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Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 235', '§ 1101', '§ 212', '§ 1182', '§ 101', '§ 1101', '§ 5', '§ 242', '§ 1252', '§ 242', '§ 106', '§ 1105', '§ 106', '§ 1105', '§ 243', '§ 1253', '§ 244', '§ 1254', '§ 242', '§ 1252', '§ 243', '§ 1253', '§ 242', '§ 1252', '§ 1225', '§ 235', '§ 236', '§ 1226', '§ 101', '§ 1101', '§ 101', '§ 292', '§ 1362', '§ 236', '§ 236']

Landon v. Plasencia (full text) :: 459 U.S. 21 (1982) :: Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center Log In
› Landon v. Plasencia
Landon v. Plasencia 459 U.S. 21 (1982)
U.S. Supreme CourtLandon v. Plasencia, 459 U.S. 21 (1982)Landon v. PlasenciaNo. 81-129Argued October 5, 1982Decided November 15, 1982459 U.S. 21CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR
2. Contrary to the view of the Court of Appeals, it was not "circular" and "unfair" to allow the INS to litigate the question of "entry" in exclusion Page 459 U. S. 22 proceedings simply because that question also went to the merits of respondent's admissibility. Nor did the use of exclusion proceedings violate either the "scope" or "spirit" of Rosenberg v. Fleuti, 374 U. S. 449, where the Court held that an "innocent, casual, and brief excursion" by a resident alien outside this country's borders would not subject him to the consequences of an "entry" on his return. Pp. 459 U. S. 28-32.
O'CONNOR, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C.J., and BRENNAN, WHITE, BLACKMUN, POWELL, REHNQUIST, and STEVENS, JJ., joined. MARSHALL, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part,post, p. 459 U. S. 37.
Following an exclusion hearing, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) denied the respondent, a permanent resident alien, admission to the United States when she attempted to return from a brief visit abroad. Reviewing the respondent's subsequent petition for a writ of habeas corpus, the Court of Appeals vacated the decision, holding that the question whether the respondent was attempting to "enter" the United States could be litigated only in a deportation hearing, and not in an exclusion hearing. Because we conclude that the INS has statutory authority to proceed in an exclusion hearing, we reverse the judgment below. We remand to allow the Court of Appeals to consider whether the respondent, a permanent resident alien, was accorded due process at the exclusion hearing. Page 459 U. S. 23
Respondent Maria Antonieta Plasencia, a citizen of El Salvador, entered the United States as a permanent resident alien in March, 1970. She established a home in Los Angeles with her husband, a United States citizen, and their minor children. On June 27, 1975, she and her husband traveled to Tijuana, Mexico. During their brief stay in Mexico, they met with several Mexican and Salvadoran nationals and made arrangements to assist their illegal entry into the United States. She agreed to transport the aliens to Los Angeles and furnished some of the aliens with alien registration receipt cards that belonged to her children. When she and her husband attempted to cross the international border at 9:27 on the evening of June 29, 1975, an INS officer at the port of entry found six nonresident aliens in the Plasencias' car. The INS detained the respondent for further inquiry pursuant to § 235(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (Act), 66 Stat. 182, as amended, 8 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq. [Footnote 1] In a notice dated June 30, 1975, the INS charged her under § 212(a)(31) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(31), which provides for the exclusion of any alien seeking admission
"who at any time shall have, knowingly and for gain, encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided any other alien to enter or to try to enter the United States in violation of law, Page 459 U. S. 24 and gave notice that it would hold an exclusion hearing at 11 a.m. on June 30, 1975. [Footnote 2]"
An Immigration Law Judge conducted the scheduled exclusion hearing. After hearing testimony from the respondent, her husband, and three of the aliens found in the Plasencias' car, the judge found "clear, convincing and unequivocal" evidence that the respondent did "knowingly and for gain encourage, induce, assist, abet, or aid nonresident aliens" to enter or try to enter the United States in violation of law. He also found that the respondent's trip to Mexico was a "meaningful departure" from the United States, and that her return to this country was therefore an "entry" within the meaning of § 101(a)(13), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(13). [Footnote 3] Page 459 U. S. 25 On the basis of these findings, he ordered her "excluded and deported."
