Opinion ID: 587250
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Plaintiffs are collaterally estopped.

Text: 138 Collateral estoppel prevents the parties' relitigation of an issue that was (a) raised, (b) litigated, and (c) actually decided by a judgment in their prior proceeding. Prime Management Co., Inc. v. Steinegger, 904 F.2d 811, 816 (2d Cir.1990). The HRC v. Baker judgment meets all three criteria. In HRC v. Baker, as in the current case, a class of Haitians sued officials of the United States government which, pursuant to Executive Order 12,324, 46 Fed.Reg. 48,109 (Sept. 29, 1991), reprinted in 8 U.S.C.A. § 1182 (West Supp.1992), was screening interdictees to determine their refugee status. The HRC v. Baker plaintiffs claimed that the government's procedures did not accord them the full screening rights to which they were entitled under law. Pursuant to this claim, they argued that INA § 243(h) extends extraterritorially, Article 33 is self-executing, and that the Administrative Procedure Act accords them judicial review. The Eleventh Circuit, in upholding the government's limited screening procedures, decided each of these issues in the government's favor. See HRC v. Baker I, 949 F.2d at 1110; HRC v. Baker II, 953 F.2d at 1505-1506, 1509-10. These issues, which are present in the current case, were therefore raised, litigated and actually decided in HRC v. Baker, and collateral estoppel should apply. See Prime Management Co., 904 F.2d at 816. My colleagues, however, do not accept this position and I address each of their concerns in turn. 139