United States v. Mendoza

Mendoza (plaintiff), a Filipino national, sought naturalization under a since-repealed World War II statute allowing foreign veterans who served for the U.S. to obtain citizenship, but only if they applied before the end of 1946; the U.S. immigration office in the Philippines had been closed for roughly a year during that window, making it hard for eligible veterans to apply in time. In a separate 1975 lawsuit, 68 similarly situated Filipino veterans won naturalization despite applying after 1946, and the government did not appeal that ruling. Mendoza sued to be naturalized on the same reasoning, and the court of appeals ruled in his favor, holding the government was estopped from relitigating the issue partly because it had not appealed the earlier decision.