# 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 6- 16 23

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Gab in o R od rig ue z-Lab at o

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

v.

Je ffer so n B . Ses si on s, II I, 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

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Su bm it te d: Marc h 7 , 20 17

Fil ed : Au gu st 21 , 20 17

__ __ __ __ __ __

Befo re WOL LMAN, MELLOY, and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ __

W OLLMAN, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Gab in o Ro dr ig ue z-Lab at o (Pet it io ne r) pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of a de ci si on by th e

Bo ard o f I mm i g rat io n App eal s (th e Bo ard ) di sm is si ng hi s ap pe al fro m th e

im m ig rat io n jud ge ’s (IJ ) de ni al of hi s ap pl ic at io n fo r can cel la ti on of r e mo v a l of a

no np erm an en t res id en t al ie n un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 b( b)

. He arg u e s t h a t t h e Bo ard

e r r e d in co nc lu di ng th at he vo lu nt ari ly de pa rte d th e Uni te d St at es un de r th r e a t o fde po rta ti on

, th us br eak in g th e req ui red te n- y ear pe rio d of co nt in uo us res id en ce. W e

de ny the pe ti ti on

.

On or ab ou t Aug us t 13

, 20 09

, th e Dep art m en t of Hom el an d Secu rit y (DHS)

fil ed a Not ic e to App ear (NTA) fo r Pet it io ne r

, a n at iv e an d ci ti zen of Mex ic o.

Pet it io ne r was in carc erat ed in Deco rah , I owa , a t th at ti m e, awai ti ng tri al for ass au lt

wit h in te nt to in fli ct da m ag e. The NTA al le ge d th at Pet it io ne r ha d en te red th e Uni te d

St at es on Apr il 1, 20 01

, aft er ha vi ng vo lu nt ari ly de pa rte d on si x oc cas io ns

. It al le ge d

th at Pet it io ne r was rem ov ab le as an al ie n pr es en t in th e Uni te d St at es wit ho ut be in g

ad m it te d or pa ro le d. 8 U.S.C. § 11 82 (a)( 6) (A)(i ). App eari ng be fo re th e IJ on Mar ch

29

, 20 10

, Pet it io ne r de n ie d th e da te of en try al le ge d in th e NTA, ad m it te d to th e

rem ai ni ng fact ua l al le ga ti on s t he rei n, an d c on ced ed rem ov ab il it y

.

On May 5

, 2 0 1 0

, P et it io ne r fil ed an ap pl ic at io n fo r can cel la ti on of rem ov al

un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 b( b)

. DHS m ov ed to pr et erm it th e ap pl ic at io n fo r can cel la ti on

of rem ov al

, arg ui ng th at Pet it io ne r ha d vo lu nt ari ly de pa rte d th e Uni te d St at es un de r

th reat of de po rta ti on on Mar ch 23

, 20 01

, an d th us ha d no t be en ph y si cal ly pr es en t fo r

a co n t i nu ou s te n- y ear pe rio d im m ed ia te ly pr eced in g hi s se rv ic e wit h an NTA, as

req ui red by § 12 29 b( b) (1 )(A) an d 1 22 9b (d )(1 ).

DHS su bm it te d Fo rm I-8 26

, en ti tl ed “ No t i c e o f Ri gh ts an d Req ue st fo r

Dis po si ti on ,” si gn ed by Pet it io ne r an d da te d Mar ch 23

, 20 01

. The fo rm was writ te n

in Sp an is h an d was si gn ed by an im m ig rat io n of fic er, who cert ifi ed th at Pet it io ne r ha d

read th e no ti ce an d th at it was read to hi m in Sp an is h. The Eng li sh tra ns la ti on of th e

fo rm st at ed , un de r th e h ead in g “ Not ic e o f Ri gh ts ”:

You ha ve be en arre st ed be cau se im m ig rat io n o f fic ers be li ev e th at y ou

are il le ga ll y in th e Uni te d St at es

. You ha ve th e rig ht to a he ari ng be fo re

th e Im m ig rat io n Co ur t to de te rm in e whe th er y ou m ay rem ai n i n th e

Uni te d St at es

. If y ou req ue st a he ari ng

, y ou m ay be de ta in ed in cu st od y

or y ou m ay be el ig ib le to be rel eas ed on bo nd , un ti l your he ari ng da te

.

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-In th e al te rn at iv e, y ou m ay req ue st to ret ur n to y ou r co un try as so on as

po ss ib le , wit ho ut a he ari ng

.

