# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 3- 15 58

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Cy pr ia n M ay em

ba

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

v.

Eric H. Hold er, J r., Att or ne y Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta te s

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

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No. 1 3- 24 69

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Cy pr ia n M ay em

ba

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

v.

Eric H. Hold er, J r., Att or ne y Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta te s

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

__ __ __ __ __ __

Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of a n Ord er o f th e

Bo ard of I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

__ __ __ __ __ __Su bm it te d: Nov em be r 12 , 20 14

Fil ed : J an ua ry

13 , 20 15

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Befo re BYE, SHEPHERD, an d KELLY, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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BYE, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

Cy pr ia n Mayem

ba pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of th e de ci si on of th e B o a r d of

Im m ig rat io n App eal s ("B IA") fin di ng hi m rem ov ab le an d in ad m is si bl e ba se d on hi s

rep res en ta ti on of Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip in a Fo rm I-9 em pl oym en t ve r i f

i cat io n

fo rm an d th e BIA's d e n i a l of hi s m ot io n fo r reco ns id erat io n. W e de ny th e

co ns ol id at ed pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w.

Mayem ba is a na ti ve an d ci ti zen of Tan zan ia

. He cam e to th e Uni te d St at es on

Ja nu ary 6, 20 01

, un de r an F-1 no ni m m ig ran t, st ud en t vi sa to pu rs ue hi s ed uc at io n at

W ic hi ta St at e Uni ve rs it y in W ic hi ta

, Kan sa s. U n f o rtu na te ly, aft er th e un ex pe ct ed

de at h of hi s fat he r, Mayem ba was un ab le to affo rd en r o l l i n g at W ic hi ta St at e. He

rem ai ne d in th e co un try, ho wev er, an d, on Apr il 13

, 20 04

, he m arri ed NaCee a

Jo h n s o n ( n o w Mayem

ba ). So on aft er, th ey ha d a ch il d, an d Mrs

. Mayem ba fil ed a

fam il y -b as ed

, im m ed ia te -rel at iv e I- 1 3 0 v i sa pe ti ti on on be ha lf of Mayem ba

. Mayem ba si m ul ta ne ou sl y fil ed a n I-4 85 ap pl ic at io n to ad jus t hi s st at us

. The I-1 30

pe ti ti on was ap pr ov ed ; ho wev er, Uni te d St at es Ci ti zen sh ip an d Im m ig rat io n Serv ic es

de ni ed th e I-4 85 ap pl ic at io n, fin di ng Mayem ba to be in ad m is sa bl e b as ed on a pr io r

fal se cl ai m of Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip in a Ju ne 20 01 ap pl ic at io n fo r ad m is si on to

a te ch ni cal co ll eg e.

On Ju ne 1, 20 09

, th e Dep art m e nt of Hom el an d Secu rit y ("DHS" ) is su ed a

N o t ic e to App ear to Mayem ba

, ch arg in g hi m wit h rem ov ab il it y un de r 8 U.S

. C

.

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-§§ 12 27 (a)( 3) (D) an d 12 27 (a)( 1 ) ( C)(i ). As am en de d, th e Not ic e to App ear al le ge d

Mayem ba :

1) was n ot a ci ti zen or n at io na l o f th e Uni te d S ta te s; 2) was a na ti ve an d c it iz en of Tan zan ia ; 3) was ad m it te d to th e Uni te d St at es on or ab ou t Ja nu ary 6, 20 01

, as an

F-1 st ud en t;

4) ad m it te d to a vi ol at io n of hi s no ni m m ig ran t st at us by wor ki ng wit ho ut

au th or iz at io n; 5) was em

pl oyed fo r w a g es at Sch owa lt er Vil la in Hes st on

, Kan sa s

wit ho ut pro pe r au th or iz at io n; an d

6) rep res en te d hi m se lf to be a Uni te d St at es ci ti zen on or ab ou t Ju ne 3,

20 03 , to ga in em

pl oym en t at Sch owa lt er Vi ll a in Hess to n, Kan sa s.

In th e rem ov al pr oc eed in g, Mayem ba a d mi t t e d al le ga ti on s 1, 2, 3, an d 5 bu t

de ni ed al le ga ti on s 4 and 6. He co nc ed ed rem ov ab il it y un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (C)( i) bu t

de ni ed th e fal se -cl ai m ch arg e un de r § 12 27 (a)( 3) (D). Add it io na ll y

, he in di cat ed hi s

in te nt to see k a dju st m en t o f st at us ba se d o n t he ap pr ov ed I-1 30 pe ti ti on

.

