Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00369/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00369-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Fan Jiang
Plaintiff
David N. Still
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FAN JIANG,

Plaintiff,

v.

DAVID N. STILL, DISTRICT

DIRECTOR, U.S. CITIZENSHIP &

IMMIGRATION SERVICES,

Defendants.

 

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1:06-cv-0369 OWW LJO

SCHEDULING CONFERENCE ORDER 

Last Date to File

Administrative Record: 

9/25/06

Cross-Motions for Summary

Judgment Filing Deadline:

10/25/06

Oppositions Motion Filing

Deadline: 11/10/06

Cross-Motions for Summary

Judgment Hearing Date:

12/11/06 10:00 Ctrm. 3

I. Date of Scheduling Conference.

August 9, 2006.

II. Appearances Of Counsel.

Stuart I. Folinsky, Esq., appeared on behalf of Plaintiff.

Audrey B. Hemsath, Esq., Assistant United States Attorney,

appeared on behalf of Defendant. 

III. Summary of Pleadings. 

1. This case involves a dispute regarding the statutory

provisions of the Immigration & Nationality Act [hereinafter “The

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Act”]. The Act provides for fiancés of United States Citizens to

enter into the U.S. as non-immigrant “K-1" entrants for the

purpose of marrying the U.S. citizen’s fiancé within 90 days of

admission. The Act also provides for the admission of the

“children” of the “K-1" alien fiancé as non-immigrant “K-2"

entrant.

2. Plaintiff entered as a “K-2" non-immigrant concurrently

with her mother who entered as a “K-1" non-immigrant. Both

Plaintiff and her mother filed for “adjustment of status.” 

Defendant granted the mother’s application for adjustment of

status, but denied Plaintiff’s application based upon a perceived

statutory eligibility.

3. Plaintiff seeks a legal determination that she is

eligible for adjustment of status.

IV. Orders Re Amendments To Pleadings.

1. The proposed First Amended Complaint is ordered filed.

The parties do not anticipate filing any further amendments to

the pleadings at this time. Defendant shall have through

September 8, 2006, to respond to the First Amended Complaint. 

V. Factual Summary.

A. Admitted Facts Which Are Deemed Proven Without Further

Proceedings. 

1. Plaintiff Jiang resides in Kings County,

California. 

2. Kings County is within the jurisdiction of the

Fresno Division of the Eastern district of California and Fresno

sub-office of the San Francisco District of the U.S. Citizenship

and Immigration Services.

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3. Plaintiff filed an application for adjustment of

status to lawful permanent with Defendant Still.

4. Although Still admitted knowledge of relevant

facts and law, Plaintiff’s application has been denied on the

ground that Jiang was not eligible for adjustment.

5. Defendant Still is the Director of the San

Francisco District Office of the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration

Services. 

6. San Francisco District maintains a sub-office in

Fresno, California. 

7. The Fresno sub-office of the U.S. Citizenship &

Immigration Services is responsible for adjudication of

applications for adjustment of status from “K-2" non-immigrant

status to lawful permanent residence under §§ 214(d), 216(a)(1)

and (g) of the Immigration & Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. §§

1184(d), 1186a(a)(1) and (g)) and matters that are ancillary. 

8. Still is responsible for all actions taken by the

Fresno sub-office of the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service.

9. For the purposes of this case, the following facts

are to be treated as true.

10. Ms. Jiang is a native and citizen of the People’s

Republic of China who now lives in Avenal, California, in the

Eastern District of California, Fresno Division.

11. She was born July 14, 1984. 

12. Her mother is Pheng Lee Liang and her father is

Wayne Jiang, both of whom are also natives and citizens of the

People’s Republic of China.

13. Ms. Jiang’s mother and father were married in

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December of 1982 in China and the marriage was terminated on

March 5, 1989, in china. 

14. Ms. Jiang was the “child” of Pheng Liang as that

term is defined by § 101(b)(1)(a) of the Immigration &

Nationality Act. 

15. David Nick Washington, Jr., is a natural born

citizen of the United States. He currently resides in Avenal,

California.