Und er t he he ad in g “ Req ue st for Dis po si ti on ,” th e fo rm off ered th ree o pt io ns :

[1 ] I req ue st a h e a r in g be fo re th e Im m ig rat io n Co ur t to de te rm in e

whe th er o r no t I m ay

rem ai n i n t he Uni te d S ta te s.

[2 ] I be li ev e I face ha r m i f I r e t u r n to m y co un try. My cas e wil l be

refe rred to th e Im m ig rat io n C ou rt f or a he ari ng

.

[3 ] I ad m it th at I am in th e Uni te d St at es il le ga ll y

, an d I be li ev e I do no t

face ha rm if I ret ur n to m y co un try. I gi ve u p my r i g h t t o a he ari ng

be fo re th e Im

m ig rat io n Co ur t. I wis h to ret ur n to m y co un try as so on as

arra ng em en ts can be m ad e to effe ct m y de pa r t u r e

. I un de rs ta nd th at I

m ay be he ld in de te nt io n u nt il m y de pa rtu re.

Pet it io ne r se le ct ed th e th ird o p t i o n

. DHS reco rd s pr ov id ed ad di ti on al de ta il s

reg ard in g th is en co un te r, in cl ud in g th at Pet it io ne r was ap pr eh en de d, de ta in ed

, ph ot og rap he d, fin ge rp rin te d, an d ch eck ed ag ai ns t an id en ti fic at io n da ta ba se

, an d th at

he vo lu nt ari ly retu rn ed to Mex ic o.

At a Feb ru ary 2 7, 20 14 , h eari ng be fo re th e IJ , P et it io ne r te st ifi ed th at he ha d

en te red th e Uni te d St at es in Ju ne of 19 99

. He ack no wled ge d th at he si gn ed th e Fo rm

I-8 26 on Mar ch 23

, 20 01

, an d th a t he un de rs to od th at th e fo rm rel at ed to hi s

vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re fro m th e Uni te d St at es

. He st at ed

, ho wev er, th at th e im m ig rat io n

of fic er di d no t ex pl ai n th at Pet it io ne r ga ve up hi s rig ht to an im m ig rat io n he ari ng by

si gn in g the fo rm ; how vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re wou ld wor k; th e co ns eq ue nc es of vi ol at in g

th e vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re, in cl ud in g a po ss ib le ci vi l m on et ary pe na lt y an d th e in ab il it y

to req ue st can cel l a t i on of rem ov al or ad jus tm en t to pe rm an en t res id en t st at us fo r a

pe rio d of up to te n y e a rs ; or th at a vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re wou ld br eak hi s co nt in uo us

pr es en ce in th e Uni te d Stat es

. Pet it io ne r te st ifi ed on cro ss -ex am in at io n th at he was

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-22 y ears ol d on Mar ch 23

, 20 01 ; th at on pr ev io us oc cas io ns he ha d be en ap pr eh en de d

by t he Bo rd er Pat ro l an d re tu rn ed to Mex ic o, i nc lu di ng on e th at ha d oc cu rred th ree

da y s earl ie r; th at he ne ve r si gn ed a Fo rm I-8 26 on an y

of t he se pre vi ou s oc cas io ns ;

th at he was ab le to read Sp an i s h ; th at th e Fo rm I-8 26 he si gn ed was writ te n in

Sp an is h

, t h e of

fic ers he sp ok e to sp ok e Sp an is h, an d he ha d no pr ob le m s

co m m u n i c a t i n g w i th th e of

fic ers ; th at he was no t free to le av e wit hi n th e Uni te d

St at es be twee n th e ti m e of hi s ap pr eh en si on an d hi s ret ur n to Mex ic o; an d th at he ha d

pr ev io us ly be en co nv ic te d of il le ga l en try in to th e Uni te d St at es by a fed eral di st ric t

co ur t, fo r whi ch he co ul d ha ve be en se nt en ced to im pr is on m en t b u t w a s in st ead

ret ur ne d t o M ex ic o.

