# 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 2- 21 58

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Ja ne t Njan

ja Njoro ge

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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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: Feb ru ary 13 , 20 14
Fil ed : J un e 3 , 20 14

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Befo re SM ITH, BEAM, an d B ENTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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SMI TH, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Ja ne t Njanja Njoro ge , a ci ti zen of Ken y a, pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of an Apr il 20 12

or de r of th e Bo ard of Im

m ig rat io n App eal s (BIA), up ho ld in g an im m ig rat io n jud ge 's
(IJ 's) May 20 10 de ci si on

. The IJ de ni ed Njoro ge 's mo ti on fo r a co nt in ua nc e an d

de ni ed he r req ue st s fo r as y lu m , wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

, an d rel ie f un de r th e

Co nv en ti on Agai ns t To rtu re (C AT). W e d en y th e p et it io n.I. Bac kg ro un d

In 20 02

, Njoro ge ap pl ie d fo r as y lu m , wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

, an d CAT rel ie f,

as se rti ng th at sh e fear ed th at sh e wou ld be su bjec te d ag ai ns t he r wil l to fem al e ge ni ta l

m ut il at io n (FGM)

. In 20 03

, th e IJ de ni ed as y lu m an d rel at ed rel ie f, rel y in g in pa rt on

co un try-con di ti on ev id en ce of a rece nt pa rti al ba n on FGM prac ti ces in Ken y a. The

BIA di sm is se d Njoro ge 's ap pe al of th e IJ 's de ci si on , an d Njoro ge pe ti ti on ed th is co ur t

fo r rev ie w. Whi le th at pe ti ti on was pe nd in g, th e Dep art m en t of Hom el an d Secu rit y (DHS) m ov ed fo r a rem an d, as se rti ng th at th e BIA ha d no t t a ke n in to acco un t th e

effe ct iv en es s of th e FGM ba n in Ken y a. In 20 05

, th is co ur t gr an te d DHS's un op po se d

m ot io n an d rem an de d th e cas e. The reaf te r, in 20 08

, th e BIA rem an de d th e cas e to th e

IJ

, st at in g th at th e pa r ti es sh ou ld be al lo wed to pr es en t up da te d ev id en ce on FGM

pr act ic es in Ken y a, an d th at th e IJ sh ou ld th en de te rm in e ho w effe ct iv e th e FGM ba n

ha d be en an d whe th er Njoro ge "cu rren tl y " ha d a well -fo un de d fear of be in g su bjec te d

to FGM i f ret ur ne d t o Ken y a.

A t a F e br ua ry 20 09 he ari ng in Mi nn es ot a, Njoro ge ap pe ared pr o se an d

in fo rm ed th e IJ th at sh e ha d m ov ed to Nor th Caro li na

. The IJ ad vi se d th e pa rti es th at

th e "fi na l he ari ng " wou ld be he ld in Mi nn es ot a on May 5, 20 10

. On Apr il 18

, 20 10

,
at to rn ey Ja ph et h Mat em

u fil ed a no ti ce of ap pe aran ce an d a m ot io n fo r a co nt in ua nc e,

a s se rti ng th at Njoro ge ha d rece nt ly ret ai ne d hi m an d th at he ne ed ed m or e ti m e t o

pr ep are fo r th e up co m in g May 5 he ari ng

. On Apr il 30

, 20 10

, th e IJ de ni ed th e m ot io n
wit ho u t c om m en t. Njoro ge th en at te nd ed th e May 5 he ari ng wit ho ut Mat em u. Njoro ge ex pl ai ne d to th e IJ th at Mat em u ha d in fo rm ed he r by te le ph o n e th e da y
be fo re th at he co ul d no t at te nd th e he ari ng , bu t he ga ve he r no reas on

. Njoro ge fu rth er

ex pl ai ne d th at sh e ha d fir st ap pr oa ch ed Mat em u in Apr il 20 10 ab ou t rep res en ti ng he r

an d th at ot he r at to rn ey s s he ha d c on su lt ed were to o ex pe ns iv e or were un wil li ng to

rep res en t h er. T he IJ ru le d th at th e h eari ng wou ld go for ward , and ask ed Njoro ge if

sh e ob jecte d to th e ad m is si on of va rio us ex hi bi ts

. Njoro ge in di cat ed th at sh e di d no t

kn ow ho w to an swe r th e qu es ti on be cau se sh e di d no t ha ve co un se l wit h he r. The IJ

as ke d Njo ro ge if s he ha d any up da te d evi de nc e reg ard in g FGM pr act ic es in Kenya,

