2008 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Third C irc uit 10-1-2008 

# Moran-H e rn ande z v

. Atty Ge n U SA P re c e de nt i al or N on-P re c e de nt i al : N on-P re c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 07-2323

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. Atty Ge n U SA" (2008). 2008 D e cisio n s . P ape r 426. http://di git alc ommon s .l a

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___________ N os . 07- 2323 & 07- 3560

___________ ON I LDA EVI LI M OR AN - HER NA ND EZ, P eti ti o n er, v . ATTO RN EY G ENER AL O F THE UN I TED STATES

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Im m ig ra tio n A p p e a ls A gencyN o. A 73- 533- 277 I m m i gr at i on J udge: A nni e S. G ar cy

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A ugus t13, 2008 B efor e: B A R R Y , SM I T H and H A R D I M A N , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on fi l ed: O ct ober1, 2008)

OP I NI ON

P E R C UR I AM A ppel l antO ni l da Evi l i M or an- H ernandez , a nat i ve and c i t i zen of G uat emal a, fi l ed a For m I - 589 appl i cat i on foras y l um and w i thhol di ng of r emoval on oraboutD ece m berT he admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d cont ai ns char act err efe r ence s att es t i ng t o M or an- 1 H e rn a n d e z ’ h o n e s ty a n d d e p e n d a b i l i ty. 2 2 3 , 1 9 9 4 . Itw as re fe rred to an Im m igrati o n Ju d g e, an d , o n Ju ly2 6 , 2 0 0 4 , ab o u t 10 y ea rs l at er , M or an- H ernandez w as s erved w i th a N ot i ce t o A ppear( “N T A ”) forr emoval p ro c e e d in g s. It w a s a lleg e d th a t sh e w a s re m o v a b le u n d e r Im m ig ra tio n a n d N a tio n a lity A ct( “I N A ”) § 212( a) ( 6) ( A ) ( i ) , 8 U . S. C . § 1182( a) ( 6) ( A ) ( i ) , as an al i en w ho ent er ed w i thouti ns pect i on. D ur i ng the dec ade thatheras y l um appl i cat i on w as pendi ng, M or anH ernandez gave bi r th t o a daught er , I s abel O r el l ana, and a s on, A ngel O r el l ana, J r . , and, al though s he di d notm arry , s he and the chi l dr en l i ved w i th thei rfather , A ngel O r el l ana, Sr . , as a fa m i l yi n centr al N ew J er s ey . Fol l ow i ng bei ng s erved w i th the N T A , M or anH ernandez obt ai ned couns el , w i thdr ew heras y l um appl i cat i on, and appl i ed for canc el l at i on of r emoval underI N A § 240A ( b) ( 1) , 8 U . S. C . § 1229b( b) ( 1) , forcert ai n nonperm anentr es i dent s , cont endi ng thatherr emoval w oul d pr es entan exc ept i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p t o hertw o U ni t ed St at es ci t i zen c hi l dr en w ho w oul d s uffe r economi c and e ducat i onal harm i n G uat emal a. A therr emoval hear i ng, M or an- H ernandez t es t i fi ed thats he w orked cl eani ng hous es i n Pr i ncet on, N ew J er s ey , earni ng about$9, 000 annual l y . T he chi l dr en’ s father 1 had a l ands capi ng bus i nes s and s uppor t ed hi s fami l y . H e boughta home val ued at $125, 000 w her e the fa m i l yl i ved, and t ogetherthe coupl e made r egul arpaym ent s on the $1 00 , 00 0 m ort gag e. Is abel, age 6 , at t end ed S ai nt Paul Sch oo l i n P ri nceton, w hich cost the coupl e $3, 700 eac h y eari n tui t i on. She al s o t akes bal l etl es s ons and has att ended3

