Compagnie Generale Transatlantique v. United States

AUGUSTUS N. HAND, Circuit Judge.

The foregoing actions were brought by the respective steamship companies to recover sums of money paid by them as fines imposed by the Secretary of Labor under the provisions of section 9 of the Immigration Act of 1917 (39 Stat. 880). During the period from June 8,1920, to December 22,1921, inclusive, the plaintiffs brought to the United States eighty aliens, all except one of whom were found to be illiterate; the remaining one having been found to be an idiot. At the time of arrival all the aliens were applying for permanent admission to this country. They…