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-an d Njoro ge in di cat ed th at sh e be li ev ed he r at to rn ey was wor ki ng on th e pr ep arat io n

of su ch ev id en ce. The IJ ad m it te d in to ev id en ce two 20 08 Uni te d Kin gd om Rep or ts

on FGM, whi ch DHS ha d su bm it te d, an d th e 20 09 Co un try Rep or t on Hum an Ri gh ts

Prac ti ces in Ken y a. DHS no te d it s di sc om fo rt wit h pr oc eed in g wit ho ut th e pr es en ce

of Njoro ge 's c ou ns el of r eco rd an d su gg es te d th at th e IJ att em pt to co nt act Mat em

u by te le ph on e. The IJ de cl in ed

, st at in g th at sh e ha d affo rd ed Njoro ge 14 m on th s to fin d

an att or ne y

an d p rep are h er ca se an d c ha ract eri zi ng Mat em u's fai lu re t o a pp ear a s a
de la y ta ct ic

. Njoro ge te st i f i e d t h a t sh e fear ed th at bo th sh e an d he r da ug ht er— a
ci ti zen of th e Uni t ed St at es an d, at th at ti m e, ap pr ox im at el y ag e 9— wou ld be

su bjec te d to FGM in Ken y a. The IJ de ni ed as y lu m an d rel at ed rel ie f. As to Njoro ge 's

as se rte d fear th at he r da ug ht er wou ld be su bjec te d to FGM, th e IJ st at ed th at Njoro ge

la ck ed st an di ng to m ak e su ch an as se rti on

. Njoro ge th en ap pe al ed to th e BIA. In Apr il

2 0 1 2

, t h e BIA di sm is se d he r ap pe al

, reas on in g th at th e IJ ha d no t erre d in de nyin g Njoro ge 's m ot io n fo r a c o n t i n u an ce, th e pr oc eed in gs ha d no t be en fu nd am en ta ll y

un fai r, an d N

j or oge ha d not sho wn pr ejud ic e. Njoro ge th erea fte r ti m el y pe ti ti on ed th is

co ur t fo r rev ie w.

II. Dis cu ss io n Njoro ge rai se s th ree arg um en ts on ap pe al : (1 ) th at th e IJ 's de ni al of he r m ot io n

fo r a co nt in ua nc e was an ab us e of di sc ret io n, (2 ) th at sh e was de ni ed he r rig ht to

co un se l whe n th e May 5 he ari ng was co nd uc te d wit ho ut th e pr es en ce of he r co un se l

of reco rd

, an d (3 ) th at th e pr oc eed in gs were fu nd am en ta ll y un fai r. Sh e al so no te s th at

sh e h ad di ffi cu lt y

fin di ng an affo rd ab le att or ne y who was fam il ia r wit h FGM cas es

an d wil li ng to ta ke he r cas e. A c c o r d i n g to Njoro ge , he r ch os en co un se l, Mat em u,

ne ed ed m or e ti m e to rev ie w th e v ol um in ou s re co rd an d a ss em bl e u pd at ed ev id en ce

reg ard in g cu rren t co nd it io ns in Ken y a. Njo r o g e ha d no t pr ev io us ly req ue st ed a

co nt in ua nc e, an d sh e be li ev es th at th e IJ was m or e co nc ern ed wit h exp ed ie nc y th an ju s t i c e

. Njoro ge al so as se rts th at sh e was pr ejud ic ed an d th at sh e es ta bl is he d

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-el ig ib il it y fo r as y lu m an d rel at ed r e l i e f

. DHS res po nd s th at th e IJ act ed wit hi n he r 1

di sc ret io n, bo th i n f

i n d i n g th at Njoro ge ha d no t es ta bl is he d go od cau se fo r a

co nt in ua nc e an d i n g oi ng for ward wit h t he he ari ng wit ho ut Njoro ge 's c ou ns el

.

"Th e qu es ti on whe th er d en ia l of a co nt in ua nc e in an im m ig rat io n pro ceed in g

co ns ti tu te s an ab us e of di sc ret io n can no t be de ci de d th ro ug h th e ap pl ic at io n of br ig ht

li ne ru le s; it m

us t be res ol ve d on a cas e by cas e ba si s acco rd in g to th e fact s an d

ci rcu m st an ces of each cas e. " Pon ce-L ei va v. Ash cr of t

, 33 1 F.3 d 36 9, 37 7 (3 d Ci r.

20 03 ) (q uo ta ti on an d c it at io n o m it te d)

. W e rev ie w du e pr oc es s cha ll en ge s d e n ov o.