m o d e lin g s c h o o l in P h ila d e lp h ia . A n g e l, J r., a g e f o u r, a tte n d e d p re s c h o o l in P ri n c e to n . M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z tes tifie d it w a s h e r h o p e th a t h e r c h ild re n , u n lik e h e r, w o u ld b e a b le to s tudybey ond the s i xth gr ade. Publ i c educ at i on i n rur al ar eas ends forG uat emal an chi l dr en atthe s i xth gr ade, and uneduc at ed men and w om en i n G uat emal a ar e conde m ned t o extr eme pover ty . I f r emoved t o G uat emal a, s he w oul d have t o l i ve i n herdece as ed m other ’ s tw o- r oom adobe hous e i n the vi l l age of J al apa. T he hous e has no runni ng w at er and no bathr oom . A ddi t i onal l y , the hous e w as badl ydamaged bya tr opi cal s t orm that devas t at ed the r egi on. T he chi l dr en’ s father , A ngel O r el l ana, Sr . , al s o a G uat emal an ci t i zen, w as r emoved f ro m th e U n ited S tate s b yth e D e p a rtm e n t o f H o m e lan d S e c u ritysix m o n th s o r so p rio r to M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z ’ re m o v a l h e a rin g . M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z tes tifie d th a t, fo llo w in g h is r e mo v a l , s h e a s s u me d o p e r a t i o n o f th e l a n d s c a p i n g b u s i n e s s , wh i c h e mp l o y e d two per s ons , and had, as as s et s , l aw nm ow er s , l eaf bl ow er s , and a truck. She t es t i fi ed thatthe bus i nes s br oughti n appr oxi m at el y$1, 800 eac h m onth. I f s he i s r emoved t o G uat emal a, s he w oul d r eturn t o s el l i ng food, earni ng about$40- 50 w eekl y . H erfatherl i ves i n nearby S a n J u a n . S h e d id n o t th in k s h e w o u ld b e w e lc o m e d th e re b e c a u s e h e re c e n tly re m a rr ie d . T he chi l dr en’ s fatherhas r eturned t o agr i cul tur al w ork i n San J uan, buthi s t om at o cr op w as des tr oy ed bythe tr opi cal s t orm . M or an- H ernandez s ubm i t t ed r ece ntr eport s on hum an r i ght s abus es i n G uat emal a, and s qual i d and uns ani t arycondi t i ons fol l ow i ng the tr o p i c a l s t o r m.4

T he I m m i gr at i on J udge gr ant ed M or an- H ernandez ’ appl i cat i on forcanc el l at i on of r emoval on D ece m ber12, 2005, and adj us t ed hers t atus t o thatof a l aw ful perm anent r es i dent . T he I J concl uded thatM or an- H ernandez m etthe phy s i cal pr es ence , good m or al c h a ra c ter , an d n o sp e c if ied c rim e s re q u ire m e n ts. A s to th e “ e x c e p tio n a l an d e x tre m e ly u n u su al ha rdsh ip” s tand ard , the IJ c o n side red M att er o f M o n rea l, 2 3 I. & N . D ec . 5 6 (B IA 2 0 0 1 ) (d e n y in g re lief

to f a th e r o f th re e w h e re h is u n d o c u m e n ted w if e h a d re tu rn e d to M exi co w i th thei ri nfantpr i ort o hi s r emoval hear i ng) , butr eas oned thatM or anH ernandez ’ cas e w as cl os ert o I n r e: G onzal ez- R eci nas , 23 I . & N . D ec. 467 ( B I A 2002) ( en banc ) , w her e the B oar d of I m m i gr at i on A ppeal s hel d thatcanc el l at i on of r emoval w as w arr ant ed bec aus e the s i ngl e mot herof s i x chi l dr en ( fourof w hom w er e qual i fy i ng r el at i ves ) , w as the s ol e means of ec onom i c s uppor tforherchi l dr en, and s he had no compar abl e means of pr ovi di ng forthem i n M exi co, no cl os e fa m i l ym ember s i n M exi co, herex- hus band di d nothel p t o s uppor tthe chi l dr en, and the chi l dr en di d nots peak Spani s h and had ne vertr avel ed t o M exi co. T he I J concl uded that , l i ke the s i ngl e mot her i n R eci nas , M or an- H ernandez w oul d be on herow n w i th l i t t l e orno abi l i tyt o fee d and h o u se h e r c h ild re n . T h e c h ild re n ’s f a th e r a n d M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z ’ f a th e r w e re u n lik e lyto p ro v id e a n yf

