De Canas v. Bica

De Canas v. Bica
Argued December 16, 1975
Decided February 25, 1976
Full case nameLeonor Alberti DeCANAS and Miguel Canas, Petitioners, v. Anthony G. BICA and Juan Silva.
Citations424 U.S. 351 (more)
Case history
PriorLaw declared unconstitutional by California Superior Court. Upheld by California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District.
SubsequentReversed and remanded
Holding
States have the power, within federal law, to restrict the employment of illegal aliens.
Court membership
Chief Justice
Warren E. Burger
Associate Justices
William J. Brennan Jr. · Potter Stewart
Byron White · Thurgood Marshall
Harry Blackmun · Lewis F. Powell Jr.
William Rehnquist · John P. Stevens
Case opinion
MajorityBrennan, joined by unanimous
Stevens took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
Laws applied
Supremacy Clause, Immigration and Nationality Act

De Canas v. Bica, 424 U.S. 351 (1976), was a case decided by the US Supreme Court on February 25, 1976, that challenged Section 2805(a) of the California Labor Code.

This case was monumental in defining the relationship between federal and state powers on immigration policy, as well as illustrating the ways in which state governments can fit into the overarching reach of federal immigration power.