Quiz 106 What were the key facts of the 2020 Tanzin decision?

The Supreme Court’s Tanzin v. Tanvir decision is not one that is widely known.  But the potential impact of that decision is big given its holding.  (Don’t worry, we’ll cover that in a future Religion Law Quiz.)  What were the key facts of the Tanzin decision?

(Scroll down for the answer)

Answer: Here’s how the Supreme Court summarized those facts:

Respondents Muhammad Tanvir, Jameel Algibhah, and Naveed Shinwari are practicing Muslims who claim that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents placed them on the No Fly List in retaliation for their refusal to act as informants against their religious communities. Respondents sued various agents in their official capacities, seeking removal from the No Fly List. They also sued the agents in their individual capacities for money damages. According to respondents, the retaliation cost them substantial sums of money: airline tickets wasted and income from job opportunities lost.

More than a year after respondents sued, the Department of Homeland Security informed them that they could now fly, thus mooting the claims for injunctive relief. The District Court then dismissed the individual-capacity claims for money damages, ruling that RFRA does not permit monetary relief.

Tanzin v. Tanvir, 141 S. Ct. 486, 489, 208 L. Ed. 2d 295 (2020).

Disclaimer: The Religion Law Quizzes are provided as a service to you. They are intended only for educational purposes. Nothing in the Quizzes is intended to be legal advice and they should not be relied upon as conclusive on any issue discussed therein.

HERE IS AN AI GENERATED SUMMARY OF TODAY’S PODCAST

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the 'Religion Law Podcast', where your understanding of religious freedom and various religion law-related issues will be refined through an intriguing question-and-answer setup. Guiding you on this informative journey is none other than your host, Michael Fielding.

This episode unravels the complexities of Religion Law Quiz number 106, where we dissect the lesser-known but highly influential Supreme Court decision, Tansin v. Tanvir. The primary focus of our discussion revolves around enumerating and understanding the key facts of this case—a feat possible only if one is familiar with the actual verdict. But worry not, for today, these facts are laid bare for your perusal, quoted verbatim from the Supreme Court records.

In this riveting episode, you will learn about the implications of this case involving Muslims who were removed from the no-fly list, the district court's decision to dismiss their need for injunctive relief and monetary damages claims, further escalating this issue to appeal at the Supreme Court. This leads to the pivotal question: Can someone whose rights have been infringed under RIFRA sue for and obtain monetary relief?

Join us as we gear up to explore this issue and more in our upcoming quizzes. Remember, our quizzes serve educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. If you find our episode helpful, don’t hesitate to share it and leave a review. Till our next meeting, strive to be an influence for good!