Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/424/351/case.html
Timestamp: 2017-05-23 01:11:42
Document Index: 125207243

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2805', '§ 1101', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2041', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805', '§ 2805']

De Canas v. Bica (full text) :: 424 U.S. 351 (1976) :: Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center Log In
U.S. Supreme CourtDe Canas v. Bica, 424 U.S. 351 (1976)De Canas v. BicaNo. 74-882Argued December 16, 1975Decided February 25, 1976424 U.S. 351CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA,
The question presented in this case is whether § 2805(a) is unconstitutional either because it Page 424 U. S. 353 is an attempt to regulate immigration and naturalization or because it is preempted under the Supremacy Clause, Art. VI, cl. 2, of the Constitution, by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 66 Stat. 163, as amended, 8 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq., the comprehensive federal statutory scheme for regulation of immigration and naturalization.
App. 17a. The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, affirmed, 40 Cal.App.3d 976, 115 Cal.Rptr. 444 (1974). The Court of Appeal held that § 2805(a) is an attempt to regulate the conditions for admission of foreign nationals, and therefore unconstitutional because, "in the area of immigration and naturalization, congressional power is exclusive." Page 424 U. S. 354 Id. at 979, 115 Cal.Rptr. at 446. [Footnote 3] The Court of Appeal further indicated that state regulatory power over this subject matter was foreclosed when Congress, "as an incident of national sovereignty," enacted the INA as a comprehensive scheme governing all aspects of immigration and naturalization, including the employment of aliens, and "specifically and intentionally declined to add sanctions on employers to its control mechanism." Ibid. [Footnote 4] The Supreme Court of California denied review. We granted certiorari 422 U.S. 1040 (1975). We reverse.
Power to regulate immigration is unquestionably exclusively a federal power. See, e.g., 48 U. S. 7 How. 283 (1849); Henderson v. Mayor of New York, 92 U. S. 259 (1876); Chy Lung v. Freeman, 92 U.S. Page 424 U. S. 355 275 (1876); Fong Yue Ting v. United States, 149 U. S. 698 (1893). But the Court has never held that every state enactment which in any way deals with aliens is a regulation of immigration, and thus per se preempted by this constitutional power, whether latent or exercised. For example, Takahashi v. Fish & Game Comm'n, 334 U. S. 410, 334 U. S. 415-422 (1948), and Graham v. Richardson, 403 U. S. 365, 403 U. S. 372-373 (1971), cited a line of cases that upheld certain discriminatory state treatment of aliens lawfully within the United States. Although the "doctrinal foundations" of the cited cases, which generally arose under the Equal Protection Clause, e.g., Clarke v. Deckebach, 274 U. S. 392 (1927), "were undermined in Takahashi," see In re Griffiths, 413 U. S. 717, 413 U. S. 718-722 (1973); Graham v. Richardson, supra at 403 U. S. 372-375, they remain authority that, standing alone, the fact that aliens are the subject of a state statute does not render it a regulation of immigration, which is essentially a determination of who should or should not be admitted into the country, and the conditions under which a legal entrant may remain. Indeed, there would have been no need, in cases such as Graham, Takahashi, or Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U. S. 52 (1941), even to discuss the relevant congressional enactments in finding preemption of state regulation if all state regulation of aliens was ipso facto regulation of immigration, for the existence vel non of federal regulation is wholly irrelevant if the Constitution of its own force requires preemption of such state regulation. In this case, California has sought to strengthen its economy by adopting federal standards in imposing criminal sanctions against state employers who knowingly employ aliens who have no federal right to employment within the country; even if such local regulation has some purely speculative and indirect impact on immigration, it does not thereby become Page 424 U. S. 356 a constitutionally proscribed regulation of immigration that Congress itself would be powerless to authorize or approve. Thus, absent congressional action, § 2805 would not be an invalid state incursion on federal power.
States possess broad authority under their police powers to regulate the employment relationship to protect workers within the State. Child labor laws, minimum and other wage laws, laws affecting occupational health and safety, and workmen's compensation laws are only a few examples. California's attempt in § 2805(a) to prohibit the knowing employment by California employers of persons not entitled to lawful residence in the United States, let alone to work here, is certainly within the mainstream of such police power regulation. Employment of illegal aliens in times of high unemployment deprives citizens and legally admitted aliens of jobs; acceptance Page 424 U. S. 357 by illegal aliens of jobs on substandard terms as to wages and working conditions can seriously depress wage scales and working conditions of citizens and legally admitted aliens; and employment of illegal aliens under such conditions can diminish the effectiveness of labor unions. These local problems are particularly acute in California in light of the significant influx into that State of illegal aliens from neighboring Mexico. In attempting to protect California's fiscal interests and lawfully resident labor force from the deleterious effects on its economy resulting from the employment of illegal aliens, § 2805(a) focuses directly upon these essentially local problems, and is tailored to combat effectively the perceived evils.
