## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H C I R C U I T

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No. 1 0- 31 40

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Est rel la Vale nc ia , als o k no wn as *

Dan ie la Arev al o, *

*

Pet it io ne r, *

* Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of

v. * an Orde r of th e Bo ard

* of Im m ig rat io n Ap pe al s. Eric H. Hold er, J r., Att or ne y Gene ral *
of th e Uni te d S ta te s, *

*

Res po nd en t. *

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Su bm it te d: Sep te m

be r 22 , 20 11
Fi le d: Octo be r 7, 2 01 1

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Befo re LOKEN, BEAM, and MURPHY, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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MURP HY, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

In Decem

be r 20 02

, an im m ig rat io n jud ge (IJ ) fo un d Est rel la Vale nc ia

rem ov ab le an d gr an te d he r vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re. Vale nc ia fai le d to de pa rt du rin g th e

pr es cri be d pe rio d an d he r rem ov al or de r be cam e fin al in Apr il 20 03

. Si x y ears la te r,
Val e n ci a m ov ed to reo pe n he r pr oc eed in gs , arg ui ng th at he r at to rn ey ha d be en

in effe ct iv e in rep res en ti n g h e r

. The IJ de ni ed th e m ot io n an d th e Bo ard of

Im m ig rat io n App eal s (BIA) di sm is se d Vale nc ia 's su bs eq ue nt ap pe al

, co nc lu di ng th at

th e m ot io n to reo pe n ha d no t be en ti m el y fil ed a n d n o ex cep ti on al ci rcu m st an ceswarra nt ed ex erci se of it s di sc ret io na ry au th or it y to reo pe n p ro ceed in gs su a sp on te

. Vale nc ia pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w, and we de ny the pe ti ti on

.

I.

V a l e n ci a, a ci ti zen of th e Ph il ip pi ne s, en te red th e Uni te d St at es o n a

no ni m m ig ran t vi si to r vi sa in Mar ch 19 99

. The reco rd sh ows th at Vale nc ia st at es th at

sh e was br ou gh t to th e Uni t e d St at es as a do m es ti c se rv an t by an ab us iv e Kuwai ti

em pl oyer. Sh e es cap ed th e em pl oyer aft er arri vi ng in th e Uni te d St at es bu t co nt in ue d

li vi ng an d wo rk in g i n t hi s co un try.

In Aug us t 2 0 0 2

, rem ov al pr oc eed in gs were in it ia te d ag ai ns t he r be cau se sh e

ha d o ve rs ta y ed th e au th or iz ed pe rio d o f ad m is si on an d ha d be en em pl oyed wit ho ut

wor k aut ho riz at io n. Vale nc ia ret ai ne d at to rn ey Ro be rt Co x to rep res en t he r, an d he

req ue st ed vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re. Vale nc ia st at es th at Co x to ld he r sh e was el ig ib le fo r

a T vi sa fo r tra ffi ck in g vi ct im s un de r 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 15 )(T), bu t Co x ne ve r

in fo rm ed th e IJ th at Vale nc ia wou ld se ek su ch a vi sa or req ue st ed ad di ti on al ti m e to

ap pl y fo r it

. In Decem

be r 20 02

, th e IJ fo un d Vale nc ia re mov ab le an d gr an te d he r

vo lu nt ary d ep art ur e. V a l en ci a st at es th at Co x rep eat ed ly t ol d he r no t to de pa rt an d

th at he ha d fil ed a "wai ve r." Sh e d i d n o t l e a ve th e co un try an d he r vo lu nt ary
de pa rtu re pe rio d ex pi red in Apr il 20 03

, at whi ch po in t he r rem ov al or de r be cam e
ad m in is tra ti ve ly fina l.

Afte r th e rem ov al pr oc eed in gs h a d co nc lu de d, Co x pr ep ared a T vi sa

ap pl ic at io n on Vale nc ia 's be ha lf

. Alt ho ug h Vale nc ia si gn ed th e ap pl ic at io n in

Feb ru ary 20 03

, Co x di d no t fil e it un ti l Ju ly 20 03

. Th e T v is a ap pl ic at io n was

m is si ng cru ci al do cu m en ta ti on

. It was de ni ed in Apr il 20 04 be cau se Vale nc ia ha d

fai le d to es ta bl is h th at he r pr es en ce in th e Uni te d St at es was on acco un t of tra ffi ck in g

as req ui red by 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 15 )(T)(i )(II)

. The de ni al le tt er st at ed th at Vale nc ia

was in el ig ib le be cau se sh e co ul d hav e de pa rte d th e Uni te d Stat es aft er esca pi ng th e

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-tra ffi ck ers bu t ha d fai le d to do so wit ho ut pr o v i d i n g a n ex pl an at io n. Vale nc ia

ev en tu al ly fir ed Co x, who was su sp en de d fro m th e pr act ic e of la w in 20 06

. Vale nc ia

hi red ne w cou ns el in Jan ua ry 20 06

.

