Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00295/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00295-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 08:1329 Writ of Mandamus to Adjudicate Visa Petition

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1 07cv0295 BTM (BLM)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BABAK SEHARI,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 07cv0295 BTM (BLM)

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND

DENYING IN PART MOTION TO

DISMISS IN PART; ORDER

SETTING BRIEFING SCHEDULE

AND HEARING ON CROSSMOTIONS FOR SUMMARY

JUDGMENT

vs.

ALBERTO GONZALES, Attorney

General of the United States; MICHAEL

CHERTOFF, Secretary of the

Department of Homeland Security;

EMILIO T. GONZALEZ, Director of the

United States Citizenship and

Immigration Services; ALFONSO

AGUILAR, Chief of Citizenship United

States Citizenship and Immigration

Services; VERNON DUNCAN, Acting

District Director of the United States

Citizenship and Immigration Services,

San Diego California,

Defendants.

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendants move to dismiss Plaintiff’s complaint on the ground that Plaintiff has failed

to state a claim under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) or the Mandamus Act.

Defendants argue that the remedy Plaintiff seeks is unavailable as a matter of law. For the

reasons discussed below, the motion to dismiss is GRANTED as to defendants Michael

Chertoff, Emilio T. Gonzalez, Alfonso Aguilar, and Vernon Duncan and DENIED as to Alberto

Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States. 

Case 3:07-cv-00295-BTM-BLM Document 8 Filed 07/31/07 Page 1 of 3
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II. BACKGROUND

On May 3, 2006, Plaintiff Babak Sehari, a legal permanent resident since July 10,

2001, filed an Application for Naturalization (N–400) with United States Citizenship

Immigration Services (CIS). CIS has requested and is still awaiting the results of an FBI

name check investigation. CIS has refused to schedule an examination interview or to

further adjudicate Plaintiff’s application until results are received from the FBI. Plaintiff

commenced this lawsuit on February 13, 2007. 

III. DISCUSSION

Plaintiff seeks mandamus relief in the form of an order compelling CIS to schedule him

for an interview and to fully adjudicate his application for naturalization. However, CIS has

refrained from adjudicating his application, including scheduling an examination interview,

because CIS is prohibited from doing so by statute. Public Law No. 105-119, 1997 HR 2267

provides, “none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to [CIS] shall be used

to complete adjudication of an application for naturalization unless [CIS] has received

confirmation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that a full criminal background check

has been completed . . . .” 

Under the APA, a court may compel an administrative agency to perform an action

that has been “unlawfully withheld” by that agency. 5 U.S.C. § 706(1). Similarly, under the

Mandamus Act, a court may compel performance of “a duty owed to the plaintiff.” 28 U.S.C.

§ 1361. A court cannot compel an agency to take an action it is not lawfully required to take.

Norton v. So. Utah Wilderness Alliance, 542 U.S. 55, 63 (2004). In this case, not only is CIS

not legally required to adjudicate an application before receiving results from the FBI

background check, it is also explicitly prohibited from doing so by statute. Because the FBI

has not completed the requisite background check in this case, the Court cannot order the

relief Plaintiff seeks against CIS. Accordingly, the motion to dismiss is granted as to

defendants Michael Chertoff, Emilio T. Gonzalez, Alfonso Aguilar, and Vernon Duncan. 

Plaintiff has also named Alberto Gonzales as a defendant, and apparently seeks an

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3 07cv0295 BTM (BLM)

order compelling him to direct the FBI to complete the required background check.

(Complaint ¶ 19.) The Government has not made any challenge to the claim against

Gonzales. Therefore the motion to dismiss is denied as to Alberto Gonzales.

IV. CONCLUSION

For the reasons discussed above, the Court GRANTS IN PART AND DENIES IN

PART the motion to dismiss. The motion is GRANTED as to defendants Michael Chertoff,

Emilio T. Gonzalez, Alfonso Aguilar, and Vernon Duncan. The Complaint is DISMISSED

WITHOUT PREJUDICE as to these defendants. The motion is DENIED as to defendant

Alberto Gonzales.

The Court orders the parties to file cross-motions for summary judgment on the

APA/Mandamus claim against Gonzales. Plaintiff must file his motion for summary

judgment on or before September 24, 2007. Defendant Gonzales must file his combined

cross-motion/opposition on or before October 29, 2007. Plaintiff must file any reply on or

before November 13, 2007. The Court hereby sets the cross-motions for hearing on

November 16, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Unless the Court directs otherwise, this matter will be

resolved without oral argument, and no personal appearances are necessary.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: July 30, 2007

Honorable Barry Ted Moskowitz

United States District Judge

Case 3:07-cv-00295-BTM-BLM Document 8 Filed 07/31/07 Page 3 of 3