## Facts

- During World War II, Gregoire was arrested and detained as a supposed enemy alien on the asserted ground that he was German.
- The Enemy Alien Hearing Board determined Gregoire was French, not German, but federal officials allegedly continued to hold him anyway.
- Gregoire remained in custody from January 5, 1942, until September 18, 1946, when a federal judge ordered his release upon finding he was a French national.
- Gregoire sued two former Attorneys General, two former heads of the Department of Justice Enemy Alien Control Unit, and the Ellis Island immigration director in their personal capacities for damages.
- The complaint alleged detention without lawful authority or reasonable cause, and a conspiracy to deprive him of liberty with malicious, willful intent.
- A second count reasserted the detention allegations and sought relief under Sections 43 and 47 of the Civil Rights Act based on deprivation of constitutional rights and denial of equal protection.
- The district court dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6), holding the officials had absolute immunity even if motivated by personal ill will.

## Issues

1. Whether high-level federal executive officials are absolutely immune from personal civil damages for acts performed in the course of official duties, even if alleged to be malicious and knowingly unlawful.
2. Whether absolute official immunity also bars claims pleaded under Sections 43 and 47 of the Civil Rights Act.

## Decision

- The Second Circuit affirmed the Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal.
- The court treated the complaint as alleging the worst case for defendants: actions taken from personal spite and with knowledge of no legal warrant.
- Even on those allegations, the court held the defendants were absolutely immune from damages for acts performed as part of their official functions.
- The same immunity analysis barred both the common-law-style damages count and the Civil Rights Act count.

## Legal Principles

- Certain federal officials performing discretionary, quasi-judicial, or analogous functions are absolutely immune from personal liability for civil damages arising from acts within the scope of those functions.
- Absolute immunity can apply even when the plaintiff alleges malice or knowing illegality, because exposing officials to such suits would chill decisive performance of public duties and invite harassment through litigation based on asserted bad motive.
- Civil-rights-based pleading does not avoid absolute immunity when the challenged conduct falls within the protected category of official acts.

## Conclusion

The court held that absolute official immunity barred Gregoire’s damages claims against federal officials for wartime detention decisions taken in their official capacities, including claims alleging malice and claims framed under the Civil Rights Act.


Gregoire v. Biddle, 177 F.2d 579 (2d Cir. 1949)