The immigration laws create two types of proceedings in which aliens can be denied the hospitality of the United States: deportation hearings and exclusion hearings. See generally Leng May Ma v. Barber, 357 U. S. 185, 357 U. S. 187 (1958). The deportation hearing is the usual means of proceeding against an alien already physically in the United States, and the exclusion hearing is the usual means of proceeding against an alien outside the United States seeking admission. The two types of proceedings differ in a number of ways. See generally Maldonado-Sandoval v. INS, 518 F.2d 278, 280, n. 3 (CA9 1975). An exclusion proceeding is usually held at the port of entry, while a deportation hearing is usually held near the residence of the alien within the United Page 459 U. S. 26 States, see 1A C. Gordon & H. Rosenfield, Immigration Law and Procedure § 5.6c (rev. ed.1981). The regulations of the Attorney General, issued under the authority of § 242(b), 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b), require in most deportation proceedings that the alien be given seven days' notice of the charges against him, 8 CFR § 242.1(b) (1982), while there is no requirement of advance notice of the charges for an alien subject to exclusion proceedings. Indeed, the BIA has held that,
no further notice is necessary. In re Salazar, 17 I. & N.Dec. 167, 169 (1979). Also, if the INS prevails in a deportation proceeding, the alien may appeal directly to the court of appeals, § 106(a), 75 Stat. 651, as amended, 8 U.S.C. § 1105a(a) (1976 ed. and Supp. V), while the alien can challenge an exclusion order only by a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, § 106(b), 75 Stat. 653, 8 U.S.C. § 1105a(b). Finally, the alien who loses his right to reside in the United States in a deportation hearing has a number of substantive rights not available to the alien who is denied admission in an exclusion proceeding: he can, within certain limits, designate the country of deportation, § 243(a), 8 U.S.C. § 1253(a) (1976 ed. and Supp. V); he may be able to depart voluntarily, § 244(e), 8 U.S.C. § 1254(e) (1976 ed., Supp. V), avoiding both the stigma of deportation, § 242(b), 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b) (1976 ed. and Supp. V), and the limitations on his selection of destination, § 243(a), 8 U.S.C. § 1253(a) (1976 ed. and Supp. V); [Footnote 4] or he Page 459 U. S. 27 can seek suspension of deportation, § 242(e), 8 U.S.C. § 1252(e) (1976 ed., Supp. V).
The respondent contends that she was entitled to have the question of her admissibility litigated in a deportation hearing, where she would be the beneficiary of the procedural protections and the substantive rights outlined above. Our analysis of whether she is entitled to a deportation, rather than an exclusion, hearing begins with the language of the Act. Section 235(a) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1225(a), permits the INS to examine "[a]ll aliens" who seek "admission or readmission to" the United States, and empowers immigration officers to take evidence concerning the privilege of any person suspected of being an alien "to enter, reenter, pass through, or reside" in the United States. (Emphasis added.) Moreover, "every alien" who does not appear "to be clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to land shall be detained" for further inquiry. § 235(b). If an alien is so detained, the Act directs the special inquiry officer to determine whether the arriving alien "shall be allowed to enter or shall be excluded and deported." § 236(a), 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). The proceeding before that officer, the exclusion hearing, is by statute "the sole and exclusive procedure for determining admissibility of a person to the United States. . . ." Ibid.
"The special inquiry officer is empowered to determine whether an alien detained for further inquiry shall be excluded and deported or shall be allowed to enter after he has given the alien a hearing. The procedure established in the bill is made the sole and exclusive procedure for determining the admissibility of a person to the Page 459 U. S. 28 United States."
The language and history of the Act thus clearly reflect a congressional intent that, whether or not the alien is a permanent resident, admissibility shall be determined in an exclusion hearing. Nothing in the statutory language or the legislative history suggests that the respondent's status as a permanent resident entitles her to a suspension of the exclusion hearing or requires the INS to proceed only through a deportation hearing. Under the terms of the Act, the INS properly proceeded in an exclusion hearing to determine whether respondent was attempting to "enter" the United States [Footnote 5] and whether she was excludable.
In Rosenberg v. Fleuti, 374 U. S. 449 (1963), we faced the question whether a resident alien's return from an afternoon Page 459 U. S. 29 trip across the border was an "entry" for immigration law purposes. The definition of that term was the same then as it is now: it means
§ 101(a)(13), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(13). We held in Fleuti that the "intent exception" refers to an intent to depart in a "manner which can be regarded as meaningfully interruptive of the alien's permanent residence." 374 U.S. at 374 U. S. 462. Thus, an "innocent, casual, and brief excursion" by a resident alien outside this country's borders would not subject him to the consequences of an "entry" on his return. Ibid. If, however,
Ibid. That distinction both protects resident aliens from "unsuspected risks and unintended consequences of . . . a wholly innocent action," ibid., and gives effect to the language of § 101(a)(13). [Footnote 6] Page 459 U. S. 30
The Court of Appeals viewed Fleuti as a deportation case, rather than an exclusion case, 637 F.2d at 1288, and therefore not relevant in deciding whether the question of "entry" could be determined in exclusion proceedings. For guidance on that decision, the Court of Appeals turned to Kwong Hai Chew v. Colding. 344 U. S. 590 (1953), which it read to hold that a resident alien returning from a brief trip "could not be Page 459 U. S. 31 excluded without the procedural due process to which he would have been entitled had he never left the country" -- i.e., in this case, a deportation proceeding. 637 F.2d at 1288. The court concluded that Plasencia was entitled to litigate her admissibility in deportation proceedings. It would be "circular" and "unfair," thought the court, to allow the INS to litigate the question of "entry" in exclusion proceedings when that question also went to the merits of the respondent's admissibility. Id. at 1288 1289.
