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

For the Eig hth Circu it

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

No. 1 5- 38 35

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

Vlad im ir M ari c

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 1

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: Decem

be r 14 , 20 16

Fil ed : Ap ril 18 , 20 17

__ __ __ __ __ __

Befo re LOKEN, MURPHY, and KELLY , Cir cu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __

LOKEN, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

Vlad im ir M a r i c i s a ci ti zen of Bo sn ia an d Herze go vi na , pa rt of th e fo rm er Yug os la vi a, who was ad m it te d in to th e Uni te d St at es as a refu ge e wit h hi s wife and

two ch il dr en in Sep te m

be r 19 99 an d be cam e a la wfu l pe rm an en t res id en t in 20 01

.

Je ffer so n B. Ses si on s, III, ha s be en ap po in te d to se rv e as Att or ne y Gen eral of 1

th e Uni te d S ta te s an d i s s ub st it ut ed as r es po nd en t. See Fed . R. App . P. 43 (c).The Dep art m en t of Hom el an d Secu rit y (“ DHS”) co m m en ced rem ov al pr oc eed in gs in

Ja nu ary 20 11

, ch arg in g th at Mar ic ob ta in ed im m ig rat io n be ne fit s by frau d or wil lfu l

m is rep res en ta ti on of a m at eri al fact

. See 8 U.S.C. § 1 18 2( a)(6 )(C) (i)

. Afte r a

he ari ng , th e Im

m ig rat io n Ju dg e (“ IJ ”) fo un d Mar ic rem ov ab le be cau se , at th e ti m e of

hi s ad m it ta nc e an d ad

jus tm en t of st at us , he co nc eal ed th at he ha d se rv ed in th e Arm y

of th e Serb Rep ub li c, Vojs ka Rep ub li ka Srp sk e (“ VRS”)

, fro m J an ua ry 2, 19 95 to

Ja nu ary 27

, 19 96

, a pe rio d th at en co m pa ss ed th e Ju ly 19 95 m as sa cre of th ou sa nd s of

Bo sn ia n Mu sl im pr is on ers in Sreb ren ic a, Bo sn ia an d Herze go vi na

. Mar ic ap pl ie d fo r

a di sc ret io na ry waiv er of de po rta ti on un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 27 (a)( 1) (H). The IJ fo un d

Mar ic in el ig ib le fo r th is rel ie f be cau se he fai le d to pr ov e h e i s n o t an al ie n who

“ co m m it te d

. . . as si st ed

, or ot he rwis e pa rti c i p a t ed in ” ex tra jud ic ia l ki ll in gs un de r

co lo r of la w of an y fo rei gn na ti o n

. 8 U.S.C. § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ). The Bo ard of

Im m ig rat io n App eal s (“ BIA”) affi rm ed

. Mar ic pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w, arg ui ng th e BIA

erre d by no t req ui rin g th e go ve rn m en t to pr ov e by cl ear an d co nv in ci ng ev id en ce th at

he was i na dm is si bl e u nd er § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E). W e d en y th e p et it io n fo r rev ie w.

1

. S e c t i on 21 2( a) of th e Im m ig rat io n an d Nati on al it y Act (“ INA”), 8 U.S.C

. § 11 82 ( a )

, l i s t s cl as se s of al ie ns who are “ in el ig ib le fo r vi sa s or ad m is si on .” Cl as s

3 en co m pa ss es “ [s ]ecuri t y a n d rel at ed gr ou nd s,” whi ch in cl ud e an al ie n who ha s

co m m i tt ed or pa rti ci pa te d in ex tra jud ic ia l ki ll in gs

. See § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ). Cl as s

6 is en ti tl ed “ [i]ll eg al en tra nt s” an d in cl ud es th os e who ob ta in im m ig rat io n ben efi ts
by frau d or m at eri al m is rep res en ta ti on

. See § 11 82 (a)( 6 ) ( C )(i ). A “ m at eri al ”

m is rep res en ta ti on is on e th at ha s “ a n a t u r al te nd en cy to in flu en ce th e de ci si on s” of

th e DHS. Mat te r of

D-R-, 2 5 I. & N. Dec. 44 5, 4 50 (BIA 2 01 1)

.