16. Mr. Washington and Ms. Liang became engaged to be

married. 

17. On December 14, 2004, Mr. Washington filed a nonimmigrant visa petition with the United States Citizenship &

Immigration Services [a legacy agency of the former Immigration &

Naturalization Service] to accord Ms. Liang non-immigrant “K-1"

classification pursuant to § 101(a)(15)(K)(I) of the Immigration

& Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(K)(I)). The California

Service Center of USCIS assigned file number WAC-05-051-50643 to

the non-immigrant visa petition. The petition was approved on

February 7, 2005.

18. Concomitant to the determination of USCIS that Ms.

Liang qualified for classification as a “K-1" non-immigrant, her

daughter Ms. Jiang became qualified as a “K-2" non-immigrant

pursuant to §101(a)(15)(K)(iii) of the Immigration & Nationality

Act (8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15)(K)(iii)).

19. On July 11, 2005, the United States Consulate

General in Guangzhou, China, issued a non-immigrant “K-1" visa to

Fengli Liang with an expiry date of January 10, 2006. The same

day, the Consulate issued a non-immigrant “K-2" non-immigrant

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visa to Ms. Jiang with an annotation of “P/A: Liang, Fengli.” 

The “K-2" non-immigrant visa was issued with an expiry date of

July 13, 2005.

20. On July 13, 2005, both Ms. Liang and her daughter

Ms. Jiang were admitted by the United States Customs & Border

Protection (another legacy agency of the former INS) as nonimmigrants at San Francisco, California. Ms. Liang was admitted

as a “K-1" non-immigrant and Ms. Jiang was admitted as a “K-2"

non-immigrant. Both were admitted for a period of 90 days, said

authorized period expiring on November 12, 2005.

21. Fengli Liang and David Nick Washington, Jr., were

married on August 24, 2005, in Hanford, California. Said

marriage took place within Fengli Liang’s admission to the United

States as a “K-1" non-immigrant.

22. On October 6, 2005, Fengli Liang and her daughter

Fan Jiang filed applications for adjustment of status to lawful

permanent residence pursuant to §§214(d), 216(a)(1) and (g) of

the Immigration & Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. §§ 1184(d),

1186a(a)(1) and (g)). Fengli Liang’s application was processed

under file # A 98 442 450. Fan Jiang’s application was processed

under file # A 96 648 290.

23. Still approved the application of Egnali Liang and

adjusted her status from “K-1" non-immigrant to that of lawful

permanent residence under the “CF-1" immigrant category. The

concomitant application of Fan Jiang should have been normally

granted thereby adjusting her status from “K-2" non-immigrant to

that of lawful permanent residence under the “CV-2" immigrant

category.

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24. Still denied Fan Jiang’s application for

adjustment of status on February 16, 2006. Said denial was

premised solely of purported statutory ineligibility: “K-2" nonimmigrants cannot adjust their status to that of lawful permanent

residence.

25. There is a dispute as to the legal right of Fan

Jiang to seek adjustment of lawful permanent residence based upon

her admission as a K-2 non-immigrant followed by the “CF-1"

adjustment of her mother.

26. In his February 16, 2006 decision, Still

acknowledged the provisions of §§2245 and 101(a)(15)(K) of the

Immigration & Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. §§ 245 and

101(a)(15)(K)]. 

27. However, Still mischaracterized Fan Jiang’s

application as being under § 245 of the Immigration & Nationality

act [8 U.S.C. §1255] rather than being under the provisions of §§

1184(d) and 1186a(a)(1) and (g)]. 

28. The February 16, 2006, decision emphasized the

statutory provision which authorized Fan Jiang’s “K-2" nonimmigrant status. Fan Jiang and Still are in dispute as to

whether or not the provisions of the Immigration & Nationality

Act should be followed.

29. Plaintiff claims Still’s actions are without any

justification, substantial or otherwise. 

30. Ms. Jiang seeks reasonable attorney’s fees under

the provisions of the Equal Access to Justice Act. 

B. Contested Facts.

1. There are no disputed facts. 

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VI. Legal Issues.

