Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/558bv.pdf
Page Number: 400.0

Cite as: 558 U. S. 233 (2010) 

239 

Opinion of the Court 

decision,  or  action  is  made  in  removal  proceedings,  no 
court shall have jurisdiction to review— 

“(i)  any  judgment  regarding  the  granting  of  relief 
under  section  1182(h),  1182(i),  1229b,  1229c,  or  1255  of 
this title, [2]  or 

“(ii) any other decision or action of the Attorney Gen­
eral  .  .  .  the  authority  for  which  is  speciﬁed  under  this 
subchapter [3]  to  be  in  the  discretion  of  the  Attorney 
General  .  .  .  ,  other  than  the  granting  of  relief  under 
section 1158(a) of this title.” 4 

A regulation, amended in 1996, just months before Congress 
enacted  IIRIRA,  61  Fed.  Reg.  18904,  Pt.  3,  § 3.2(a),  states 
that  “[t]he  decision  to  grant  or  deny  a  motion  to  reopen  .  .  . 
is  within  the  discretion  of  the  Board.”  8  CFR  § 1003.2(a) 
(2009).  As  adjudicator  in  immigration  cases,  the  Board  ex­
ercises  authority  delegated  by  the  Attorney  General.  See 
8  U. S. C.  § 1103(g)(2);  8  CFR  § 1003.1.  See  also  8  CFR 
§ 1003.23(b)(3) (governing motions to reopen ﬁled with an IJ). 

B 

Kucana, a citizen of Albania, entered the United States on 
a business visa in 1995 and remained after the visa expired. 
Alleging  that  he  would  be  persecuted  based  on  his  political 
beliefs if returned to Albania, Kucana applied for asylum and 

is  precluded  regardless  of  what  any  other  provision  or  source  of  law 
might say. 

2 Sections  1182(h)  and  1182(i)  address  waivers  of  inadmissibility  based 
on certain criminal offenses, and fraud or misrepresentation, respectively; 
§ 1229b  addresses  cancellation  of  removal;  § 1229c,  voluntary  departure; 
and § 1255, adjustment of status. 

3 “[T]his  subchapter”  refers  to  Title  8,  Chapter  12,  Subchapter  II,  of 
the  United  States  Code,  codiﬁed  at  8  U. S. C.  §§ 1151–1381  and  titled 
“Immigration.” 

4 The  exception  for  relief  under  § 1158(a)  refers  to  administrative  deci­
sions  whether  to  grant  asylum.  Kucana’s  petition  for  judicial  review  is 
limited to the denial of his motion to reopen; he does not challenge in this 
proceeding the decision denying his application for asylum.