Afte r a he ari ng on th e co nt es te d is su es

, on Feb ru ary 18

, 20 11

, th e im m ig rat io n

jud ge ("I J" ) m ad e an or al de ci si on su st ai ni ng th e ch arg es of rem ov ab il it y an d de nyin g

Mayem ba 's ap pl ic at io n fo r ad

jus tm en t of st at us

. The IJ ov err u l e d M ay em ba 's

ob jecti on s to th e ad m is si on of t he Fo rm I-9 , reject ed Mayem

ba 's c la im he ha d be en

to ld to m ark th e ch eck bo x on th e Fo rm I-9 an d ap pl ic at io n fo r ad m is si on in to th e

te ch ni cal co ll eg e, fo un d th e DHS m et it s bu rd en of de m on st r a t i n g Mayem ba was

rem ov ab le

, an d fo un d Mayem ba fai le d to m eet hi s bu rd en of sh o w in g he was

ad m is si bl e.

Mayem ba th en pe ti ti on ed fo r rev ie w to th is co ur t an d co nc ur ren tl y f i l ed a

m ot i o n f or reco ns id erat io n wit h th e BIA, whi ch was de ni ed on Ju ne 17

, 20 13

. In

de nyin g Mayem

ba 's mo t i on , t he BIA no te d Mayem ba di d no t co nt es t th e ch arg e of

rem ov ab il it y un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (C) ( i )

, reaf fir m ed it s co nc lu si on th e Fo rm I-9 was

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-a d m is si bl e in th e pr oc eed in g, an d affi rm ed it s de ci si on Mayem ba was rem ov ab le

un de r § 12 27 (a)( 3) (D). Mayem ba th en pe ti ti on ed fo r rev ie w of th e BIA's de ci si on on

hi s m ot io n fo r rec on si de rat io n, an d t he two cas es were co ns ol id at ed

.

"We rev ie w th e BIA's de ci si on

, as it is th e fin al ag en cy de ci si on ; ho wev er, to

th e ex te nt th at th e BIA ad op te d th e fin di ng s or th e reas on in g of th e IJ

, we al so rev ie w

th e IJ 's de ci si on as pa rt of th e fin al ag en cy de ci si on ." Dav il a-M ejia v. Mu ka se y

, 53 1

F.3 d 62 4, 62 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). The BIA's le ga l de te rm in at io ns are rev ie wed de no vo

,

bu t th e Co ur t acco rd s "'s ub st an ti al de fere nc e to th e BIA's in te rp ret at io n of th e st at ut es

an d reg ul at io ns it ad m in is te rs .'" Sp acek v. Hol de r, 68 8 F.3 d 53 6, 53 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 )

(q uo ti ng Davi la -Me

jia, 5 31 F.3d at 6 27 ).

"It is w e l l s e t t le d th at 'an im m ig rat io n jud ge is in th e be st po si ti on to m ak e

cred i b il it y fin di ng s be cau se he or sh e se es th e wit ne ss as th e te st im on y is gi ve n.'"

Is m ai l v. Ash cro ft, 39 6 F.3 d 97 0, 97 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (q uo ti ng Mayo v. Ash cro ft, 31 7

F.3 d 86 7, 87 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 )). Thu s, "[t ]he ad m in is tra ti ve fin di ng s o f f a c t a re

co nc lu si ve un le ss an y reas on ab le ad jud ic at or wou ld be co m

pe ll ed to co nc lu de to th e

co nt r a r y." G os well -Ren ne r v. Hol de r, 76 2 F.3 d 69 6, 69 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ) (ci ti ng 8

U.S.C. § 1 25 2( b) (4 )(B) an d INS v. Eli as -Zaca ria s, 5 02 U.S. 47 8, 4 83 -8 4 (1 99 2) ).

On ap pe al

, Mayem

ba arg ue s (1 ) as a m at te r of la w a rep res en ta ti on in a Fo rm

I-9 c a n n o t b e th e ba si s fo r a fal se cl ai m of Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip in a rem ov al

pr oc eed in g; an d (2) eve n if it can, May em ba 's di sju nc ti ve rep res en ta ti on of "ci ti zen

or na ti on al " ca nn ot be a fal se cla im of Un it ed Sta te s ci ti zen sh ip

.

W it h reg ard to th e fir st is su e, Mayem ba as se rts

, ba se d on th e st at uto ry la ng ua ge

an d le gi sl at iv e hi st or y , F or m I-9 ha s a ve ry l i mi t e d p ur po se su ch th at it m ay no t be

us ed in rem ov al pr oc eed in gs

. Dis ti ll ed to it s core

, th e arg um en t cent ers on whe th er

th e st at ut e's refe r e n c e to "Act " refe rs to th e INA or th e Im m ig rat io n Refo rm an d

Co nt ro l Act of 19 86 ("I RCA" )

. M a ye mba be li ev es it refe rs to th e IRCA. W e ve ry

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-rece nt ly reject ed th is ex act arg um en t in a si m il ar cas e arg ue d by Mayem ba 's at to rn ey

.