At so m e po in t aft er he r rem ov al or de r ha d be co m e fin al

, Vale nc ia m arri ed

Edwi n Saso

, a la wfu l perm an en t resi de nt who la te r be cam e a Uni te d Stat es ci ti zen

. Vale nc ia an d Sas o fil ed an I-1 30 "Pe ti ti on fo r Ali en Rel at iv e," whi ch was ap pr ov ed

in Decem be r 20 07

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In Mar ch 20 09 Vale nc ia fil ed a m ot io n to reo pe n her rem ov al pr oc eed in gs in

im m ig rat io n co ur t ba se d on a cl ai m of in effe ct iv e as si st an ce of co un se l. Her m ot io n

fo cu se d o n C ox 's i ne ffec ti ve ne ss in no t rai si ng th e T vi sa cla im du rin g h er re m ov al

p r o ceed in gs bu t al so req ue st ed th at th e IJ "g ran t he r pe rm an en t res id en cy ba se d on
he r ap pr ov ed I-1 30 an d h er m arri ag e to a Uni te d S ta te s C it iz en ." The IJ d en ie d t he

m ot io n i n May 20 09

, st at in g th at Vale nc ia ha d fai le d to m eet th e req ui rem en ts

ou tl in ed in Mat te r of Co mp e a n , 2 4 I

. & N. Dec. 71 0 (A.G. 20 09 ), fo r reo pe ni ng

pr oc eed in gs ba se d on in effe ct iv e as si st an ce of co un se l. Co m pean w as va cat ed a week

la te r, an d Vale nc ia fil ed a m ot io n to r e c o n s i d e r. The IJ de ni ed th e m ot io n,
ack no wled gi ng th at C o mp e a n no lo ng er co nt ro ll ed bu t co nc lu di ng th at Vale nc ia 's

m ot io n to reo pe n was un ti m el y

. It ha d be en fil ed al m os t si x y ears aft er th e ni ne ty da y
de ad li ne

.

Vale nc ia ap pe al ed to th e BIA. Sh e ch arac te riz ed he r m ot io n to reo pe n as be in g
ba se d on th e ap pr ov al of th e I-1 30

, no t th e m eri ts of th e t r a f f i c k i n g cl ai m

. Sh e

ap pe ared to arg ue th at sh e ha d be en pr ejud ic ed by Co x's pe rfo rm an ce, no t be cau se of

The ap pr ov al of th e I-1 30 is on e st ep to ward acq ui rin g pe rm an en t res id en t 1

st at us ba se d on m arri ag e to a Uni te d Stat es ci ti zen

. The no nc it iz en m us t als o app ly

to reg is te r fo r pe rm an en t r e s i d e nc e or ad jus t st at us

. Non ci ti zen s who fai l to de pa rt

vo lu nt ari ly aft er rece iv in g vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re are in el ig ib le to ad jus t st at us fo r a te n

y ear p eri od un de r 8 U.S.C . § 1 22 9c (d )(1 )(B)

.

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-hi s con du ct in ap pl y in g for th e T vi sa , bu t beca us e he cau se d h er t o "fai l[] to de pa rt

th e co un try as or de red ." Vale nc ia so ug ht reo pe ni ng to "s et as id e th e rem ov al or de r"

so th at sh e w o u l d be el ig ib le fo r ad jus tm en t of st at us ba se d on he r ap pr ov ed I-1 30

pe ti ti on

.

