented  is  whether  a  Kansas  conviction 
for  using  drug  paraphernalia  to  store  or  conceal  a  con-
trolled substance, §21–5709(b), subjects an alien to depor-
tation  under  §1227(a)(2)(B)(i),  which  applies  to  an  alien 
“convicted of a violation of [a state law] relating to a con-
trolled substance (as defined in [§802]).” 

B 
Mellouli, a citizen of Tunisia, entered the United States 
on a student visa in 2004.  He attended U. S. universities, 
earning  a  bachelor  of  arts  degree,  magna  cum  laude,  as 
well  as  master’s  degrees  in  applied  mathematics  and
economics.
  After  completing  his  education,  Mellouli
worked  as  an  actuary  and  taught  mathematics  at  the
University  of  Missouri-Columbia.    In  2009,  he  became  a 
conditional  permanent  resident  and,  in  2011,  a  lawful
permanent  resident.  Since  December  2011,  Mellouli  has 
been engaged to be married to a U. S. citizen. 

In  2010,  Mellouli  was  arrested  for  driving  under  the
influence and driving with a suspended license.  During a
postarrest  search  in  a  Kansas  detention  facility,  deputies
discovered  four  orange  tablets  hidden  in  Mellouli’s  sock.
According  to  a  probable-cause  affidavit  submitted  in  the 
—————— 

1 At  the  time  of  Mellouli’s  conviction,  Kan.  Stat.  Ann.  §§21–5701(a)
and 21–5709(b) (2013 Cum. Supp.) were codified at, respectively, §§21–
36a01(a) and 21–36a09(b) (2010 Cum. Supp.).