See Down s v. Hol de r, 75 8 F.3 d 99 4, 99 7 ( 8 t h Ci r. 20 14 ) (h ol di ng th at be cau se

"Se ct io n 27 4A( b) (5 ) is a se ct io n of th e INA, th e pl ai n an d un am bi gu ou s m ean in g of

th e refe ren ce to 'th is Act' is to th e INA" an d th at "INA § 27 4A ( b ) ( 5 ) a l l o w s th e

a d mi s si on of I-9 fo rm s in to ev id en ce in rem ov al pr oc eed in gs "). Mayem ba fa i l s t o

di st i n g u i s h Down s in an y way

, an d we co nt in ue to be li ev e it s reas on in g is so un d.

Acco rd in gl y , we aga in reject th is arg um en t.

As to Mayem

ba 's se c o n d a r gu m en t, al th ou gh th e go ve rn m en t ad dr es se d th e

i s s u e a t o r a l arg um en t, Mayem ba di d no t pu rs ue it

. Bec au se we can no t be su re

Mayem ba ha s ab an do ne d th e i s s u e

, w e co ns tru e hi s writ te n su bm is si on as an

arg um en t t ha t t he BIA erre d i n fi nd in g h im in ad m is si bl e an d b rie fly dis cu ss it

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An al ie n is in ad m is si bl e if he "fa ls el y rep res en ts

, or ha s f a ls el y rep res en te d,

hi m se lf

. . . to be a ci ti zen of th e Uni te d Stat es fo r an y pu rp os e or be ne fit un de r [th e

Act]." See 8 U.S.C. § 11 82 (a)( 6) (C)( ii ). W it h res pe ct to hi s ad jus tm en t of st at us an d

sh owi ng of ad m is si bi li ty, Mayem ba ha d th e bu rd en of sh owi ng cl earl y a nd be y on d

a do u b t h e w a s ad m is si bl e. See Has hm i v. Mu ka se y

, 53 3 F.3 d 70 0, 70 4 (8 th Ci r.

20 08 ).

As a m at t e r o f l aw, we ag ree wit h Mayem ba th e m ere fact he ch eck ed th e

di sju nc ti ve ci ti zen sh ip bo x on th e Fo rm I-9 al on e can no t be su ffi ci en t to de m on st rat e

a fal se cl ai m of Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip

. See Ro dr ig ue z v. Mu ka se y

, 51 9 F.3 d 77 3,

77 6- 77 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (ex pl ai ni ng th at by ch eck in g th e bo x, a "p ers on am bi gu ou sl y

rep res en ts th at he is ei th er a ci ti zen or a na ti on a l " a n d t h a t "[a ] fal se rep res en ta ti on

by an al ie n th at he is a na ti on al of th e Uni te d St at es wou ld no t m ak e hi m in ad m is si bl e

. . . ."); Has hm i, 53 3 F.3 d at 70 4 (rei te rat in g it is po ss ib le "an al ie n who ha s ch eck ed

th e 'ci ti zen or na ti on al ' bo x has no t re pr es en te d h im se lf t o b e a ci ti zen "). Ho wev er,

Bec au se Mayem

ba co nc ed ed rem ov ab il it y un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (C)( i), an d ha s 1

no t ch al le ng ed it on ap pe al , we nee d n ot ad dr es s i t.

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-ad di ti on al ev id en ce m ay "s up po rt a fin di ng th at th e al ie n m ark ed th e 'ci ti zen or

na ti on al of th e Uni te d S t a t e s ' b ox on a Fo rm I-9 wit h th e pu rp os e of rep res en ti ng

hi m se lf as a ci ti zen , n ot a na ti on al ." Ro dr ig ue z, 51 9 F

. 3 d a t 7 7 7 ; se e al so Has hm i,

53 3 F.3 d at 70 4 (ex pl ai ni ng th at "[i ]n an y gi ve n cas e, th e si gn ifi can ce of th e fo rm

m ay de pe nd on th e c r e d i b i l it y of th e al ie n's te st im on y co nc ern in g hi s in te nt in

ch eck in g t he bo x" ).

