Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-02-04117/USCOURTS-ca8-02-04117-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
John Ashcroft
Respondent
Zoumade Madjakpor
Petitioner

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 02-4117

___________

Zoumade Madjakpor, *

*

Petitioner, *

* On Petition for Review From 

v. * an Order of the Board of

* Immigration Appeals.

John Ashcroft, Attorney General of *

the United States, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Respondent. *

___________

Submitted: December 17, 2003

Filed: May 24, 2004

___________

Before MELLOY, MCMILLIAN, and BOWMAN, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Zoumande Madjakpor, a native of Togo, seeks withholding of removal and

relief under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). Madjakpor claims his past

participation in a resistance movement would subject him to persecution and torture

if he were to be removed to Togo. The Immigration Judge denied withholding of

removal and ordered Madjakpor removed to the Ivory Coast where he had lived for

approximately twenty years. The removal order included Togo as an alternative

country of removal if the Ivory Coast refused to accept him. The Board of

Immigration Appeals affirmed the decision and Madjakpor petitions this Court for

Appellate Case: 02-4117 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/24/2004 Entry ID: 1770068 
-2-

review, challenging only his possible removal to Togo, not his removal to the Ivory

Coast.

Because Madjakpor makes no claim that removal to the Ivory Coast would

expose him to either persecution or torture, we hold his petition for review in

abeyance pending the outcome of the Attorney General's efforts to remove Madjakpor

to the Ivory Coast. If the Ivory Coast accepts Madjakpor, the Attorney General shall

so inform us of this fact, and we then will dismiss the petition as moot, since removal

to Togo would no longer be in order once the Ivory Coast has accepted him. If the

Ivory Coast declines to accept Madjakpor, the Attorney General shall so inform us,

and we then will proceed to adjudicate Madjakpor's claims regarding the suitability

of Togo as a country of removal.

Madjakpor also requests that we review the administrative denial of his request

for voluntary departure. This decision is unreviewable, and we therefore dismiss the

claim. 8 U.S.C. § 1229c(f) (2000). The Court retains jurisdiction over the petition

for review with respect to the request for withholding of removal and relief under the

CAT. The Attorney General may proceed with Madjakpor's removal to the Ivory

Coast. 

______________________________

Appellate Case: 02-4117 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/24/2004 Entry ID: 1770068