The IJ gr an te d DHS ’s mo t io n to pr et erm it on May 7, 20 14

, fin di ng th at

Pet it io ne r’s ret ur n to Mex ic o on Mar ch 23 , 20 01 , was a v ol un ta ry de pa rtu re “ un de r

th reat of de po rta ti on ,” whi ch br ok e hi s co nt in uo us pr es en ce in th e Uni te d St at es

. The

IJ reas on ed th a t Pet it io ne r’s Fo rm I-8 26 se le ct io n to vo lu nt ari ly le av e th e Uni te d

St at es in li eu of faci ng fo rm al de po rta ti on pr oc eed in gs sh owe d th at he ha d de pa rte d

un de r th reat of de po rta ti on

. Th at Pet it io ne r was de ta in ed

, ph ot og rap he d,

fin ge rp rin te d, an d ch eck ed ag ai ns t a da ta ba se pr io r to hi s Mar ch 23

, 20 01

, vo lu nt ary

de pa rtu re al so le d th e IJ to co nc lu de th at he ha d de pa rte d un de r th reat of de po rta ti on

.

The Bo ard di sm is se d Pet it io ne r’s ap pe al

, ad op ti ng an d affi rm in g th e IJ ’s de ci si on

.

In ad di ti on to ad op ti ng th e IJ ’s reas on in g, th e Bo ard al so reject ed Pet it io ne r’s cl ai m

th at he ha d no t rece iv ed th e ne ces sa ry warn in gs fo r a vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re, st at in g th at

“ th e res po nd en t di d no t rece iv e a fo rm al gr an t of vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re, rat he r, he was

pe rm it te d t o re tu rn to Mex ic o.”

“ Alt ho ug h th e de ci si on to gr an t canc el la ti on of rem ov al is a di sc ret io na ry act

by th e Att or ne y Gen eral th at we m ay no t rev ie w, we m ay co ns id er th e pr ed ic at e le ga l

qu e s t i o n w h e th er th e IJ pr op erl y ap pl ie d th e la w to th e fact s in de te rm in in g an

in di vi du al ’s el ig ib il it y to be co ns id ered fo r th e rel ie f.” Reyes-Vas qu ez v. Ash cro ft,

39 5 F.3 d 90 3, 90 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (ci ta ti on s om it te d)

. “ In do in g so

, we gi ve

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-su bs ta nt ia l de fere nc e to th e ag en cy ’s in te rp ret at io n of im m ig rat io n s t a t ut es .” Id

.

“ Bec au se th e Bo ard affi rm ed th e de ci si on o f t h e im m ig rat io n jud ge ba se d on a

cl ear- erro r st an da rd of rev ie w fo r fin di ng s of fact

, bu t al s o a dd ed reas on in g of it s

own

, we re v i ew th e two de ci si on s to ge th er.” Gos well -Ren ne r v. Hol de r, 76 2 F.3 d

69 6, 69 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ). “ The ad m in is tra ti ve fin di ng s of fact are 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 rary.” Id

. (ci ti ng 8 U.S.C. § 12 52 (b )(4 )(B) ).

To be el ig ib le fo r can cel la ti on of rem ov al un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 b( b)

, an al ie n

m us t sh ow, am on g ot he r el em en ts

, th at he “ ha s be en ph y si cal ly pr es en t in th e Uni te d

S t a te s fo r a co nt in uo us pe rio d of no t le ss th an 10 y ears im m ed ia te ly pr ec e d i n g t h e

d a t e of su ch ap pl ic at io n.” Thi s co nt in uo us pe rio d is de em ed to en d whe n th e al i e n

is se rv ed an N TA

. Id

. § 12 29 b( d) (1 ). Bec au se Pet it io ne r was se rv ed an NTA on

Aug us t 13

, 20 09

, h e w a s req ui red to sh ow th at he was co nt in uo us ly pr es en t in th e

Uni te d S ta te s s in ce Au gu st 13 , 19 99

.

An a l i e n ’s co nt in uo us pr es en ce in th is co un try is br ok en “ whe n an al ie n

vo lu nt ari l y d e p a r t s un de r th reat of de po rta ti on .” Reyes-Vas qu ez, 39 5 F.3 d at 90 7

(q uo ti ng Pal om in o v. Ash cro ft, 35 4 F.3 d 94 2, 94 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 04 )). “ W he n an al ie n

is le ga ll y pe rm it te d to de pa rt vo lu nt ari ly, he sh ou ld ‘leav e[ ] wit h th e kn owl ed ge th at

he do es so in li eu of be in g pl aced in pr oc eed in gs ’ an d th eref o r e ha s no le gi ti m at e

ex pe ct at io n th at he m ay reen te r an d res um e co nt in uo us pr es en ce.” Id

. (q uo ti ng In re

Ro m al ez-Al cai de , 2 3 I. & N. Dec . 4 23

, 4 2 9 ( 2 0 0 2 ) (en ba nc )). “ [T]he reco rd m us t

sh ow so m e ev id en ce th a t t h e th reat of de po rta ti on was ex pr es se d by im m ig rat io n

of fic ia ls an d un de rs to od by th e al ie n. It is no t su ffi ci en t th a t a n a l i e n w a s si m pl y

tu rn ed ba ck at th e bo rd er un le ss th ere was an ex pr es s th reat of de po rta ti on or

rem ov al .” O r t i z -Co rn ejo v. Gon zal es

, 40 0 F.3 d 61 0, 61 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (ci ta ti on

om it te d)

.

