Graham, Commissioner, Department of Public Welfare of Arizona v. Richardson et al.

Opinion summary

Etalia.ai summary of the majority opinion

In the 1970 case Graham, Commissioner, Department of Public Welfare of Arizona v. Richardson et al., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state laws denying welfare benefits to resident aliens or people who had not lived in the country for a certain number of years were unconstitutional. The court held that these laws violated the Equal Protection Clause because they created distinctions between citizens and non-citizens without sufficient justification. Furthermore, it was determined that such regulations encroached on federal authority over immigration policy by discouraging immigrants from living in states with restrictive welfare policies. Therefore, any regulation related to alien status is within federal jurisdiction and cannot be regulated at a state level.

Dissent summary

Etalia.ai summary of the dissenting opinions

In the case of Graham v. Richardson, there was no dissenting opinion recorded as it was a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court. The court ruled that state laws denying welfare benefits to resident aliens or people who have not lived in the U.S for at least 15 years were unconstitutional. They found these laws violated equal protection clause because they created distinctions between different classes of residents based on alienage, a characteristic which bears no relation to their ability to contribute to society. Furthermore, they also held that only federal government has power over matters related with immigration and status of aliens; states cannot interfere with this power by imposing their own conditions on residency.