FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT OCTOB ER 18, 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 11834 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N os . A 95- 227- 543 & A 95- 227- 544 R O B E R T O N I C O L A S V I S B A L G U E R R A , N U B I A M A N D O N I B A N E Z , H U M B E R T O J . V I S B A L M A N D O N , P e titio n e r s , v ersu s U .S . A T T O RN E Y G E N E R A L , R e s p o n d e n t.

________________________ P e t i t i on f orR e vi e w of

aD e c i s i on of

the B o a r d o f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( O c t ob e r 18, 2006) B efo re M A R C U S , W IL S O N an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

R obe rt o N i c ol a s V i s ba l G ue rr a , hi s w i f e , N ubi aM a ndon I ba ne z , a nd hi s s on, H um bert o J. V i sbal M ando n, C ol om bi an nat i on al s and ci t i ze ns, pet i t i on for r evi ew of the B oard of Im m i grat i on A pp ea l s’ (“ B IA ”) deni al of thei r m ot i on t o rec on si der the B I A ’ s pr e vi ous de ni a l of the i rm ot i on t o r e ope n. T he pe t i t i one r s a r gue tha tthe B I A ab u s e d its d is c r e tio n b y d e n y in g r e c o n s id e r a tio n . F o rth e r e a s o n s s e t f o rth m or e f ul l y be l ow , w e de ny the pe t i t i on. V i s ba l G ue rr auns uc c e s s f ul l ys oughta s y l um , w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l , a nd r e lie f u n d e rth e U n ite d N a tio n s C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rtu r e a n d O th e rC ru e l, I nhum a n, orD e gr a di ng T r e a tm e ntorP uni s hm e nt( “ C A T ” ) . A s y l um a nd w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der the Im m i grat i on and N at i on al i ty A ct(“ IN A ”) w er e de ni e d on the gr ound tha tV i s ba l G ue rr af a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ount of apr ot e c t e d gr ound be c aus e the N a t i ona l L i be r a t i on A rm y ’ s ( “ E L N ” ) m ot i ve w a s m o n e ta ry . T he pet i t i on er s s ou gh tt o reopen thei r r em ov al proceedi ng s, al l egi ng that new evi dence dem on stra t ed thatthe pers ec ut i on w as on ac coun tof i m pu t ed p o litic a l o p in io n . I n s u p p o rt o f th e irm o tio n , th e p e titio n e r s s u b m itte d s ta te m e n ts by R uby E s t e l aV i s ba l G ue rr a( “ R uby ” ) a nd M a r i aE s t e l aV i s ba l B a l l e s t e r os a nd a de a th c e rt i f

i c a t e . R uby s t a t e d tha t , on S unda y , J une 26, 2005, tw o m e n f r om the E L N ca m e t o h ersi st er ’ s hom e and as ked h er , her s i st erN ancy , and h erm other aboutV i s ba l G ue rr aa nd hi s f a m i l y . T he m e n s t a t e d tha tV i s ba l G ue rr aw oul d be3

tr i e d be f or e the E L N be c aus e of hi s c ol l abor a t i on w i th the L i be r a l P a rty , s t a t i ng th a t h e s h o u ld h a v e c o m p lie d w ith th e ird e m a n d s , e s p e c ia llyc e a s in g h is col l aborat i on w i th the L i bera l P arty. D uri ng the al t er ca t i on , on e of the m en poi nt e d agun a tN a nc y ’ s he a d, R uby ’ s m othe rf a i nt e d, s uf

f e r e d as tr oke , a nd p assed aw ay o n Ju n e 2 9 , 2 0 0 5 , at5 : 1 0 p . m . B al l est ero s cert i fi ed th at , o n S u n d ay, J u ly2 6 , 2 0 0 5 , s h e w e n t to h e rn ie c e N a n c y ’s h o u s e a f te rN a n c ya s k e d f

o rh e lp because N ancy ’ s m other w as dyi ng . A death cert i fi ca t e f or D ol ores L ol a G uerr a D e V i s b a l l i s t e d th e d a t e o f d e a th a s J u n e 2 4 , 2 0 0 5 , a t5 : 1 0 p . m. T he B I A de ni e d the m ot i on t o r e ope n. C i t i ng di s c r e pa nc i e s be tw e e n the d a te s in th e d o c u m e n ts , th e B I A f o u n d th a t a n e x a m in a tio n o f th e d o c u m e n ts r e v e a le d th e iru n tru s tw o rth in e s s . B e c au s e it f o u n d th e n e w e v id e n c e “in h e r e n tly unr e l i abl e , ” the B I A de ni e d the m ot i on on the gr ound tha tV i s ba l G ue rr adi d not e s tab lis h ap r im af