Sect io n 23 7( a) of th e INA, 8 U.S.C. § 12 2 7 ( a )

, l i st s cl as se s of rem ov ab le

al ie ns

. An al ie n who was in ad m is si bl e at th e ti m e of en try or ad jus tm en t of st at us is

rem ov ab le

. §1 22 7( a)(1 )(A). Thi s cat eg or y in cl ud es an al ie n who was in ad m is si bl e

fo r frau d or m at eri al m is rep res en ta ti on un de r § 11 82 (a)( 6) (C)( i). Howev er, an al ie n

rem ov ab le fo r th is reas on m ay be el ig ib le fo r a di sc ret io na ry waiv er of rem ov al if he

-2

-m eet s th e cri te ria in § 12 27 (a)( 1) (H), un le ss he i s “ an al ie n de sc rib ed in pa rag rap h

(4 )(D),” a cro ss refe ren ce to § 12 27 (a)( 4) (D). Sect io n 12 27 (a)( 4) (D) i n t u r n cro ss

refe ren ces § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ). Thu s, an al ie n who ha s part ic ip at ed in ex tra jud ic ia l

ki ll in gs un de r co lo r of la w of a fo rei gn na ti on is in el ig ib le fo r th is waiv er of rem ov al

.

The Att or ne y Gen eral ’s reg ul at io ns pr ov id e th at DHS m us t pr ov e th at an al ie n

is rem ov ab le by cl ear an d co nv in ci ng ev id en ce. See 8 C.F.R. § 12 40

. 8 ( a). Bu t an

al ie n ap pl y in g fo r a waiv er of rem ov al un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) ( H ) “h a s th e bu rd en of

pr oo f to e s t a b l is h th at

. . . [h e] sa ti sf ie s th e ap pl ic ab le el ig ib il it y req ui rem en ts .” 8

U.S.C. § 12 29 a(c) (4 )(A). “ If th e ev id en ce in di cat es th at on e or m or e of th e gr ou nd s

fo r m an da to ry de ni al of th e ap pl ic at io n fo r rel ie f m ay ap pl y , th e al ie n sh al l ha ve th e

bu rd en of pr ov in g by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce th at su ch gr ou nd s do no t

ap pl y .” 8 C.F .R. § 1 24 0.8 (d ).

2. At th e he ar i n g , Mi ch ael Mac Que en , a se ni or hi st or ia n in DHS’s Hum an

Ri gh ts Div is io n, te st ifi ed th at th e VRS an d ot he r fo rces pa rti ci pa te d in a co or di na te d

ki ll in g op erat io n at Sreb ren ic a in Ju ly 19 95

. The IJ fo un d th at M a r i c ’s fai lu re to

di sc lo se hi s se rv ic e in th e VRS at th is ti m e was a m at eri al m is rep res en ta ti on un de r § 11 82 (a)( 6) ( C ) ( i), m ak in g Mar ic rem ov ab le un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (A). Mar ic 2

req ue st ed a waiv er un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (H). DHS pr es en te d ev id en ce th at Mar ic m ay

ha ve pa rti ci pa te d in th e at ro ci ti es at Sreb ren ic a. VRS en ro ll m en t an d at te nd an ce

reco rd s l i s t Vlad im ir Mar ic

, wit h th e co rrec t bi rth da te

, as carr y in g ou t co m ba ta nt

as si gn m en ts fo r th e Si xt h Bat ta li on , Thi rd C o mp a n y, of th e Zvo rn ik Bri ga de

th ro ug ho ut m os t of th e m on th of Ju ly 19 95

. Mac Que en al so te st ifi ed th at reco rd s of

th e In te rn at io na l Cri m in al Trib un al fo r th e fo rm er Yug os la vi a es ta bl is h th at m em be rs

of th e Si xt h Bat ta li on were ho us ed du rin g th is ti m e at a sc ho ol bu il di ng in Pet ko vc i.

On Ju ly 14

, th e VRS de ta in ed aro un d 1,0 00 Bo sn ia n Mu sl im m en an d bo y s cap tu red

Mar ic di d no t ap pe al th e fin di ng he is rem ov ab le to th e BIA or in hi s pe ti ti on 2

fo r rev ie w to th is co ur t.

