Case: Narenji v. Civiletti; Confederation of Iranian Students v. Civiletti

1:79-03189 | U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Filed Date: Nov. 21, 1979

Closed Date: 1980

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In 1979, two separate groups of non-immigrant students from Iran filed class action lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the constitutionality of 8 C.F.R. § 214.5, a regulation that required all Iranian non-immigrant postsecondary students in the U.S. to report to the nearest INS office for identification and examination of status. 8 C.F.R. § 214.5 was issued by the Attorney General, in the wake of the Iranian hostage crisis which began on November 4, 1…

In 1979, two separate groups of non-immigrant students from Iran filed class action lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the constitutionality of 8 C.F.R. § 214.5, a regulation that required all Iranian non-immigrant postsecondary students in the U.S. to report to the nearest INS office for identification and examination of status. 8 C.F.R. § 214.5 was issued by the Attorney General, in the wake of the Iranian hostage crisis which began on November 4, 1979, when Iranian militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took U.S. citizens hostage. The lawsuits, styled Narenji v. Civiletti, Civ.No. 79-3189 (D.D.C. filed Nov. 21, 1979) and Confederation of Iranian Students v. Civiletti, Civ.No. 79-3210 (D.D.C. filed Nov. 27, 1979), were consolidated.

A full hearing on the merits was held in the District Court on December 4, 1979. Following the hearing, the District Court (Judge Joyce Hens Green) held that challenged regulation impermissibly discriminated against aliens on basis of their national origin and therefore violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment. The Court permanently enjoined further enforcement of the regulation, and prohibited the government from using any information acquired through the application of the regulation. Narenji v. Civiletti, 481 F.Supp. 1132 (D.D.C., 1979). The government appealed.

The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (Judge Robb) reversed and remanded with directions to dismiss the complaints and enter judgment for the defendants. Narenji v. Civiletti, 617 F.2d 745, 199 (D.C. Cir. 1979) Certiorari was denied by the Supreme Court. Confederation of Iranian Students v. Civiletti, 446 U.S. 957, 100 S.Ct. 2928, 64 L.Ed.2d 815 (1980) and Narenji v. Civiletti, 446 U.S. 957, 100 S.Ct. 2928, 64 L.Ed.2d 815 (1980).

Summary Authors

Dan Dalton (10/23/2007)

People


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Davis, Shelley F. (District of Columbia)

Dranitzke, Alan (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Carliner, David (District of Columbia)

Cordes, John F. (District of Columbia)

Ennis, Bruce J. (District of Columbia)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other
Judge(s)

Green, Joyce Hens (District of Columbia)

MacKinnon, George Edward (District of Columbia)

McGowan, Carl E. (District of Columbia)

Mikva, Abner Joseph (District of Columbia)

Robb, Charles Henry (District of Columbia)

Robinson, Spottswood William III (District of Columbia)

Tamm, Edward Allen (District of Columbia)

Wald, Patricia McGowan (District of Columbia)

Wilkey, Malcolm Richard (District of Columbia)

Wright, Daniel Thew (District of Columbia)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:79-03189

79-03210

Memorandum Opinion

Narenji v. Civiletti

Dec. 11, 1979

Dec. 11, 1979

Order/Opinion

481 F.Supp. 481

79-02460

79-02461

[USCA Opinion]

Narenji v. Civiletti

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Dec. 27, 1979

Dec. 27, 1979

Order/Opinion

617 F.2d 617

79-02460

79-02461

Opinion [re: Rehearing En Banc]

Narenji v. Civiletti

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Jan. 31, 1980

Jan. 31, 1980

Order/Opinion

1980 U.S.App.LEXIS 1980

79-01258

[Untitled]

Narenji v. Civiletti

Supreme Court of the United States

May 19, 1980

May 19, 1980

Order/Opinion

466 U.S. 466

Docket

Last updated March 20, 2024, 3:11 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Immigration and/or the Border

Key Dates

Filing Date: Nov. 21, 1979

Closing Date: 1980

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Nonimmigrant students from Iran that were required to report to the nearest Immigration and Naturalization office for identification and examination of status per 8 C.F.R. § 214.5

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Immigration and Naturalization Service, Federal

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. §§ 1101 et seq.

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Defendant

Nature of Relief:

None

Source of Relief:

None

Issues

Discrimination-basis:

National origin discrimination

Immigration/Border:

Constitutional rights

Deportation - procedure

Temporary protected status

Visas - criteria

Visas - procedures