in a n c ial s u p p o rt to th e c h ild re n in G u a tem a la, a n d G u a tem a la h a d re c e n tly been s ever el ydamaged bythe tr opi cal s t orm , w hi ch had c aus ed uns ani t arycondi t i ons and d a m a g e to h o u sin g a n d c ro p s. M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z ’ c h ild re n th u s w o u ld b e f o rc e d to endur e, notj us ta l ow ers t andar d of l i vi ng, butl i fe i n hopel es s ci r cumst ance s i n an5

im p o v e ri s h e d a n d d e v a s ta te d p la c e . T he D epartm entof H om el and Secur i ty( “D H S”) appea l ed, emphasi zi ng other f a c tu a l f in d in g s m a d e b yth e IJ , in c lu d in g th a t M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z a n d A n g e l O re lla n a , S r., h a d a c c u m u late d a ss e ts in th e U n ited S tate s th a t, on c e so ld , w o u ld e a se h e r tra n sitio n to the more i m pover i s hed nat i on. I n addi t i on, M r . O r el l ana, s i nce hi s r emoval i n 2005, had begun w or k i n G uat emal a as a fa r m er . H e w oul d be ther e t o pr ovi de fi nanci al and e mo t i o n a l s u p p o r t , n o twi th s t a n d i n g r e c e n tb a d we a th e r . Th e c h i l d r e n s p e a k s o me Spani s h and ar e i n good heal th. I n s hor t , the r ecor d es t abl i s hed onl ythatM or anH ernandez w oul d m ake a bett erl i vi ng i n N ew J er s eythan s he w oul d i n G uat emal a, and thus the hi gh s t andar d es t abl i s hed byC ongr es s w hen I R R I R A w as enac t ed w as not s at i s fi ed. In a d ec isi o n d ated A p ri l 4, 20 0 7 , the B o ard su stai n ed the a p p ea l, v ac ated the IJ’s deci s i on, and deni ed the appl i cat i on forcanc el l at i on of r emoval . T he B oar d di d notagr ee thati t s deci s i on i n R eci nas , 23 I . & N . D ec. 467, appl i ed, r eas oni ng i ns t ead thatM or anHe rn a n d e z ’ c i r c u ms t a n c e s we r e mo r e l i k e th e a l i e n ’ s i n I n r e : An d a z o l a - Ri v a s , 2 3 I . & N. D ec. 319, 324 ( B I A 2002) ( en banc ) ( deny i ng r el i ef t o unm arr i ed mot herof tw o) . L i ke the al i en i n A ndazol a, M or an- H ernandez had ac cumul at ed as s et s i n the U ni t ed St at es that w o u ld h e lp h e r in e sta b lish in g a n e w life in G u a tem a la. T h e c h ild re n ’s f a th e r liv e d in G uat emal a and ther e w er e otherfami l ym ember s ther e t o pr ovi de emot i onal s uppor t . T he B o a r d f u r th e rn o t e d th a t , e v e n th o u g h h e rf a m i l y h a d b e e n n e g a t i v e l y i m p a c t e d b y a6

n a tu ra l d isa ste r, M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z h a d n o t sh o w n th a t sh e c o u ld n o t f in d w o rk in G uat emal a orthats he coul d notr el ocat e t o an ar ea thatw as notdamaged. She had exper i ence s el l i ng food, and had a cqui r ed s ki l l s as a hous e cl eane rand ow nerof a la n d s c a p in g b u s in e s s . T h e B o a rd g ra n te d M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z v o lu n ta ry d e p a rtu re . M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z f

ile d a tim e ly m o tio n f

o r r e c o n s id e ra tio n p u rs u a n t to 8 C .F .R . § 10 03 . 2(b), con t end i ng that the B oard did no tcon si der the tot al i tyof the recor d. S he als o fi l ed a t i m el ypet i t i on forr evi ew of the B oar d’ s A pr i l 2007 deci s i on i n thi s C our t( N o. 07- 2 3 2 3 ). In a d e c isio n d a ted Ju ly2 6 , 2 0 0 7 , the B o a rd d e n ied th e m o tio n , co n c lu d in g th a t it ra ise d n o n e w iss u e s o r f a c ts, a n d sta tin g th a t ith a d in d e e d c o n sid e re d th e e n tire r e c o rd in iss u in g its o rig in a l d e c isio n . M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z tim e lyf iled a p e tit io n f