Zh en g v . Hol de r , 69 8 F .3d 71 0, 7 14 (8t h C ir. 2 01 2)

.

It is well -s et tl ed th at

, whi le th ere is no Si xt h Am en dm en t rig ht to

co un se l, Usp an go v. Ash cr of t

, 28 9 F.3 d 22 6, 23 1 (3 d Ci r. 20 02 ), al ie ns ha ve a st at ut or y rig ht to co un se l at th ei r own ex pe ns e , 8 U .S.C. § 1 22 9a (b )(4 )(A), an d a re en ti tl ed to th e Fi fth Am en dm en t's gu aran te e of du e pr oc es s of la w in de po rta ti on p r o c e e d i ng s. Ren o v. Flo re s , 50 7
U.S. 29 2, 30 6, 11 3 S. Ct

. 14 39

, 12 3 L. Ed. 2d 1 (1 99 3)

. In cert ai n ci rcu m st an ces , de pr iv in g an al ie n of th e rig ht to co un se l m ay ris e to th e le ve l of a du e pr oc es s vi ol at io n. Uni te d St at es v. To rr es -S an ch ez , 68
F.3 d 2 27 , 23 0 (8 th Cir . 19 95 ).

Al Kh ou ri v. Ash cr of

t , 36 2 F .3d 46 1, 4 64 (8t h C ir. 2 00 4)

. 2

Njoro ge in co rrec tl y as se rts in he r br ie f th at th e IJ di d no t co ns id er th e m ot io n 1

fo r co nt in ua nc e un ti l th e da y o f th e he ari ng an d th at th e BIA "d id no t di sc us s th e
ap pl ic at io n fo r po li ti cal asylu m th at was i n t he fil e."

"[A]li en s are free to waiv e th ei r st at ut or y rig h t t o c o u ns el

. . . ." Id

. (ci ti ng 2

To rr es -S an ch ez , 68 F.3 d at 23 0 ("An al ie n m ay vo lu nt ari ly waiv e rep res en ta ti on by

co un se l, ho wev er, an d th at waiv er wil l be res pe ct ed .")). In th e pr es en t cas e, ho wev er, DHS ha s no t arg ue d th at Njoro ge waiv ed he r st at ut or y rig ht to co un se l. The refo re, we wil l as su m e, wit ho ut de ci di ng , th at no waiv er h as oc cu rred

.

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-Njoro ge "ar gu es th at th e de ni al of a co nt in ua nc e vi ol at ed [h er] st at ut or y rig ht

to co un se l. Abs en t a sh owi ng of cl ear ab u s e , we typic al ly do no t di st ur b an IJ 's

di sc ret io na ry de ci si on no t to co n t in ue a he ari ng ." Her na nd ez -Gil v. Gon za le s , 47 6

F.3 d 80 3, 80 7 (9 th Ci r. 20 07 ) (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. The Nin th Ci rcu it ha s
he ld th at "[w]hen an im m ig ran t ha s en ga ge d co un se l an d th e IJ is awar e o f th e

rep res en ta ti on , if co un se l fai ls to ap pe ar, th e IJ m us t ta ke re as on ab le st ep s to en su re

th at th e im m ig ran t's st at ut or y rig ht to co un se l is ho no red ." Id

. at 8 0 8 ( em ph as is

a d d e d ) ("B y de cl in in g un reas on ab ly to gr an t ev en a br ie f co nt in ua nc e so th a t

Hern an de z-Gi l co ul d lo cat e an d ap pe ar wit h hi s at to rn ey , who m th e IJ ha d be en to ld

was in th e bu i ld in g in an ot he r co ur tro om , th e IJ de ni ed Hern an de z-Gi l's st at ut or y rig ht to co un se l." ).

In th e pr es en t cas e, th e IJ was aware th at Njoro ge ha d co un se l

, a n d Njoro ge

ex pl a i n e d to th e IJ th at co un se l ha d no ti fie d he r th e da y be fo re th e he ari ng th at he

co ul d no t at te nd

. DHS in di cat ed it s di sc om fo rt wit h pr oc eed in g in co un se l's ab se nc e

an d req ue st ed th at th e IJ at te m pt to co nt act Njoro ge 's co un se l vi a te le ph on e, bu t th e

IJ de cl in ed to do so

. 3

Sp eci fic al ly, co un se l fo r DHS st at ed : 3

Q. Yo ur Ho no r, I gu es s I'm un su re ho w you 're go in g to pr oc eed
do wn th e li ne at th is po in t. I ha d a ch an ce to co nf irm wit h m

y of fic e, an d

I gu es s on e of m

y co nc ern s wit h us pr oc eed i n g to o m uc h fu rth er he re
to da y is th at