-3

-whi le fle ei ng th e area

. Mem be rs of t he Six th Bat ta li on rem ov ed pr is on ers fro m th e

sc ho ol bu il di ng on Ju ly 1 5 to a ne arb y da m , ex ecu te d th em by au to m at ic rif le

, an d

bu rie d t he m

in m as s g rav es

.

Mar ic tes ti fie d t ha t h e was for ci bl y co ns cri pt ed by the VRS in Jan ua ry 19 95

. In Ju ly, h e was on act iv e du ty o n l y o n Ju ly 2 2, whe n th e VRS rem ov ed hi m fro m a

m ark et pl ace, pr ov id ed hi m wit h an ol d m il it ary un ifo rm an d a gu n, an d bu se d hi m to

Pet ko vc i. He walk ed to Bajk ov ic a an d was to ld to si t an d watc h th e tre nc he s. He sa w

un arm ed m en cro ss in g a br id ge , bu t di d no t ob se rv e an y sh oo ti ng or de ad bo di es

. He

pr ov id ed two do cu m en ts rel at in g to hi s m il it ary se rv ic e, a Sep te m be r 19 94 cert ifi cat e

of ex em pt io n sh owi ng he was pr ev io us ly ex em pt fro m th e dr aft fo r m ed ic al reas on s,

an d a cert ifi cat e of co ns cri pt io n dem on st rat in g serv ic e in th e Zvo rn ik Bri ga de fro m

Ja nu ary 2 t o Ap ril 4, 1 99 5.

Bas ed on th is ev id en ce, th e IJ fo un d th at Mar ic m ay ha ve pa rti ci pa te d in th e

at ro ci ti es at Sreb ren ic a, “ ex tra jud ic ia l ki ll in gs ” th at wou ld m ak e hi m in el ig ib le fo r a

waiv er of rem ov al un de r 8 U.S.C. §§ 12 27 (a)( 4) (D) an d 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ). Pl aci ng

th e bu rd en on Mar ic to pr ov e by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev i d e n c e t ha t gr ou nd s fo r

m an da to ry de ni al of a waiv er di d no t ap pl y , th e IJ de ni ed Mar ic ’s req ue st fo r a waiv er

of rem ov al

, fin di ng th at hi s te st im on y reg ard in g hi s li m it ed m il it ary se rv ic e was no t

cred ib le an d th e do cu m en ts he su bm it te d di d no t rel at e t o hi s in vo lv em en t wit h th e

Zvo rn ik Bri ga de in Ju ly 199 5.

M a r i c a p pe al ed to th e BIA, arg ui ng th at th e IJ erre d in no t req ui rin g DHS t o

pr ov e by cl ear an d co nv in ci ng ev id en ce th at he pa rti ci pa te d in th e Sreb ren ic a

mas s acre an d th eref

or e was in ad m is si bl e un de r § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ), th e bu rd e n o f

pr oo f pl aced on DHS in Mat te r of D-R-. The BIA reject ed th is co nt en ti on

. The is su e

in Mar ic ’s cas e “ is no t com pa rab le ,” th e BIA exp la in ed

, be cau se in Mat te r of D-R-,

th e DHS pr ov ed b y c le ar an d co nv in ci ng ev id en ce th at res po nd en t was re mov ab le

be cau se he pa rti ci pa te d in ex tra jud ic ia l ki ll in gs

. Here, DHS di d no t ch arg e th at Mar ic

-4

-w a s r e mo va bl e be cau se he was in ad m is si bl e un de r § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E). Rat he r, DHS

pr ov ed by cl ear an d co nv in ci ng ev id en ce th at Mar ic was rem ov ab le be cau se he was

in ad m is si bl e un de r § 11 82 (a)( 6) (C)( i) fo r wil lfu l m is rep res en ta ti on of a m at eri al fact

,

an d th us th e is su e w a s w h et he r he was el ig ib le fo r waiv er re li ef fro m th at rem ov al

un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (H). As th e BIA ex pl ai ne d, whe n t h e IJ fo un d th at th e

go ve rn m en t’s ev id en ce “ in di cat es th at on e or m or e of th e gr o u n d s f o r m an da to ry

de ni al of th e ap pl ic at io n fo r rel ie f m ay a p pl y ,” th e IJ co rrec tl y ap pl ie d 8 C.F.R.