a c ie c a s e o f

e lig ib ilityf

o rr e lie f . T he pe t i t i one r s f

i l e d am ot i on t o r e c ons i de r , a dm i tt i ng tha tthe B I A ’ s f i ndi ng o f u n tru s tw o rth in e s s s te m m in g f r o m th e in c o n s is te n t d a te s w a s “u n d e r s ta n d ab le ,” buta r gui ng tha tthe s e c ontr a di c t i ons r e s ul t e d f r om B a l l e s t e r os m i s t a ke nl yw r i t i ng

“ S un day the 26 th o f Jul y” i nst ea d o f “ S un day the 26 th o f Jun e” and the fa ctthat the pers on transl at i ng the death cert i fi ca t e m i st oo k the ni ne for afour. In supp ort of thei r m ot i on , the pet i t i on er s s ub m i tt ed a s t at em entby B al l es t er os cl ar i fy i ng that a n i nc orr e c tda t e w a s i n he rpr e vi ous s t a t e m e ntdue t o a“ tr a ns c r i pt i on e rr ori n the4

doc um e nt , ” a nd tha tthe c orr e c tda t e w a s J une 26, 2005. I n a n a f f i da vi t , the transl at or of the death cert i fi ca t e s t at ed thatshe di d n otre al i ze thatshe m ade a m i st ak e i n th e tran sl at i o n u n t i l th e B IA d en i ed reo p en i n g an d , u p o n “ v ery cl o se exam i nat i on ” of the do cum entand exam i nat i on of the fours and ni nes i n o ther pa rt s of the doc um e nt , the da t e s houl d ha ve be e n tr a ns l a t e d a s J une 29, 2005. T he B IA deni ed the m ot i on , fi nd i ng no error i n i t s e ar l i erdeci si on . T he B IA s t a t e d: I n th a t d e c is io n w e n o te d d is c r e p a n c ie s b e tw e e n th e d o c u m e n ts subm i tt ed i n sup po rtof the m ot i on . T he re spon dent s now st at e that th e d i s c r e p a n td a t e s we r e d u e t o u n f o rtu n a t e m i s t a k e s . F i r s t , we di s a gr e e tha tthe S pa ni s h l a ngua ge de a th c e rt i f i c a t e r e f l e c t s ada t e of d e a th o f J u n e 2 9 , 2 0 0 5 , r a th e rth a n J u n e 2 4 , 2 0 0 5 . C o n s e q u e n t l y , we f i nd unc onvi nc i ng the tr a ns l a t or ’ s e xpl a na t i on tha ts he m i s t ook the “ 4” for a“ 9. ” T he re spon dent s a l so cont end thatM ar i a E st el a V i sbal B a l l e s t e r os m i s t a ke nl y w r ot e J ul y26, i ns t e a d of J une 26, r e ga r di ng the dat e s he foun d h ersi st er -i n-l aw -uncon sc i ou s. H ow ever , i n h er st at em ent , M ar i a i nd i ca t es the error w as du e t o “ transcr i pt i on error. ” W e a l so no t e thatbecause the re spon dent s have s ub m i tt ed new e v id e n c e th e y w is h to h a v e c o n s id e r e d , th e irm o tio n is m o r e p r o p e r ly c ha r a c t e r i z e d a s am ot i on t o r e ope n, a nd a s s uc h i ti s num be r - ba rr e d. T h e p e titio n e r s a r g u e th a t th e B I A ab u s e d its d is c r e tio n b ytr e a tin g th e ir m ot i on t o r e c ons i de ra s am ot i on t o r e ope n be c aus e the m ot i on s pe c i f i e d e rr or s of la w o rf a c t in th e B I A ’s e a r lie rd e c is io n a n d w a s s u p p o rte d b yp e rtin e n t au th o r ity . T hey argue thatthe B IA erre d i n fi nd i ng thatthe att ac hm ent s c on st i tut ed “ new e vi de nc e , ” a s the y w e r e ne c e s s a ry t o e xpl a i n e rr or s tha tthe B I A ove r l ooke d. T he p e titio n e r s n e x t a r g u e th a t th e B I A ab u s e d its d is c r e tio n b yd is c o u n tin g th e ir5