o r re v iew o f

th is d e c i s i o n ( No . 0 7 - 3 5 6 0 ) . Ou rCl e r k h a s c o n s o l i d a t e d th e p e t i t i o n s f o rr e v i e w. W e w ill g ra n t th e p e tit io n s f o r re v iew , rev e rse th e B o a rd ’s A p ril 4 , 2 0 0 7 a n d Ju ly 26, 2007 deci s i ons , and r ei ns t at e the I J ’ s D ece m ber12, 2005 deci s i on gr ant i ng M or anH e rn a n d e z c a n c e llatio n o f re m o v a l u n d e r IN A § 2 4 0 A (b )(1 ) a n d a d ju stin g h e r sta tu s to th a t o f L a w f u l P e rm a n e n t R e sid e n t o f th e U n ited S tate s. W e h a v e ju risd ictio n g e n e ra lly t o r evi ew fi nal or der s of r emoval pur s uantt o 8 U . S. C . § 1252( a) ( 1) . Sect i on 1 2 5 2 (a)(2)(B )(i ) of

the ju ri sd ict ion al st atute re m o v es o u r j u ri sd ict ion o v er the B o ard ’s di s cr et i onarydeci s i ons r egar di ng canc el l at i on of r emoval under8 U . S. C . § 1229b. See M endez - M or anche l v. A s hcr oft , 338 F. 3d 176, 179 ( 3d C i r . 2003) . T o s ucce ed on an appl i cat i on forcanc el l at i on of r emoval an al i en mustes t abl i s h, among ot herthi ngs , that7

r emoval w oul d r es ul ti n “exc ept i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p” t o a qual i fy i ng r el at i ve. W e hel d i n M endez - M or anche l thatthi s det erm i nat i on i s a “qui nt es s ent i al di s cr et i onaryj udgm ent . ” I d. T hus , i f the B oar d deni ed M or an- H ernandez ’ appl i cat i on f o r c a n c e llatio n o f

re m o v a l b a se d so lelyo n a d isc re tio n a ryd e ter m in a tio n th a t sh e f a iled to es t abl i s h thatherr emoval w oul d r es ul ti n "e xcept i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p" t o herU . S. ci t i zen c hi l dr en, s ee 8 U . S. C . § 1229b( b) ( 1) ( D ) , w e w oul d l ack j ur i s di ct i on, and the abs ence of j ur i s di ct i on w oul d ext end t o M or an- H ernandez ’ m ot i on for r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a s we l l b e c a u s e th e i s s u e p r e s e n t e d b yi ti s e s s e n t i a l l yth e s a me di s cr et i onaryhar ds hi p i s s ue or i gi nal l ydeci ded, s ee Fernandez v. G onzal es , 439 F. 3d 592, 6 0 0 (9 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ); M a rt in e z -M a ld o n a d o v . G o n z a le s , 4 3 7 F .3 d 6 7 9 , 6 8 3 (7 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ). M or an- H ernandez cont ends , how ever , thats he w as depr i ved of due pr oces s , thus b rin g in g h e r c a se w ith in 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 5 2 (a )(2 )(D ), w h ich re sto re s o u r ju risd ictio n to cons i dercons t i tut i onal cl ai m s and ques t i ons of l aw . I n hereff or tt o avoi d the juri sd ict ion al ba r of

8 U . S . C . § 1 2 5 2 (a)(2)(B )(i ), sh e a rgu es p ersu asiv elythat the B o ard f a iled to re v iew th e e n tire r e c o rd b e f o re m a k in g its d e ter m in a tio n th a t sh e w a s n o t elig ib le f o r c a n c e llatio n o f

