No. 09-5801 (2010 heard on Nov 10th)
Supreme Court of the United States
RUBEN FLORES-VILLAR, Petitioner
v.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Respondent
BRIEF FOR AMICUS CURIAE
IMMIGRATION REFORM LAW INSTITUTE
IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENT
excerpt:
The most influential legal commentator on the law of nations was Emer De Vattel and his impact on England, the American colonies, and the Founding Fathers is undisputed.8 Vattel viewed the admission of aliens as a privilege – not a right or a remedy. 1 EMER DE VATTEL, THE LAW OF NATIONS § 213 (Knud Haakonssen ed., 2008) (“The inhabitants, as distinguished from citizens, are foreigners, who are permitted to settle and stay in the country.”). In exchange for permission to “settle and stay,” aliens were “bound to the society by their residence . . . subject to the laws of the state[.]” Id. Such allegiances were required even though a permitted alien did “not participate in all the rights of citizens.” [footnote: For examples of eighteenth century analysis of Vattel, see generally ST. GEORGE TUCKER, A LETTER TO A MEMBER OF CONGRESS (1799)]