The B I A d i s mi ss ed Vale nc ia 's ap pe al aft er co nc lu di ng th at th e m ot io n was

un ti m el y an d t ha t Val en ci a ha d no t pres en te d "an y ex cep ti on al si tu at io n th at wou ld

ha ve jus ti fie d su a sp on te reo pe ni ng ." Sp eci fic al ly, th e BIA st at ed th at Vale nc ia 's

al le ge d el ig ib il it y fo r ad

jus tm en t of st at us ba se d on h e r ap pr ov ed I-1 30 pe ti ti on , "o bt ai ne d lon g af

ter he r rem ov al or de r be cam e fin al ," was no t an ex cep ti on al si tu at io n ju s t i f yin g di sr eg ard fo r th e st at ut or y de ad li ne

. The BIA al so fo un d th at Vale nc i a ' s

in effe ct iv e as si st an ce clai m di d no t warran t su a sp on te reo pe ni ng be cau se Vale nc ia

c o u l d no t m eet th e req ui rem en ts fo r im m ig rat io n rel ie f as a tra ffi ck in g vi ct im an d

be cau se Vale nc ia ha d fa il ed to sh ow th at "i ne ffec ti ve ass is ta nc e o f co un se l was th e

reas on why sh e fai le d to f i l e h e r mo t io n to reo pe n in a ti m el y m an ne r." The BIA

co nc lu de d th at Vale nc ia "fi le d he r m ot io n in 20 09 si m pl y be cau se it to ok he r th at

lo ng to be co m e el ig ib le for ad jus tm en t o f st at us ."

Vale nc ia no w pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of th e BIA's de ni al of he r m ot io n to reo pe n,

arg ui ng th at Co x's in effe ct iv en es s a m ou nt ed to ex cep ti on al ci rcu m st an ces whi ch

m eri t re op en in g.

II.

W e rev ie w th e B I A ' s de ni al of a m ot io n to reo pe n fo r ab us e of di sc ret io n,
whi ch oc c u r s w h e n t he BIA "g iv es no rat io na l ex pl an at io n fo r it s de ci si on , d ep art s

fro m it s est ab li sh ed po li ci es wit ho ut ex pl an at io n, rel ie s on im pe rm is si bl e fact or s or
le ga l erro r, or ig no res or di st or ts th e reco rd ev id en ce." Gul ed v. Mu ka se y , 51 5 F.3 d

87 2, 88 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). A m ot io n to reo pe n m us t be fil ed wit hi n ni ne ty da y s of th e
da te th e or de r of rem ov al be co m es ad m in is tra ti ve ly fin al

. 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 a(7 )(C) (i) ;

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-8 C .F.R. § 1 00 3.2 (c)( 2) . W he n i ne ffec ti ve ass is ta nc e of co un se l is t he ba si s fo r th e

m ot io n to reo pe n, Mat te r o f Lo z a d a , 19 I. & N. Dec . 6 37 (BIA 19 88 ) se ts fo rth th e

st an da rd

. See Och oa v. Hol de r, 60 4 F.3 d 54 6, 54 8 n.1 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ). Loz ad a

req ui res th at th e mo t i o n in cl ud e an affi da vi t de ta il in g th e ag reem en t en te red wit h

fo rm er cou ns el

, st at e th at fo rm er co un se l was in fo rm ed of th e al le ga ti on s and gi ve n

an op po rtu ni ty to res po nd

, in di cat e whe th er a co m pl ai nt was fil ed wit h di sc ip li na ry

au th or it ie s an d gi ve reas on s if no co m pl ai nt was fil ed

, an d de m on st rat e th at co un se l's

pe rfo rm an ce p reju di ced th e o ut co m e. See Lo zad a, 19 I. & N. Dec. at 6 39 –4 0.

If a m ot io n to reo pe n is fil ed aft er th e ni ne ty da y de ad li ne , eq ui ta bl e to ll in g

m ay be in vo ke d to ex cu se la te ne ss

. See Orte ga -Ma rro qu in v. Hol de r, 64 0 F.3 d 81 4,

81 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). W he n th e m ot io n to reo pe n is ba se d on in effe ct iv e as si st an ce of

co un se l, ho wev er, "eq ui ta bl e to ll in g is sp ari ng ly in vo ke d." Pafe v. Hol de r, 61 5 F.3 d

96 7, 96 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (q uo ta ti on om it te d)

. It "i s no t av ai la bl e to th os e who sl eep

on th ei r rig ht s." Hab ch y v. Gon zal es , 47 1 F.3 d 85 8, 86 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ). The m ov an t

m us t no t on ly sh ow th at sh e m eet s th e Loz ad a req ui rem en ts

, bu t m us t al so es ta bl is h

th at sh e ex erci se d du e di li ge nc e. See Pafe

, 61 5 F.3 d at 96 9 ( d i s c u s s i n g to ll in g in

co nt ex t of st at ut or y de ad li ne fo r m ot io ns to reo pe n ba se d o n in ab se nt ia rem ov al

or de rs ). W e ha ve fo un d to ll in g in ap pr op ria te whe re th e m ov an t di d no t fil e th e

m ot io n to reo pe n pr om

pt ly aft er di sc ov eri ng fo rm e r c o un se l's in effe ct iv en es s. See

id . at 9 69 –7 0.

