Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Dred Scott, an enslaved man, sued for freedom after living in free territories. The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not citizens under the Constitution and therefore had no standing to sue. The Court also struck down the Missouri Compromise as unconstitutional, claiming Congress lacked authority to prohibit slavery in the territories.

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA, 1952; as amended)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (8 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The INA consolidated earlier immigration laws into a single framework, defining rules for immigration, naturalization, deportation, and asylum. It replaced the patchwork of 19th–early 20th century laws, including the Chinese Exclusion Acts and national origins quotas.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before the INA, immigration law was governed by multiple acts (e.g., Immigration Act of 1924) that imposed discriminatory quotas. The INA unified and modernized U.S. immigration law.