Supreme Court Says Druze Immigrant Can Appeal Factual Findings Under Convention Against Torture

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that factual findings relating to relief under the Convention Against Torture can be appealed from the Board of Immigration Appeals to the federal circuit courts. In Nasrallah v. Barr, (Sup. Ct., June 1, 2020), a member of the Druze religion claimed he would likely be tortured by Hezbollah if he returned to Lebanon. In a 7-2 decision, in an opinion written by Justice Kavanaugh, the Court said in part:

It would be easy enough for Congress to preclude judicial review of factual challenges to CAT orders, just as Congress has precluded judicial review of factual challenges to certain final orders of removal. But Congress has not done so, and it is not the proper role of the courts to rewrite the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President.

Justices Thomas and Gorsuch dissented. The Hill reports on the decision.