The BIA di d no t ab us e it s di sc ret io n in de nyin g t h e mo t i on to reo pe n. Its

d e c i si on was ba se d on Vale nc ia 's fai lu re to fil e th e m ot io n wit hi n th e st at ut o r i l y

pr es cri be d ti m e li m it s. Vale nc ia di d no t argu e be fo re the BIA tha t equ it ab le to ll in g
sh ou ld ap pl y , do es no t m ak e th at arg um en t he re, an d co nc ed ed at or al arg um en t th at

sh e can no t m ak e th e req ui red sh owi ng

. W hi le Vale nc ia fir ed Co x aft er sh e real iz ed

th at he was in effe ct iv e an d ret ai ne d he r cu rren t co un se l in 20 06

, sh e di d no t fil e he r

m ot io n to reo pe n u n t i l 20 09

. Vale nc ia do es no t arg ue th at sh e ex erci se d du e

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-di li ge nc e du rin g th e si x y ear pe rio d be twee n th e fil in g de ad li ne an d th e da te sh e

ev en tu al ly file d h er m ot io n t o re op en

.

Eve n if Valen ci a ha d sh own du e di li ge nc e to ex cu se he r la te ne ss , sh e ha s no t

de m on st rat ed pr ejud ic e, on e of th e req ui rem en ts fo r reo pe ni ng pr oc eed in gs ba se d on

in effe ct iv e as si st an ce of co un se l. See Loz ad a, 19 I. & N. Dec. at 63 8. Vale nc ia do es

no t argu e th at bu t fo r Co x's fai li ng s, s he li ke ly w ou ld ha ve su ccee de d on th e m eri ts

of he r tra ffi ck in g clai m

. In fact

, Vale nc ia 's argu m en t befo re the BIA w as no t bas ed

on th e tra ffi ck in g cl ai m , bu t in st ead so ug ht to se t as id e th e rem ov al or de r so th at sh e

m igh t be el ig ib le to ad

jus t he r st at us ba se d on he r hu sb an d's Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip

. Her alle ge d eli gi bi li ty for acq ui rin g l awfu l s ta tu s t hr ou gh he r hu sb an d di d no t exi st

whe n Co x rep res en te d he r du rin g rem ov al pr oc eed in gs be cau se sh e di d no t m arry he r
hu sb an d u nt il aft er the st at ut or y de ad li ne to reo pe n h ad pa ss ed . Cox 's p erfo rm an ce

co ul d n ot ha ve pre

jud ic ed he r fro m rece iv in g a be ne fit th at was no t av ai la bl e to he r

at th e ti m e.

III.

The BIA ack no wled ge d it s di sc ret io na ry au th or it y to reo pe n pr oc eed in gs on it s

own m ot io n un de r 8 C.F.R. § 10 03 .2(a ) in "ex cep ti on al si tu at io ns ," ci ti ng In re J- J-

, 21 I. & N. Dec. 97 6, 98 4 (BIA 19 97 ). It fo un d no su ch ci rcu m st an ces pr es en t he re.

Thi s co ur t la ck s juri sd ic ti on to rev ie w th e BIA's de ci si on on it s own m ot io n whe th er

or no t to reo pe n pr oc eed in gs , si nc e th at de ci si on is "co m m it te d to ag en cy di sc ret io n by la w." Tam en ut v. Mu ka se y , 52 1 F.3 d 10 00

, 10 05 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). Vale nc ia arg ue s

th at th e reg u l a t i o n al lo win g th e BIA to reo pe n cas es on it s own m ot io n is

un co ns ti tu ti on al ly va gu e. Vale nc ia di d no t rais e th is cl ai m in he r op en in g br ie f an d

in di cat ed at arg um en t th at sh e was no t pu rs ui ng it

, an d we de cl in e to ad dr es s it he re.

W hi le Vale nc ia ' s al le ga ti on s of he r or ig in al at to rn ey 's de fic ie nt pe rfo rm an ce

are tro ub li ng , th e BIA di d no t ab us e i ts di sc ret io n in de nyin g Vale nc ia 's un ti m el y

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-m ot io n, an d th is co ur t la ck s juri sd i c ti on to rev ie w th e BIA's refu sa l to ex erci se it s

au th or it y to reo pe n p ro ceed in gs on it s o wn m ot io n.

IV.

Acco rd in gl y , we den y

Vale nc ia 's p et it io n fo r rev ie w.

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