A. Uncontested.

1. Jurisdiction exists under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and the

provisions of Immigration & Nationality Act. 

2. Venue is proper in the Eastern District of

California, Fresno Division, under 28 U.S.C. § 1391.

3. The parties agree that for the purposes of

resolving the legal issues in this action, the alleged facts may

be deemed admitted. The parties agree that such admission shall

not bind the Department of Homeland Security in further

administrative proceedings. In particular, for the purposes of

this action, Plaintiff was born on July 14, 1984, and turned 21

years of age on July 14, 2005. 

4. The parties agree that Plaintiff was granted a

non-immigrant “K-2" visa on July 11, 2005, by the United States

Consulate General in Guangzhou, China. The visa had an expiry

date of July 13, 2006. On July 13, 2006, Plaintiff was admitted

as a non-immigrant “K-2" at the Port of Entry at San Francisco,

California. The “K-2" admission was concurrent with the “K-1"

non-immigrant admission of Plaintiff’s mother.

5. Both Plaintiff and her mother were admitted for a

period of 90 days, expiring on November 12, 2005. Plaintiff’s

mother married Nick Washington, Jr., the United States Citizen

petitioner on August 24, 2005, in Hanford, California. 

6. On October 6, 2005, Plaintiff and her mother filed

applications for adjustment of status to lawful permanent

residence status. 

7. These applications were filed with Defendant.

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8. Defendant approved the adjustment application of

Plaintiff’s mother.

9. On February 16, 2006, Defendant denied the

application of Plaintiff - Plaintiff was not granted lawful

permanent residence status.

10. In regards to paragraph 13 of the Complaint,

Defendant denies Plaintiff’s description of the February 16,

2006, Decision of Plaintiff.

11. As discussed below, a copy of the February 16,

2006, decision will be filed with the Court.

12. The parties are in agreement that all other

denials to allegations in the complaint are not an obstacle to

resolution of the proceedings by way of summary judgment.

B. Contested. 

1. There is a dispute as to whether or not Plaintiff

is legally eligible under the provision of the Immigration &

Nationality Act for adjustment of status from “K-2" non-immigrant

to that of alien lawfully admitted to permanent residence. 

2. The parties are in disagreement as to the

interpretation and meaning of §§ 214(d), 216(a)(1), and 216(g) of

the Act (8 U.S.C. §§ 1184(d), 1186a(a)(1), and § 1186a(g)). 

VII. Consent to Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction.

1. The parties have not consented to transfer the 

case to the Magistrate Judge for all purposes, including trial.

VIII. Corporate Identification Statement.

1. Any nongovernmental corporate party to any action in

this court shall file a statement identifying all its parent

corporations and listing any entity that owns 10% or more of the

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party's equity securities. A party shall file the statement with

its initial pleading filed in this court and shall supplement the

statement within a reasonable time of any change in the

information. 

IX. Discovery Plan and Cut-Off Date.

1. The Defendants shall file a complete copy of the

administrative record bearing file # A 96 648 290 and shall serve

a copy on Plaintiff’s counsel.

2. The administrative record shall be filed on or before

September 25, 2006. 

3. The parties agree that the case shall be resolved on

cross-motions for summary judgment. Motions for summary judgment

shall be filed on or before October 25, 2006. 

4. Oppositions to cross-motions for summary judgment shall

be filed on or before November 10, 2006. 

5. The motion for summary judgment shall be heard on

December 11, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 3, Seventh Floor,

before the Honorable Oliver W. Wanger, United States District

Judge. 

X. Settlement Conference.

1. No settlement conference will be set at this time. If

the parties believe that a settlement conference would be

helpful, they may contact the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, Greg Lucas,

at (559) 499-5652, who will set a settlement conference before

the assigned Magistrate Judge. 

XI. Related Matters Pending.

1. There are no related matters. Plaintiff is aware of a

similar case which has been filed in the United States District

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Court for the District of Colorado entitled Pham v. Gonzales, et

al., 2006 CV 00620. That case was voluntarily dismissed by the

Plaintiff. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 10, 2006 /s/ Oliver W. Wanger 

emm0d6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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