Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292, 8 (1993)

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Cite as: 507 U. S. 292 (1993)

Opinion of the Court

tion took effect, in a brief, unpublished order that referred only to unspecified "due process grounds," the District Court granted summary judgment to respondents and invalidated the regulatory scheme in three important respects. Flores v. Meese, No. CV 85-4544-RJK (Px) (CD Cal., May 25, 1988), App. to Pet. for Cert. 146a. First, the court ordered the INS to release "any minor otherwise eligible for release . . . to his parents, guardian, custodian, conservator, or other responsible adult party." Ibid. (emphasis added). Second, the order dispensed with the regulation's requirement that unrelated custodians formally agree to care for the juvenile, 8 CFR §§ 242.24(b)(3) and (4) (1992), in addition to ensuring his attendance at future proceedings. Finally, the District Court rewrote the related INS regulations that provide for an initial determination of prima facie deportability and release conditions before an INS examiner, see § 287.3, with review by an immigration judge upon the alien's request, see § 242.2(d). It decreed instead that an immigration-judge hearing on probable cause and release restrictions should be provided "forthwith" after arrest, whether or not the juvenile requests it. App. to Pet. for Cert. 146a.

A divided panel of the Court of Appeals reversed. Flores v. Meese, 934 F. 2d 991 (CA9 1990). The Ninth Circuit voted to rehear the case and selected an 11-judge en banc court. See Ninth Circuit Rule 35-3. That court vacated the panel opinion and affirmed the District Court order "in all respects." Flores v. Meese, 942 F. 2d 1352, 1365 (1991). One judge dissented in part, see id., at 1372-1377 (opinion of Rymer, J.), and four in toto, see id., at 1377-1385 (opinion of Wallace, C. J.). We granted certiorari. 503 U. S. 905 (1992).

II

Respondents make three principal attacks upon INS regulation 242.24. First, they assert that alien juveniles suspected of being deportable have a "fundamental" right to "freedom from physical restraint," Brief for Respondents 16,

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