re m o v a l, an d f

a iled to c o n sid e r th e f

a c to rs it se t f

o rth in its p re c e d e n t, R e c in a s, 2 3 I. & N . D e c . 4 6 7 . W e c o n c lu d e th a t w e h a v e ju risd ictio n o v e r w h a t is f u n d a m e n ta lly a n a rg u m e n t c o n c e rn in g th e a p p lic a tio n o f th e la w to u n c o n te s te d f a c ts . See K amar a v. U . S. A t t orneyG ener al , 420 F. 3d 202, 211 ( 3d C i r . 2005) ( underthe R eal I D A ctof 2005, j ur i s di ct i on ext ends t o cons t i tut i onal i s s ues , pur e ques t i ons of l aw , andM or an- H ernandez al s o cont ends thats he w as encour aged t o w i thdr aw heras y l um 2 a p p lica tio n w ith o u t a p re c ise u n d e rsta n d in g th a t th e D e p a rtm e n t o f H o m e lan d S e c u rity c o u ld a p p e a l th e IJ ’s d e c is io n a w a rd in g h e r c a n c e lla tio n o f re m o v a l, a n d a c tu a lly p re v a il. T hi s ar gum entpr es ent s nei thera cons t i tut i onal cl ai m norques t i on of l aw . M or anH ernandez w as r epr es ent ed bycouns el w hen s he w i thdr ew the as y l um appl i cat i on, and s he w i thdr ew i tw el l befor e s he had a nyi ndi cat i on thatthe I J w oul d gr anthercanc el l at i on of rem ov al . W e dis cern no viol at i on of h er r i gh tt o d ue p rocess i n these ci rcum st ances. W e al s o fi nd unper s uas i ve M or an- H ernandez ’ cont ent i on thats he w as confus ed bythe ques t i ons putt o herdur i ng the r emoval hear i ng. 8 i ssues of app l i cat i on of law t o u nco ntes t ed fa ct s) . S ee al so C abrer a-A l varez v. G on zal es, 4 2 3 F . 3 d 1 0 0 6 , 1 0 0 9 ( 9 th Ci r . 2 0 0 5 ) ( f i n d i n g j u r i s d i c t i o n u n d e r8 U. S . C. § 1 2 5 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( D) o v e r q u e s tio n w h e th e r B o a rd ’s in te rp re ta tio n o f h a rd s h ip s ta n d a rd v io la te d d u e p ro c e s s ). C f. S u k w an p u tr a v . G o n za les, 4 3 4 F . 3 d 6 2 7 , 6 3 4 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) (fac tual an d d iscreti o n ary d e t e r mi n a t i o n s c o n t i n u e t o f a l l o u t s i d e o u rj u r i s d i c t i o n b u t8 U. S . C. § 1 2 5 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( D) w oul d ext end t o ques t i on w hetherB oar d appl i ed w r ong l egal s t andar d i n m aki ng d iscreti o n aryd eterm ination ). 2 W e turn then t o the mer i t s of the onl ycanc el l at i on of r emoval i s s ue pr es ent ed by the pet i t i ons forr evi ew – w hetherM or an- H ernandez has s how n thathertw o U . S. ci t i zen m i norchi l dr en w i l l s uffe rexce pt i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p i f s he i s r emoved t o Gu a t e ma l a . Co n g r e s s c r e a t e d th e r e l i e f o f c a n c e l l a t i o n o f

r e mo v a l u n d e rI NA § 2 4 0 A (b )( 1 ) a s p a rto f

th e Il le g a l I m m ig ra tio n R e f o rm a n d Im m ig ra n t R e s p o n s ib ility A c t. Iti s avai l able t o an al i en w ho has bee n p hy si cal l ypresenti n the U nit ed S t at es for atl east 10 y ear s , has been a per s on of good m or al char act er , has notbeen c onvi ct ed of a s peci fi ed cr i m i nal offe ns e, and has es t abl i s hed thatr emoval w oul d r es ul ti n exce pt i onal and9

extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p t o the al i en' s s pous e, par ent , orchi l d, w ho i s a U ni t ed St at es ci t i zen orl aw ful perm anentr es i dent . 8 U . S. C . § 1229b( b) ( 1) ( A ) - ( D ) . M or an- H ernandez s a tis f ie d th e f ir s t th re e re q u ir e m e n ts , a n d th e ya re n o t a t is s u e . Pr i ort o I I R I R A , an al i en coul d appl yfors us pens i on of deport at i on, w her e i tw as onl ynece s s aryt o s how “extr eme har ds hi p. ” I R R I R A ’ s s t andar d of “e xcept i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p” i s l es s gener ous than the form ers t andar d. See A ndazol a, 23 I . & N . D ec. at322; R eci nas , 23 I . & N . D ec. at470. I n M onr eal , 23 I . & N . D ec. 56, the B oar d found that , t o es t abl i s h "e xcept i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p, " a n al i en m us ts how thatthe qual i fy i ng r el at i ve w oul d s uffe rhar ds hi p s ubs t ant i al l ybey ond that wh i c h wo u l d n o r ma l l yr e s u l tf r o m d e p o r t a t i o n . I d . a t6 0 . S e e a l s o An d a z o l a , 2 3 I . & N. D ec. at32 2. M on real and A nd azola – w hich the B oard ci t ed h ere al on g w i th R eci nas – r emai n the " s emi nal i nt erpr et at i ons of the meani ng of ' exce pt i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p. ' " Reci nas , 23 I . & N . D ec. at472- 73. R eci nas , 23 I . & N . D ec. 467, di d not art i cul at e a di ffe r ents t andar d foreval uat i ng "e xcept i onal and extr emel yunus ual har ds hi p" than M onr eal , 23 I . & N . D ec. 56, and A ndazol a, 23 I . & N . D ec. 319, butthe B oar d cert ai nl ydi d r eaf fi r m i n R eci nas , an en ba nc dec i s i on, thatthe “e xcept i onal and extr em el yun usual” r equ i rem ent i s "notso res tri ct i ve thaton l ya han dfu l of ap pli cants , s uch as thos e w ho have a qual i fy i ng r el at i ve w i th a s er i ous m edi cal condi t i on, w i l l qual i fy forr el i ef. " I d. , 23 I . & N . D ec. at470. W e h o ld th a t th e B o a rd m isa p p lied its p re c e d e n t to u n c o n tes ted f a c ts b yf a ili n g toL i ke the nam es “K atri na” an d “R i t a, ” the n am e “S t an” h as been ret i red from the li st 3 of pot ent i al hurr i cane names byan i nt ernat i onal comm i t t ee of the W or l d M et eor ol ogi cal O r gani zat i on i n r ecogni t i on of the dea dl yand cos t l ynatur e of the s t orm , acc or di ng t o the N at i onal W eatherServi ce N at i onal H urr i cane C ent er ’ s w ebs i t e, h ttp ://w w w .n h c .n o a a .g o v /re tired n a m e s.sh tm l. 10 t ake i nt o acc ountM or an- H ernandez ’ evi dence thatG uat emal a had r ece nt l ybeen dev ast at ed b ya tropi cal st orm and thu s offered h er no i m m ediat e w ayt o fee d an d h ou se hertw o m i norqual i fy i ng chi l dr en. J us tas H urr i cane s K atr i na, R i t a and W i l m a deva s t at ed part s of the U ni t ed St at es dur i ng the not or i ous 2005 A t l ant i c hurr i cane s eas on, H urr i cane , and then Tropi cal St orm , St an deva s t at ed G uat emal a i n ear l yO ct ober2005. U ncont es t ed evi dence w as pr es ent ed atM or an- H ernandez ’ r emoval hear i ng thatT r opi cal St orm St an c a u s e d w id e s p re a d f

lo o d in g a n d m u d s lid e s th a t d e v a s ta te d m o re th a n h a lf o f G u a te m a la . I tw as cons i der ed one of the dea dl i es tof the 2005 s eas on. M or an- H ernandez ’ evi dence 3 es t abl i s hed thatm or e than hal f of G uat emal a – the Paci fi c C oas t , s outhw es tand ce ntr al ar eas of G uat emal a, i ncl udi ng J al apa - - w as aff ect ed. Shel t er , s ani t arycondi t i ons , and the n a tio n ’s f

o o d su p p lyw e re a f

f e c ted . A .R . 3 6 6 -6 9 . N o tw ith sta n d in g th is in d isp u tab le ev iden ce o f th e se v ere h arm ca u sed b ya v eryrec en t natu ral disaster in the co u n try d e s i g n a t e d f

o rr e mo v a l , th e Bo a r d i g n o r e d i t s o wn r e q u i r e me n t , s e e M o n r e a l , 2 3 I . & N. D ec. at63; R eci nas , 23 I . & N . D ec. at471, t o gi ve due c ons i der at i on t o how a se v e re ly l ow ers t andar d of l i vi ng caus ed byan extr emel yunus ual eventm i ghtaff ectthe qual i fy i ng rel at i ves. T h e re c o rd e v id e n c e sh o w s th a t M o ra n -H e rn a n d e z a n d th e c h ild re n ’s f a th e r w o u ld11

