In the meantime, Alvarez was brought before a federal district court in Los Angeles. The judge, however, ruled that the kidnapping of Alvarez violated the U.S. extradition treaty with Mexico and, therefore, he should be returned home. An extradition treaty is an agreement between nations to follow certain procedures when one country is seeking a criminal suspect in the other's territory. The U.S. government appealed this ruling all the way to the Supreme Court. Strongly opposed to the DEA actions, the Mexican government filed an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief that argued the kidnapping was a violation of international law.

Before the Supreme Court

On Jun...

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