Of course, even state regulation designed to protect vital state interests must give way to paramount federal legislation. But we will not presume that Congress, in enacting the INA, intended to oust state authority to regulate the employment relationship covered by § 2805(a) in a manner consistent with pertinent federal laws. Only a demonstration that complete ouster of state power -- including state power to promulgate laws not in conflict with federal laws -- was "the clear and manifest purpose of Congress'" would justify that conclusion. Florida Lime & Avocado Growers v. Paul, supra, at 373 U. S. 146, quoting Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp., 331 U. S. 218, 331 U. S. 230 (1947). [Footnote 5] Respondents have not made Page 424 U. S. 358 that demonstration. They fail to point out, and an independent review does not reveal, any specific indication in either the wording or the legislative history of the INA that Congress intended to preclude even harmonious state regulation touching on aliens in general, or the employment of illegal aliens in particular. [Footnote 6] Page 424 U. S. 359
"Given the complexity of the matter addressed Page 424 U. S. 360 by Congress . . . , a detailed statutory scheme was both likely and appropriate, completely apart from any questions of preemptive intent."
"due regard for the presuppositions of our Page 424 U. S. 361 embracing federal system, including the principle of diffusion of power not as a matter of doctrinaire localism, but as a promoter of democracy, has required us at to find withdrawal from the States of power to regulate where the activity regulated was a merely peripheral concern of the [federal regulation]. . . ."
Finally, rather than evidence that Congress "has unmistakably . . . ordained" exclusivity of federal regulation in this field, there is evidence in the form of the 1974 amendments to the Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act, 88 Stat. 1652, 7 U.S.C. § 2041 et seq. (1970 ed., Supp. IV), that Congress intends that States may, to the extent consistent with federal law, regulate the employment of illegal aliens. Section 2044(b) authorizes revocation of the certificate of registration of any farm labor contractor found to have employed "an alien not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or who has not been authorized by the Attorney General to accept employment." Section 2045(f) prohibits farm labor contractors from employing "an alien not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or who has not been authorized by the Attorney General to accept employment." [Footnote 10] Of particular significance to our inquiry Page 424 U. S. 362 is the further provision that
"to enforce their sedition laws at times when the Federal Government has not Page 424 U. S. 363 occupied the field and is not protecting the entire country from seditious conduct."
There remains the question whether, although the INA contemplates some room for state legislation, § 2805(a) is nevertheless unconstitutional because it "stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress" in enacting the INA. Hines v. Davidowitz, supra at 312 U. S. 67; Florida Lime & Avocado Growers v. Paul, 373 U.S. at 373 U. S. 141. We do not think that we can address that inquiry upon the record before us. The Court of Appeal did not reach the question in light of its decision, today reversed, that Congress had completely barred state action in the field of employment of illegal aliens. Accordingly, there are questions of construction of § 2805(a) to be settled by the California courts before a determination is appropriate whether, as construed, § 2805(a) "can be enforced without impairing the federal superintendence of the field" covered by the INA. 373 U.S. at 373 U. S. 142. Page 424 U. S. 364
Dolores Canning Co. v. Howard, 40 Cal.App.3d 673, 677 n. 3, 115 Cal.Rptr, 435, 436 n. 3 (1974). Whether these regulations were before the Superior Court in this case does not appear, and the Court of Appeal found § 2805(a) unconstitutional without addressing whether it conflicts with federal law. [Footnote 12] Obviously Page 424 U. S. 365 it is for the California courts to decide the effect of these administrative regulations in construing § 2805(a), and thus to decide in the first instance whether and to what extent, see n 5, supra, § 2805 as construed would conflict with the INA or other federal laws or regulations. It suffices that this Court decide at this time that the Court of Appeal erred in holding that Congress, in the INA, precluded any state authority to regulate the employment of illegal aliens.
"* * * *" "(6) has recruited, employed, or utilized with knowledge, the services of any person, who is an alien not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or who has not been authorized by the Attorney General to accept employment. . . ."
"* * * *" "(f) refrain from recruiting, employing, or utilizing, with knowledge, the services of any person, who is an alien not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or who has not been authorized by the Attorney General to accept employment. . . ."