a r g u m e n ts . F ir s t, th e y a r g u e th a t, b e c au s e th e d ig its f o u ra n d n in e c lo s e lyr e s e m b le e a c h othe ron the S pa ni s h l a ngua ge de a th c e rt i f i c a t e , the B I A ’ s c e rt a i ntya s t o the da t e i s “ ba f

f l i ng. ” S e c ond, the y a r gue tha t , be c aus e “ tr a ns c r i be ” m e a ns “ [ t ] o m a ke af ul l ortype w r i tt e n c opy of , ” i f B a l l e s t e r os di d the typi ng – w hi c h s he di d – s he b o th w r o te a n d tr a n s c r ib e d in c o rr e c tly . T h e yc o n te n d th a t, m o r e im p o rta n tly , it d o e s n o t m a tte rw h o m a d e th e m is ta k e , o n lyth a n a n in c o rr e c t d a te w a s a s s ig n e d to th e e v e n t. W e r e v ie w th e d e n ia l o f am o tio n to r e c o n s id e rf o rab u s e o f

d is c r e tio n . A ss a’ ad v. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 33 2 F . 3d 13 21 , 13 41 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). T he deni al of a m o tio n to r e o p e n a ls o is r e v ie w e d f o rab u s e o f

d is c r e tio n . A li v . U .S . A tt’yG e n ., 44 3 F . 3d 80 4, 80 8 (11 th C i r. 20 06 ). “ Judi ci al re vi ew of deni al s of di sc re t i on ary r e l i e f i nc i de ntt o de port a t i on pr oc e e di ngs , i nc l udi ng de ni a l s of m ot i ons t o r e ope n, i s l i m i t e d t o de t e rm i ni ng ‘ w he the rthe r e ha s be e n a n e xe r c i s e of a dm i ni s tr a t i ve di sc re t i on and w hether the m att erof exer ci se has bee n arbi traryor capri ci ou s. ’ ” Gar c i a - Mi rv . S m i th , 7 6 6 F . 2 d 1 4 7 8 , 1 4 9 0 ( 1 1 th C i r . 1 9 8 5 ) ( c i t a t i o n o m i tt e d ) . “ An ab u se o f d i scret i o n m ay b e fo u n d i n th o se ci rcu m st an ces w h ere th e [B IA ’ s] deci si on prov i des no rat i on al expl anat i on , i nexp l i cabl y depart s f rom es t abl i shed po l i ci es , i s devoi d o f any re as on i ng , or cont ai ns on l y s um m ary or c on cl usory s t a t e m e nt s ; tha ti s t o s a y , w he r e the [ B I A ] ha s a c t e d i n a n a rbi tr a ryorc apr i c i ous6

m a nne r . ” Z ha o v. U . S . D e p’ tof J us t i c e , 265 F . 3d 83, 93 ( 2d C i r . 2001) ( c i t a t i ons om i tt ed). G e n e r a lly , a n a lie n m a y f ile o n e m o tio n to r e o p e n r e m o v a l p r o c e e d in g s . 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 9 a ( c ) ( 7 ) ( A ) ; 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( c ) ( 2 ) . “A m o tio n to r e c o n s id e rs h a ll s t a t e the r e a s ons f

orthe m ot i on bys pe c i f

y i ng the e rr or s of

f a c torl a w i n the pr i or [ BI A ] d e c i s i o n a n d s h a l l b e s u p p o rt e d b yp e rt i n e n tau th o r i ty . ” 8 C. F. R. § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( b ) ( 1 ) ; 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 9 a ( c ) ( 6 ) ( C ) . “A m o tio n to r e o p e n p r o c e e d in g s s h a ll s ta te th e n e w f

a c ts th a t w ill b e p r o v e n a t ah e a r in g to b e h e ld if th e m o tio n is grant ed and shal l be supp ort ed by af fi davi t s or other e vi dent i ary m at er i al . ” 8 C . F . R . § 1 00 3. 2(c) (1); 8 U . S . C . § 1 22 9a(c )( 7)(B ). T he B IA has di st i ng ui shed be tw e e n m ot i ons t o r e ope n a nd m ot i ons t o r e c ons i de r , s t a t i ng tha t , upon r e c ons i de r a t i on, i tc ons i de r s “ the c a s e a s though ade c i s i on i n the c a s e on the r e c o r d b e f