§ 1 24 0.8 (d ) an d pl aced on Mar ic th e bu rd en to pr ov e he is eli gi bl e fo r wai ve r rel ie f
by a prep on de ran ce o f th e ev id en ce.

3. On ap pe al

, Mar ic ag ai n arg ue s th at th e BIA an d th e IJ erre d in no t req ui rin g

DHS to pr ov e b y c le ar an d co nv in ci ng ev id en ce th at he was in ad m is si bl e an d

th eref or e rem ov ab le beca

use he pa rt ic ipa te d in th e ex tra

jud ic ia l ki ll in gs at Sreb ren ic a.

“ W e rev ie w th e BIA’s le ga l de te rm in at io ns d e no vo , bu t we acco rd su bs ta nt ia l

de fere nc e to th e BIA’s in te rp ret at io n of the st at ut es an d reg ul at io ns it ad m in is te rs .”

God frey v. Ly

nc h, 8 11 F.3d 10 13 , 10 17 (8t h C ir. 2 01 6) (qu ot at io n o m it te d)

.

Lik e th e BIA, we co nc lu de th at Mar ic ’s arg um e n t i s c o n tra ry to th e pl ai n

la ng ua ge of th e go ve rn in g st at ut es an d reg ul at io n. By st at ut e, th e di sc ret io na ry

waiv er of rem ov al Mar ic se ek s un de r § 12 27 (a)( 1) (H) i s a v a i l a b l e on ly if (i) he is

rem ov ab le be cau se he was in ad m is si bl e fo r frau d or m at eri al m is rep res en ta ti on un de r § 11 82 ( a)(6 )(C) (i)

, an d (ii ) he is no t “ an al ie n de sc rib ed in ” § 12 27 (a)( 4) (D).

C o n si st en t wit h th e go ve rn in g reg ul at io n, th e IJ ’s fin di ng th at DHS pr e s e n t e d

ev id en ce th at “ in di cat es ” Mar ic m ay ha ve pa rti ci pa te d in th e ex tra jud ic ia l ki ll in gs at

Sreb ren ic a pl aced on Mar ic th e bu rd en to pr ov e by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce

th at th e st at ut or y ba r in § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ) di d no t ap pl y

. See 8 C.F.R. § 12 40 .8(d ).

Mar ic ob jects th at sh ift in g th e bu rd en of pr oo f to hi m ba se d so le ly on ev id en ce tha t

“ in di cat es ” po te nt ia l in ad mi s s i bi li ty op en s a go ve rn m en t “ ba ck do or ” to fin d al ie ns

in ad m is si bl e an d t he refo re re m ov ab le wit ho ut su ffi ci en t ev id en ce. Bu t th e is su e in

th is cas e is no t rem ov ab il it y , it is Mar ic ’s el ig ib il it y fo r rel ie f fro m be in g re mo v e d

-5

-be cau se he wil lfu ll y m is rep res en te d m at eri al fact s in ob ta in in g im m ig rat io n be ne fit s.

“Whil e th e go ve rn m en t be ars th e bu rd en to pr ov e th e al ie n is de po rta bl e or

rem ov ab le

, it is th e al ie n’s bu rd en

. . . t o p r o v e he is el ig ib le fo r can cel la ti on of

rem ov al .” And rad e-Zam or a v . Ly nc h, 8 14 F.3d 94 5, 9 49 (8t h C ir. 2 01 6)

.

Mar ic co nc ed es th at h e is rem ov ab le fo r wil lfu l m is rep res en ta ti on an d th at

DHS’s ev id e n c e “i n di cat es ” th at he m ay ha ve pa rti ci pa te d or as si st ed in th e

ex tra jud ic ia l ki l l i n g s a t Sreb ren ic a in Ju ly 19 95

. In th es e ci rcu m st an ces , th e BIA

pr op erl y pl aced on Mar ic th e bu rd en to pr ov e th at th e st at ut or y ba r to wai v e r r el ie f

in 8 U.S.C. § 11 82 (a)( 3) (E)(i ii ) di d no t ap pl y

. Acco rd in gl y , we de ny th e pe ti ti on fo r

rev ie w. W e la ck juri sd ic ti on to gr an t Mar ic ’s r eq ue st fo r vo lu nt ary d ep art ur e. See

8 U.S.C. § 12 29 c.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

-6

-