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-W e ag ree wit h th e Bo ard an d th e IJ t h a t Pet it io ne r de pa rte d un de r th reat of

de po rta ti on on Mar ch 23

, 20 01

. His Fo rm I-8 26 se le ct io n in di cat es th at he was aware

of th e th reat th at he wou ld be rem ov ed an d of his rig ht to rem ov al pr oc eed in gs

, an d

th at he el ect ed to ret ur n to Mex ic o in st ead of ex erci si ng th at r i g h t

. Mo reo ve r,

al th ou gh th e fact th at he was de ta in ed

, ph ot og rap he d, fin ge rp rin te d, an d c h e ck ed

ag ai ns t a da ta ba se is no t by it se lf su ffi ci en t to sh ow a vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re un de r th reat

of de po rta ti on

, it is rel ev an t to sh ow th at Pet it io ne r un de rwen t a “ fo rm al

, do cu m en te d

pr oc es s.” In re Cas tre

jon -Co li no

, 26 I. & N. Dec. 66 7, 67 0- 71 (2 01 5) (q uo ti ng In re

Avi le z, 23 I. & N. Dec. 79 9, 80 5- 06 (2 00 5) ). Giv en th es e ci rcu m st an ces

, th e Bo ard

a n d t h e I J di d no t err in co nc lu di ng th at Pet it io ne r de pa rte d un de r th reat of

de po rta ti on

.

Pet it io ne r co nt en ds th at be cau se he di d no t rece iv e al l of th e ne ces sa ry

warn i n gs fo r a vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re an d th us di d no t un de rs ta nd th e le ga l

co ns eque nc es of vol un ta ry de pa rtu re un de r th reat of de po rta ti on

, hi s de pa rtu re di d no t

br eak hi s co nt in uo us pr es en ce in th e Uni te d St at es

. I mm i g r a t i on of fic ia ls are

au th or iz ed to pe rm it an al ie n to vo lu nt ari ly de pa rt in li eu of faci ng rem ov al

pr oc eed in gs or pr io r to th e pr oc eed in gs ’ co m pl et io n. 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 c(a)

. Offi ci al s

m ay al so al lo w vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re at th e c o n c l us io n of th e pr oc eed in gs if cert ai n

co nd it io ns are m et

. Id

. § 12 29 c(b ). An ali en who is pe rm it te d to vo lu nt ari ly de pa rt

an d fai ls to do so wit hi n th e sp eci fie d ti m e pe rio d is su bjec t to a ci vi l pe na lt y be twee n

$1 ,00 0 and $5 ,00 0 and is in el ig ib le to rece iv e se ve ral fo rm s of rel ie f fo r a pe rio d of

te n y ears

. Id . § 12 29 c(d )(1 ). A v o l u n t a r y d ep art ur e or de r m us t in fo rm th e al ie n of

th es e pe na lt ie s. Id

. § 12 29 c(d )(3 ); 8 C.F.R. § 24 0.2 5( b)

. A de ci si on reg ard in g

vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re m

us t be co m

m un ic at ed on a Fo rm I-2 10 an d m ay no t be gr an te d

un le ss th e al ie n req ue st s th e de pa rtu re an d ag rees to i t s t e r ms an d co nd it io ns

.

8 C .F.R. § 2 40 .25 (c). 1

The sa m e req ui rem en ts were in effe ct whe n Pet it io ne r de pa rte d th e U n i t ed 1

St at es on Mar ch 23

, 20 01

. See 8 U .S.C. § 1 22 9c (20 01 ); 8 C.F.R. § 24 0.2 5 (20 01 ).

