Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/21-147_g31h.pdf
Page Number: 8

4 

EGBERT v. BOULE 

Opinion of the Court 

traveled more than 7,500 miles.  See id., at 102. 

Later  that  afternoon,  Agent  Egbert  observed  one  of 
Boule’s  vehicles—a  black  SUV  with  the  license  plate
“SMUGLER”—returning  to  the  Inn.    Agent  Egbert  sus-
pected that Boule’s Turkish guest was a passenger and fol-
lowed  the  SUV  into  the  driveway  so  he  could  check  the 
guest’s immigration status.  On Boule’s account, the situa-
tion escalated from there.  Boule instructed Agent Egbert
to leave his property, but Agent Egbert declined.  Instead, 
Boule  claims,  Agent  Egbert  lifted  him  off  the  ground  and 
threw him against the SUV.  After Boule collected himself, 
Agent Egbert allegedly threw him to the ground.  Agent Eg-
bert then checked the guest’s immigration paperwork, con-
cluded that everything was in order, and left.  Later that 
evening, Boule’s Turkish guest unlawfully entered Canada 
from Smuggler’s Inn.

Boule  lodged  a  grievance  with  Agent  Egbert’s  supervi-
sors,  alleging  that  Agent  Egbert  had  used  excessive  force 
and caused him physical injury.  Boule also filed an admin-
istrative claim with Border Patrol pursuant to the Federal 
Tort Claims Act (FTCA).  See 28 U. S. C. §2675(a).  Accord-
ing  to  Boule,  Agent  Egbert  retaliated  against  him  while