Supreme Court Holds LPRs with Pending Criminal Charges May Be Deemed Applicants for Admission When Re-Entering the United States: Blanche v. Lau

On June 23, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Blanche v. Lau , in which it held that a border officer can determine that a lawful permanent resident (LPR) returning to the United States after a trip abroad is an applicant for admission based on the commission of a crime, even without clear and convincing evidence to support that finding. Mr. Lau, an LPR, traveled abroad while a criminal charge was pending against him for a potential crime involving moral turpitude (CIMT). Eve