Filed Date: Nov. 21, 1979
Closed Date: 1980
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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)
Davis, Shelley F. (District of Columbia)
Dranitzke, Alan (District of Columbia)
Carliner, David (District of Columbia)
Cordes, John F. (District of Columbia)
Ennis, Bruce J. (District of Columbia)
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)
Carliner, David (District of Columbia)
Cordes, John F. (District of Columbia)
Ennis, Bruce J. (District of Columbia)
Glancz, Ronald R. (District of Columbia)
Hedge, Brook (District of Columbia)
Kopp, Robert E (District of Columbia)
Rauh, Carl S. (District of Columbia)
Singer, Michael Jay (District of Columbia)
Last updated March 20, 2024, 3:11 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: District of Columbia
Case Type(s):
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):
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:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Discrimination-basis:
National origin discrimination
Immigration/Border: