Opinion ID: 2509830
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Respondent's failure to return home

Text: The circuit court only addressed respondent's failure to return home in terms of FACES' claim for injunctive relief, finding an order requiring respondent to return home would be pre-empted by federal immigration law. The circuit court did not consider that respondent's failure to return home could be considered a breach of contract. Rather, the circuit court granted summary judgment as to FACES' breach of contract claim, focusing solely on the enforceability of the covenant not to compete and respondent's continuing to teach within the state. We find the circuit court erred by simply finding the covenant not to compete was unenforceable and failing to address that respondent's failure to return home could itself be considered a breach of contract. The fact respondent was granted a waiver does not preclude FACES' ability to enforce the contract because FACES' claim for breach of contract is not pre-empted by federal immigration law. While the circuit court may have correctly found it did not have the power to order respondent to return home through injunctive relief, the separate breach of contract action does not involve respondent's immigration status.