o r e u s h a d n e v e rb e e n e n te r e d ,” w h e r e a s am o tio n to r e o p e n s e e k s to re op en the proceedi ng s t o p re se ntnew evi dence. M att erof C erna, 20 I. & N . D ec . 3 9 9 , 4 0 2 - 0 3 ( BI A 1 9 9 1 ) . “ W h e n th e [ BI A ] r e c o n s i d e r s i tt a k e s i t s e l f b a c ki n t i me a n d lo o k s a t th e c a s e a s th o u g h ad e c is io n h a d n e v e rb e e n e n te r e d . T h u s , if it g r a n ts the m ot i on, the [ B I A ] c ons i de r s the c a s e a ne w a s i te xi s t e d a tthe t i m e of the or i gi na l de c i s i on. B y c ontr a s t , am ot i on t o r e ope n a s ks tha tthe pr oc e e di ngs be re op ened for new evi dence and a new deci si on , usual l y a ft eran evi dent i ary hear i ng . ” Z hao, 26 5 F . 3d at90 (c i t at i on s om i tt ed).7

T he pet i t i on er s m ade no att em ptt o exp l ai n the di sc re pantdat es w hen they filed th eir m o ti o n to re o p en . W e d o n o t fin d an ab u se o f d iscr etio n in th e B IA ’s r e j e c t i on of

the i ra tt e m ptt o do s o on r e c ons i de r a t i on. T o the e xt e nttha tthe pet i t i on er s r el i ed up on new fa ct s thatw er e noti n the re cord atthe t i m e the B IA de ni e d the i rm ot i on t o r e ope n, the B I A c orr e c t l yf ol l ow e d i t s ow n c a s e l a w a nd r e g u l a t i o n s i n c o n s tru i n g th e i rm o t i o n a s am o t i o n t o r e o p e n . C e rn a , 2 0 I . & N . D e c . a t4 0 2 - 0 3 ; Zh a o , 2 6 5 F. 3 d a t9 0 ; 8 C. F. R. § 1 0 0 3 . 2 ( b ) ( 1 ) , ( c ) ( 1 ) ; 8 U . S. C. § 1 2 2 9 a ( c ) ( 6 ) ( C ) , ( 7 ) ( B ) . T he B I A a l s o a ddr e s s e d a nd r e j e c t e d the pe t i t i one r s ’ e xpl a na t i ons f orthe d is c r e p a n t d a te s . A f

te rits o w n e x a m in a tio n o f th e S p a n is h la n g u a g e d e a th c e rt i f i c a t e , th e BI A c o n c l u d e d th a ti tr e f l e c t e d ad a t e o f

d e a th o f J u n e 2 4 , 2 0 0 5 . By c onduc t i ng s uc h a n e xa m i na t i on, butr e a c hi ng i t s ow n c onc l us i on, the B I A di d not ac ti n an arbi traryor capri ci ou s m anner. T he B IA coul d rea sonabl y c on cl ud e that the pe t i t i one r s ’ e xpl a na t i on of the i nc orr e c tda t e i n B a l l e s t e r os ’ s s t a t e m e nt c onf l i c t e d w i th B a l l e s t e r os ’ s ow n e xpl a na t i on of the m i s t a ke . W e not e tha tthe pe t i t i one r s ’ e xpl a na t i on a s t o w hy the r e w a s no c onf l i c tr e l i e s upon a s s um pt i ons a n d f a c ts n o t in th e a d m in is tr a tiv e r e c o r d . M o r e o v e r , in lig h t o f th e f a ilu r e to a ddr e s s the e rr orw he n B a l l e s t e r os ’ s s t a t e m e ntw a s or i gi na l l ys ubm i tt e d a nd the B I A ’s r e je c tio n o f

th e tr a n s la to r ’s e x p la n a tio n o f th e d is c r e p a n t d a te o n th e d e a th ce rtificate, d ec li n in g to re co n sid erit s e ar li erd ec isio n b as ed o n B allester o s’s8

be l a t e d a s s e rt i on tha tthe c orr e c tda t e w a s J une 26, 2005, w a s nota n abus e of d is c r e tio n . I n l i ghtof

the f or e goi ng, w e hol d tha tthe B I A di d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on by denyi ng the pet i t i on er s’ m ot i on t o rec on si der. P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.