Opinion · Supreme Court of the United States

Chung Fook v. White

Chung Fook v. White, 264 U.S. 443 (1924)

Type
Opinion
Court
Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction
Federal
Date
1924-04-07
Topic
general

How later courts describe this case

  • “The words of the statute being clear, if it unjustly discriminates ..., or is cruel and inhuman in its results, as forcefully contended, the remedy lies with Congress and not with the courts.”

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Cited by
23 opinions

Headnotes

  1. Immigration — Exclusion of Aliens — Statutory Exemption for Wives of Naturalized Citizens The proviso of § 22 of the Immigration Act of February 5, 1917, which permits the alien wife of a naturalized citizen, married to him after his naturalization and sent for by him, to be admitted without detention for hospital treatment even though affected with a contagious disorder, extends by its plain terms only to the wife of a naturalized citizen and cannot be judicially enlarged to include the wife of a native-born citizen. 264 U.S. at 445
  2. Immigration — Admission of Aliens — Foreign-Born Wife of Citizen The exemption from detention for hospital treatment applies only to a wife who by marriage acquired her husband's citizenship and not to one who, though married to a citizen, remains an alien because she is ineligible for naturalization; a native-born citizen's alien wife is therefore subject to the detention and treatment provisions of the Act. 264 U.S. at 445
  3. Statutory Interpretation — Legislative Function A court may not interpolate words into a statute to extend its reach to persons not named therein; where the statutory language is clear, the court's duty is to enforce the law as written, and any unjust discrimination or harsh result is a matter for legislative remedy rather than judicial correction. 264 U.S. at 445
CHUNG FOOKv. WHITE,264 U.S. 443(1924)
44 S.Ct. 361
CHUNG FOOKv. WHITE, AS COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION FOR THE PORT OF SAN
FRANCISCO.
CERTIORARI TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT.
No. 299.
Argued February 26, 1924.
Decided April 7, 1924.
The proviso of § 22 of the Immigration Act of February 5, 1917, under which the wife of a "naturalized" citizen, married to him after his naturalization and sent for by him, may be admitted without detention for treatment in hospital though found to be affected with a contagious disorder, cannot be extended by judicial construction to include the wife of a native born citizen. P. 445. 287 F. 533, affirmed.
CERTIORARI to a judgment of the Circuit Court of Appeals which
affirmed a judgment of the District Court denying a petition for
a writ ofhabeas corpus.
Mr. Jackson H. Ralston, with whomMr. G.W. Hottwas on the brief, for petitioner.Page 444Mr. Assistant Attorney General Ottinger, with whomMr.Solicitor General BeckandMr. Harvey B. Cox, Special Assistant to the Attorney General, were on the brief, for respondent.
MR. JUSTICE SUTHERLAND delivered the opinion of the Court.
Chung Fook is a native-born citizen of the United States. Lee Shee, his wife, is an alien Chinese woman, ineligible for naturalization. In 1922 she sought admission to the United States, but was refused and detained at the immigration station, on the ground that she was an alien, afflicted with a dangerous contagious disease. No question is raised as to her alienage or the effect and character of her disease; but the contention is that, nevertheless, she is entitled to admission under the proviso found in § 22 of the Immigration Act of February 5, 1917, c. 29,39 Stat. 891. The section is copied in the margin.1

A petition for a writ ofhabeas corpuswas denied by the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California, and upon appeal to the Circuit Court of Appeals, the judgment was affirmed. 287 F. 533.

The petition words of the proviso are: "That if the person sending for wife or minor children is naturalized,Page 445a wife to whom married or a minor child born subsequent to such husband or father's naturalization shall be admitted without detention for treatment in hospital, . . ." The measure of the exemption is plainly stated and, in terms, extends to the wife of a naturalized citizen only.

But it is argued that it cannot be supposed that Congress intended to accord to a naturalized citizen a right and preference beyond that enjoyed by a native-born citizen. The court below thought that the exemption from detention was meant to relate only to a wife who by marriage had acquired her husband's citizenship, and not to one who, notwithstanding she was married to a citizen, remained an alien under § 1994, Rev. Stats.: "Any woman who is now or may hereafter be married to a citizen of the United States, and who might herself be lawfully naturalized, shall be deemed a citizen." To the same effect, seeEx parte Leong Shee, 275 F. 364. We are inclined to agree with this view; but, in any event, the statute plainly relates only to the wife or children of a naturalized citizen and we cannot interpolate the words "native-born citizen" without usurping the legislative function.Corona Coal Co. v.UnitedStates,263 U.S. 537;United Statesv.First National Bank,234 U.S. 245,259-260;St. Louis, Iron Mountain Southern Ry.Co. v.Taylor,210 U.S. 281,Page 446295;Amyv.Watertown,130 U.S. 320,327. The words of the statute being clear, if it unjustly discriminates against the native-born citizen, or is cruel and inhuman in its results, as forcefully contended, the remedy lies with Congress and not with the courts. Their duty is simply to enforce the law as it is written, unless clearly unconstitutional.Affirmed.
  1. Page 444 "Sec. 22. That whenever an alien shall have been naturalized, or shall have taken up his permanent residence in this country, and thereafter shall send for his wife or minor children to join him, and said wife or any of said minor children shall be found to be affected with any contagious disorder, such wife or minor children shall be held, under such regulations as the Secretary of Labor shall prescribe, until it shall be determined whether the disorder will be easily curable or whether they can be permitted to land without danger to other persons; and they shall not be either admitted or deported until such facts have been ascertained; and if it shall be determined that the disorder is easily curable and the husband or father or other responsible person is willing to bear the expense of the treatment, they may be accorded treatment in hospital until Page 445 cured and then be admitted, or if it shall be determined that they can be permitted to land without danger to other persons, they may, if otherwise admissible, thereupon be admitted:Provided, That if the person sending for wife or minor children is naturalized, a wife to whom married or a minor child born subsequent to such husband or father's naturalization shall be admitted without detention for treatment in hospital, and with respect to a wife to whom married or a minor child born prior to such husband or father's naturalization the provisions of this section shall be observed, even though such person is unable to pay the expense of treatment, in which case the expense shall be paid from the appropriation for the enforcement of this Act." ↩