In the Torres v. Puerto Rico case of 1978, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that a Puerto Rican statute authorizing police to search any person, baggage or package in public places without probable cause was unconstitutional. The court held that this law violated the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. This decision came after appellant Angel Torres challenged his arrest for possession of marijuana which was found during such a warrantless search upon his arrival at San Juan Airport from New York City. The court emphasized that even though Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, its residents are still protected by most aspects of the U.S Constitution including Bill Of Rights protections.

In the dissenting opinion for Torres v. Puerto Rico, Justice Rehnquist disagreed with the majority's view that Fourth Amendment protections should extend to searches and seizures by local law enforcement in Puerto Rico. He argued that this interpretation was inconsistent with previous rulings which had held that these constitutional safeguards did not apply to territories unless specifically incorporated by Congress. Furthermore, he contended that there were practical reasons why such protections might not be appropriate or necessary in all U.S territories due to their unique legal and cultural contexts. Therefore, he believed it was up to Congress rather than the courts to decide whether these rights should be extended.