-6

-A s s t a t e d earl ie r, th e Bo ard di sm is se d th is cl ai m be cau se Pet it io ne r “ di d no t

rece iv e a fo rm al gr an t of vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re” bu t was in st ead “ pe rm it te d to ret ur n

to Mex ic o.” Si m il arly

, the governm en t arg ue s th at Pet it io ne r’s “ vo lu nt ary ret ur n do es

no t em an at e fro m th e sa m e reg ul at or y or st at ut or y sc he m e” de sc rib ed ab ov e. Res p’t’s

Br. 23 -2 4. The go ve rn m en t co nt en ds th at “ [v ]olu nt ary de pa rtu re un de r [th e

reg ul at or y sc he m e], whi ch req ui res ce r t a i n w a rn in gs by th e ag en cy

, is res erv ed fo r

al ie ns pl aced in rem ov al pr oc eed in gs un de r

. . . 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 a,” an d th at be cau se

Pet it io ne r “ waiv ed th e op po rtu ni ty to be pl aced in rem ov al pr oc eed in gs so as to ret ur n

to Mex ic o,” th os e warn in gs were n ot req ui red in th is cas e. Id . at 2 4.

W e reject th e go ve rn m en t’s su gg es ti on th at th e warn in g req ui rem en t se t fo rth

in 8 C.F.R. § 24 0.2 5 is res erv ed fo r a li en s pl aced in rem ov al pr oc eed in gs un de r

8 U.S.C. § 12 29 a. Sect io n 12 29 c(a) au th or iz es th e gr an t of vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re ei th er

pr io r to th e co nc lu si on of rem ov al pr oc eed in gs un de r § 12 29 a o r i n l i e u of su ch

pr oc eed in gs

. The req ui rem e n t un de r 8 C.F.R. § 24 0.2 5 to in fo rm an al ie n of th e

co nd it io ns of vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re an d th e pe na lt ie s fo r an y br each ap pl ie s to an y gr an t

of vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 c(a) a n d t h u s ap pl ie s whe n th e al ie n

waiv es rem ov al pro ceed in gs an d d eci de s t o d ep art vo lu nt ari ly.

Non e t h el es s, we co nc lu de th at th e fai lu re to sa ti sf y th e warn in g req ui rem en t

do es no t pr ecl u d e a fin di ng of a vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re un de r th reat of de po rta ti on

su ffi ci en t to br eak th e te n- y ear pe rio d of co nt in uo us pr es en ce req ui red to be el ig ib le

fo r can cel la ti on of rem ov al un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 29 b( b)

. A s earl ie r de sc rib ed

, ou r

cas es an d th e Bo ard ’s ha ve he ld th at an al ie n m us t de pa rt un de r “an e xp res se d an d

un de rs to od th reat of de po rta ti on ,” an d “ wit h th e kn owl ed ge th at he do es so in li eu of

be in g pl aced in pr oc eed in gs ” in or de r to br eak co nt in uo us pr es en ce. Reyes-Vas qu ez,

39 5 F.3 d a t 90 7 (q uo ti ng In re Ro m al ez-Al cai de

, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 42 9) ; se e al so

Ort i z

- C o r n e

jo

, 40 0 F.3 d at 61 2 (“ [T]he reco rd m us t sh ow so m e ev id en ce th at th e

th reat of d ep or ta ti on was e xp res se d b y im m ig rat io n o ffi ci al s and un de rs to od by the

a l i e n

. It is no t su ffi ci en t th at an al ie n was si m pl y tu rn ed ba ck at th e bo rd er u n l e s s

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-t h e r e was an ex pr es s th reat of de po rta ti on or rem ov al .” (ci ta ti on om it te d) ). H a d

Pet it io ne r rece iv ed th e warn in gs se t fo rt h in 8 C.F.R. § 24 0.2 5, th ey wou ld ha ve

am pl y de m on st rat ed th at Pet it io ne r de pa rte d un de r a th reat of de po rta ti on

. See

Mo ral es -Mo ral es v. Ash cro ft, 38 4 F.3 d 41 8, 42 7 (7t h Cir. 20 04 ) (rea so ni ng th at th e

“el ab or at e co nd it io ns ” se t fo rth in 8 C.F.R. § 24 0.2 5 de m on st rat e a t h r e a t o f

de po r t a t i o n )

. Fo r th e reas on s di sc us se d earl ie r, ho wev er, we co nc lu de th at ev en

wit ho ut rece iv in g th os e warn in gs

, Pet it io ne r vo lu nt ari ly de pa rte d th e co un try un de r

a th reat of d ep or ta ti on , th us bre ak in g h is co nt in uo us pre se nc e h ere.

The pe ti ti on for rev ie w is de ni ed

.

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