Chae Chan Ping v. United States

130 U.S. 581 (1889)

Facts

Chae (P) was a subject of the emperor of China and resided in San Francisco from 1875 until 1887 when he left for China. When P left for China, he had a certificate entitling him to return to the U.S. When he returned in 1888, he was refused entry based on the fact that Congress had abrogated the certificates in his absence. P sued. The Supreme Court granted review.