have no c hoi ce butt o tryand make a l i vi ng i n G uat emal a thr ough food pr epar at i on and a g ric u ltu re , res p e c tiv e ly . T h e re is n o e v id e n c e w h a tev e r th a t th e c o u p le w o u ld b e a b le to run a l ands capi ng bus i nes s i n devas t at ed G uat emal a, orthatM or an- H ernandez w oul d be a b le to c lea n h o u se s a s s h e d id in P rin c e to n , N e w Je rse y . H e r e x ten d e d f a m ilylo st th e ir inco m e f o r th e im m ed iat e f

u ture d u e to th e O ctob er 2 0 0 5 storm . A lth o u g h the re co rd estab li sh es th at th e c h il d ren ’s fa ther w il l l ikelyb e the re f o r th em em o ti o n all y , there w ere no r es our ces forhi m t o car e forand mai nt ai n the chi l dr en bec aus e he s uffe r ed a l os s of hi s cr ops i n the s t orm . T he fa theri n A ndazol a, 23 I . & N . D ec. 319, i n contr as t , had author i zat i on t o r emai n i n the U ni t ed St at es and hi s abi l i tyt o cont i nue w orki ng and s uppor t i ng hi s chi l dr en w as unaff ect ed. Fur therm or e, M or an- H ernandez w oul d be r el egat ed t o l i vi ng i n the tw o- r oom adobe hutw her e s he w as r ai s ed, w hi ch w as “w et ” at the t i m e of he rhear i ng fr om the tr opi cal s t orm . A tthe t i m e of he rr emoval hear i ng, the c h ild re n ’s f

a th e r w a s liv in g in a n y lo n te n t b e c a u s e h is a d o b e h u t w a s u n in h a b ita b le . In sh o rt, th is is n o t sim p lya n u n e x c e p tio n a l ca se o f q u a lify in g re lativ e s h a v in g to adj us tt o a l ow ers t andar d of l i vi ng. I n M onr eal , the B oar d hel d thati tm us tbe d e m o n stra ted th a t th e q u a lify in g re lativ e w o u ld su f f e r h a rd sh ip th a t is su b sta n tially b e y o n d th a t w h ic h w o u ld o rd in a ri ly b e e x p e c te d to re s u lt f ro m th e a lie n ' s d e p o rt a tio n . T h at sh o w ing w as m ad e h ere w ith ev iden ce o f th e d ev astati n g ef fe cts o f T rop ical S torm St an. M onr eal hol ds thati tneed notbe s how n thats uch har ds hi p w oul d be “u n co n scio n ab le, ” 2 3 I. & N . D ec . at 60 , b u t, in ef fe ct, that is th e sh o w ing the B o ard12

r equi r ed of M or an- H ernandez . T aki ng al l of the evi dence i nt o cons i der at i on, w i th due r egar d fori t s s i gni fi canc e, and appl y i ng al l of the fa ct or s i dent i fi ed i n M onr eal and A ndazol a, as r equi r ed bydue pr oces s , thi s cas e ampl ydemonstr at es a trul yexce pt i onal s i tuat i on, M onr eal , 23 I . & N . D ec. at62, i n w hi ch r emoval of an a l i en w oul d w ork an “extr em el yun usual” hardshi p o n tw o q uali fy i ng U nit ed S t at es ci t i zens. Forthe for egoi ng r eas ons , w e w i l l gr antthe pet i t i ons forr evi ew , r ever s e the B oar d’ s A pr i l 4, 2007 and J ul y26, 2007 deci s i ons , and r ei ns t at e the I J ’ s D ece m ber12, 2 0 0 5 d e c i s i o n g r a n t i n g M o r a n - He rn a n d e z c a n c e l l a t i o n o f r e mo v a l u n d e rI NA § 2 4 0 A (b )(1 ) a n d a d

ju stin g h e r sta tu s to th a t o f law f u l p e rm a n e n t re sid e n t.