De Canas v. Bica
424 U.S. 351 · Decided February 25, 1976 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
De Canas v. Bica was decided on February 25, 1976 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Employability of aliens” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 424 U.S. 351 · 96 S. Ct. 933 · 47 L. Ed. 2d 43 · 1976 U.S. LEXIS 142
- Docket number
- 74-882
- Decided
- February 25, 1976
- Argued
- December 16, 1975
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Employability of aliens
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Article VI, Section 2 (supremacy clause)
- Type of law
- Constitution
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.
Full case caption
De Canas et al. v. Bica et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1975-036, docket 1975-036-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Employability of aliens”
- Hampton v. Mow Sun WongLaw held unconstitutional
- Examining Board of Engineers v. Flores de OteroLaw held unconstitutional
- Saxbe v. Bustos
- Foley v. Connelie
- Espinoza et Vir v. Farah Manufacturing Co., Inc.
- Sugarman v. DougallLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Article VI, Section 2 (supremacy clause)
- United States v. County of Fresno
- Antoine et Ux. v. Washington
- Ohio Bureau of Employment Services v. Hodory
- General Atomic Co. v. Felter
- United States v. New Mexico
- Blum v. BaconLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Turner v. Department of Employment Security of UtahLaw held unconstitutional
- Mathews v. Eldridge
- Fisher v. District Court of the Sixteenth Judicial District of Montana
- Imbler v. Pachtman
- Lavine v. Milne
- East Carroll Parish School Board v. Marshall
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error