News and Developments 2007: Foreign Nationals

On October 10, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Medellin v. Texas, a case that will determine whether President Bush overstepped his authority by ordering state courts to comply with a 2004 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling. The case involves Texas death row inmate Jose Medellin, one of 51 Mexican foreign nationals who were denied their right to contact Mexican consular officials after their arrest. The ICJ's 2004 ruling called on U.S. courts to review the cases in light of this treaty violation, but Texas refused to review Medellin's case and he petitioned the U.S.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Medellin v. Texas, a case that will determine whether dozens of Mexican foreign nationals on death row in the U.S. are entitled to a new hearing because they were denied their right to seek consular assistance upon their arrest.