, y ou kn ow, wit h th e EOI R-2 8 th e res po nd en t's st il l

rep res en te d by co un se l, an d I'm feel [s ic ] th at I'm in hi bi te d fro m as ki ng he r an y qu es ti on s, if sh e is a rep res en te d pa rty, an d I wou ld at le as t as k
i f mayb e th e Co ur t co ul d on th e reco rd at te m pt to co nt act he r at to rn ey vi a te le ph on e an d ha ve hi m wit hd raw or ha ve hi m ap pe ar te le ph on ic al ly
fo r th e pu rp os es of t h i s h e a r i ng

. Bu t I gu es s th e Gov ern m en t feel s

co ns tra in ed at th is po in t by th e ab se nc e of he r co un se l, wit ho ut a way of
ha vi ng hi m

wit hd raw.

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-A s s u mi n g , wit ho ut de ci di ng , th at th e IJ vi ol at ed Njoro ge 's st at ut or y rig ht to

co un se l by no t at le as t cal li ng Njoro ge 's co un se l to se e th at Njoro ge 's st at ut or y rig ht

to co un se l was ho no red

, Njoro ge can no t pr ov e pr ejud ic e. Se e Al Kh ou ri

, 36 2 F.3 d at

46 6 ("Th is fin di ng , h o w e ve r, do es no t en d th e an al y si s be cau se '[t ]o de m on st rat e a
vi ol at io n of du e pr oc es s, an al ie n m us t de m on st rat e b o t h a fu nd am en ta l pr oc ed ur al

erro r an d th at th e erro r res ul te d in pr e ju d i ce.'" (ci ti ng Lo

pe z v. Hein au er , 33 2 F.3 d

50 7, 51 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ))); se e al so To rr es –S

an ch ez , 68 F.3 d at 23 0 ("I n th is ci rcu it

, th e es ta bl is hm en t of a fu nd am en ta ll y un fai r he ari ng in vi ol at io n of du e pr oc es s

req ui res a sh owi ng bo th of a fu nd am en ta l pr oc ed ur al erro r an d th at th e erro r cau se d

pr ejud ic e; an erro r can no t ren de r a pr oc eed in g fu nd am en ta ll y un fai r un le ss th at erro r

res ul te d i n p reju di ce." (fo ot no te an d c it at io n o m it te d) ).

" Actu al pr ejud ic e ex is ts whe re de fect s in th e de po rta ti o n
pr oc eed in gs may wel l ha ve res ul te d in a de po rta ti on th at wou ld no t

ot he rwis e ha ve oc cu rred ." To rr es –S an ch ez , 6 8 F

. 3d at 23 0 (em ph as is
ad de d)

. The Nin th Ci rcu it ha s si m il arl y de fin ed "p reju di ce" as an erro r th at "' po te nt ia ll y

. . . affe ct s th e ou tc om e of th e pr oc eed in gs ,'" Agy ema n

v. INS

, 29 6 F.3 d 87 1, 88 4 (9 th Ci r. 20 02 ) (o m is si on in or ig in al ) (q uo ti ng Pere z

– L a s t o r v. INS

, 20 8 F.3 d 77 3, 78 0 (9 th Ci r. 20 00 )), an d th e Sev en t h Ci rcu it ha s de fin ed it as an erro r th at "'h ad th e po te nt ia l fo r affe ct in g' th e ou tc om e of th e he ari ng ." Amba ti v. Ren o , 23 3 F.3 d 10 54

, 10 61 (7 th Ci r. 20 00 ) (q uo ti ng Ku ci emb a v . INS , 92 F.3d 49 6, 50 1 (7 th
Ci r. 19 96 )).

Al Kh ou ri , 36 2 F .3d at 4 66

.

Here, whe n th e IJ as ke d Njo r o g e w h e th er sh e ha d "s ub m it te d an y fu rth er

co un try in fo rm at io n on FGM in Ken y a," Njoro ge rep li ed

, "I be li ev e th at is wha t m y

cu rren t la wy er was wor ki ng on ." Bu t ne it he r Njoro ge no r he r co un se l h as se t fo rth

, ei th er be fo re th e I J o r on ap pe al

, wha t ev id en ce affi rm at iv el y pr ov es th at sh e is

en ti tl ed to th e rel ie f th at sh e se ek s. As a res ul t, s he ha s n ot pro ve n p reju di ce.

-6

-III. Co nc lu si on

Acco rd in gl y , we den y

th e p et it io n fo r rev ie w.

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