Hamburg-American Line v. United States

Philip O’Reilly, a native of Ireland and resident in the United States,-returned in October, 1928, on plaintiff’s vessel, from a temporary visit abroad. He had neither an unexpired immigration visa nor a permit to reenter. On his arrival, the immigration officers ordered his exclusion, but he was eventually admitted by the Secretary of Labor. Later, the Secretary of Labor fined the plaintiff in the sum of $1000 for bringing the alien to the United States. Having paid under protest, plaintiff brought this action to recover the amount of the fine upon the ground that it was illegally, imposed.…