In th is cas e, ad di ti on al ev id en ce su pp or ts th e BIA's fin di ng Mayem ba fai le d to

m eet hi s bu rd en of sh owi ng he di d no t m ak e a fal se c la im of Uni te d St at es

ci ti zen sh ip

. Fo r ex am

pl e: 1) Mayem

ba ha d u na m

bi gu ou sl y rep res en te d h im se lf to

be a Uni te d St at es ci ti zen in th e W ic hi ta te ch ni cal co ll eg e ap pl ic at io n fo r ad m is si on ;

2) th e appli ca

tion fo r ad m is si on sp eci fic al ly di rect ed Mayem ba to st op th e ap pl ic at io n

an d co nt act th e ad m is si on s of fic e if he was no t a Uni te d St at es ci ti zen –s om et hi ng he

di d no t do ; 3) he te st ifi ed at th e ti m e he fil le d ou t th e ap pl ic at io n he kn ew he was no t

a Uni te d St at es ci ti zen ; 4) Mayem ba te st ifi ed he kn ew a pe rs on bo rn in th e Uni te d 2

St at e s i s a Uni te d St at es ci ti zen ; 5) Mayem ba in tro du ced no ev id en ce sh owi ng he

be li ev ed he wa s a n o n c i t i zen na ti on al ; to th e co nt rary, h e te st ifi ed he di d no t kn ow

wha t it m ean t to be a na ti on al

. Bec au se su bs ta nt ia l ev id e n c e s u p p o rts th e BIA's

fin di ng Mayem

ba fai le d to m eet hi s bu rd en of sh owi ng he di d no t m ak e a fal se cl ai m

of Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip

, he di d no t pr ov e he was ad m is si bl e. See Ro dr ig ue z, 51 9

F.3 d at 77 7 (co ns id eri ng fact th e pe ti ti on er "d id no t te st ify an d [d id ] no t arg ue th at he

m ean t to in di cat e th at he was a na ti on al " an d reject in g th e pe ti ti on er's arg um en t he

di d no t "u nd ers ta nd wha t it m ean t whe n he m ark ed th e 'ci ti zen [o r] na t io na l of th e

Uni te d St at es ' bo x" ); Kiro ng v. Mu ka se y

, 52 9 F.3 d 80 0, 80 4- 05 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 )

(fi nd in g su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce su pp or te d th e de te rm in at io n of in ad m is sa bi li ty be cau se

th e pe ti t i o n e r " t es ti fie d th at he di d no t kn ow wha t a na ti on al was an d al so th at a

Alt ho ug h th e ap pl ic at io n fo r ad m is si on was no t th e ba si s f or th e fal se cl ai m 2

of Uni te d St at es ci ti zen sh ip

, it m ay st il l be rel ev an t ev id en ce of Mayem ba 's in te nt in

m ark in g t he ch eck bo x o n t he Fo rm I-9 as i t re la te s t o wh et he r he was a dm is si bl e.

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-ci ti zen was a pe rs on bo rn in th e Uni te d St at es [, an d] [h ]e kn ew th at he was no t bo rn

in th e Uni te d S ta te s an d was no t a Un it ed Sta te s ci ti zen "); Has hm i, 53 3 F.3d at 70 4

(u ph ol di ng in ad m is si bi li ty de te rm in at io n be cau se th e pe ti ti on er ha d un am bi gu ou sl y

rep res en te d in an ot he r em pl oyer fo rm he was a Uni te d St at es ci ti zen an d be cau se he

"ad m it te d at the he ari ng th at he kn ew a pe rs on bo rn in th e Uni te d Stat es is a Uni te d

St at es cit iz en ").

Fi na ll y

, as to Mayem

ba ' s a p p e a l o f th e BIA's de ni al of hi s m ot io n fo r

reco ns id erat io n, su ch m ot io ns are rev ie wed fo r an ab us e of di sc ret io n. See, e.g

., INS

v. Doh ert y

, 50 2 U.S. 31 4, 32 3 (1 99 2)

. "Th e BIA ab us es it s di sc ret io n whe re it gi ve s

no rat io na l ex pl an at io n fo r it s de ci si on

, de pa rts fro m it s es ta bl is he d po li ci es wit ho ut

ex pl an at io n, re li es on im

pe rm is si bl e fac to rs or l eg al erro r, or ig no res or di st or ts th e

r e c o r d e v i d en ce." Ms hi hi ri v. Hol de r, 75 3 F.3 d 78 5, 78 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ) (in te rn al

qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

. Mayem ba di d no t pr es en t an y m ean in gf ul arg um en t on th e

is su e an d we f

in d n o a bu se of d is cret io n.

Fo r th es e rea so ns , th e p et it io ns for rev ie w are d en ie d.

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