We disagree. The reasoning of Chew was only that a resident alien returning from a brief trip has a right to due process just as would a continuously present resident alien. It does not create a right to identical treatment for these two differently situated groups of aliens. [Footnote 7] As the Ninth Circuit seemed to recognize, if the respondent here was making an "entry," she would be subject to exclusion proceedings. It is no more "circular" to allow the immigration judge in the exclusion proceeding to determine whether the alien is making an entry than it is for any court to decide that it has jurisdiction when the facts relevant to the determination of jurisdiction are also relevant to the merits. Thus, in United States v. Sing Tuck, 194 U. S. 161 (1904), this Court held that an immigration inspector could make a determination whether an applicant for admission was an alien or a citizen, although only aliens were subject to exclusion. Cf. Land v. Dollar, 330 U. S. 731, 330 U. S. 739 (1947) (district court has jurisdiction to determine its jurisdiction by proceeding to a decision on the merits). Nor is it in any way "unfair" to decide the question of entry in exclusion proceedings as long as those proceedings themselves are fair. Finally, the use of exclusion proceedings Page 459 U. S. 32 violates neither the "scope" nor the "spirit" of Fleuti. As the Court of Appeals held, that case only defined "entry," and did not designate the forum for deciding questions of entry. The statutory scheme is clear: Congress intended that the determinations of both "entry" and the existence of grounds for exclusion could be made at an exclusion hearing.
This Court has long held that an alien seeking initial admission to the United States requests a privilege, and has no constitutional rights regarding his application, for the power to admit or exclude aliens is a sovereign prerogative. See, e.g., United States ex rel. Knauff v. Shaughnessy, 338 U. S. 537, 338 U. S. 542 (1950); Nishimura Ekiu v. United States, 142 U. S. 651, 142 U. S. 659-660 (1892). Our recent decisions confirm that view. See, e.g., Fiallo v. Bell, 430 U. S. 787, 430 U. S. 792 (1977); Kleindienst v. Mandel, 408 U. S. 753 (1972). As we explained in Johnson v Eisentrager, 339 U. S. 763, 339 U. S. 770 (1950), however, once an alien gains admission to our country and begins to develop the ties that go with permanent residence, his constitutional status changes accordingly. Our cases have frequently suggested that a continuously present resident alien is entitled to a fair hearing when threatened with deportation, see, e.g., United State ex rel. Tisi v. Tod, 264 U. S. 131, 264 U. S. 133, 264 U. S. 134 (1924); Low Wah Suey v. Backus, 225 U. S. 460, Page 459 U. S. 33 225 U. S. 468 (1912) (hearing may be conclusive "when fairly conducted"); see also Kwong Hai Chew, 344 U.S. at 344 U. S. 598, n. 8, and, although we have only rarely held that the procedures provided by the executive were inadequate, we developed the rule that a continuously present permanent resident alien has a right to due process in such a situation. See, e.g., United States ex rel. Vajtauer v. Commissioner of Immigration, 273 U. S. 103, 273 U. S. 106 (1927); The Japanese Immigrant Case, 189 U. S. 86, 189 U. S. 100-101 (1903); see also Wong Yang Sung v. McGrath, 339 U. S. 33, 339 U. S. 49-50 (1950); Bridges v. Wixon, 326 U. S. 135, 326 U. S. 153-154 (1945).
344 U.S. at 344 U. S. 596. Then, to avoid constitutional problems, we construed the regulation as inapplicable. Although the holding was one of regulatory interpretation, the rationale was one of constitutional law. Any doubts that Chew recognized constitutional rights in the resident alien returning from a brief trip abroad were dispelled by Rosenberg v. Fleuti, where we described Chew as holding "that the returning resident alien is entitled as a matter of due process to a hearing on the charges underlying any attempt to exclude him." 374 U.S. at 374 U. S. 460.
If the permanent resident alien's absence is extended, of course, he may lose his entitlement to "assimilat[ion of his] status," Kwong Hai Chew v. Colding, supra, at 344 U. S. 596, to that of an alien continuously residing and physically present in the United States. In Shaughnessy v. United States ex rel. Mezei, 345 U. S. 206 (1953), this Court rejected the argument Page 459 U. S. 34 of an alien who had left the country for some 20 months that he was entitled to due process in assessing his right to admission on his return. We did not suggest that no returning resident alien has a right to due process, for we explicitly reaffirmed Chew. We need not now decide the scope of Mezei; it does not govern this case, for Plasencia was absent from the country only a few days, and the United States has conceded that she has a right to due process, see Tr. of Oral Arg. 6, 9, 14; Brief for Petitioner 9-10, 20-21.
The constitutional sufficiency of procedures provided in any situation, of course, varies with the circumstances. See, e.g., Lassiter v. Department of Social Services, 452 U. S. 18, 452 U. S. 24-25 (1981); Greenholtz v. Nebraska Penal Inmates, 442 U. S. 1, 442 U. S. 12 (1979); Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U. S. 471, 408 U. S. 481 (1972). In evaluating the procedures in any case, the courts must consider the interest at stake for the individual, the risk of an erroneous deprivation of the interest through the procedures used as well as the probable value of additional or different procedural safeguards, and the interest of the government in using the current procedures, rather than additional or different procedures. Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U. S. 319, 424 U. S. 334-335 (1976). Plasencia's interest here is, without question, a weighty one. She stands to lose the right "to stay and live and work in this land of freedom," Bridges v. Wixon, supra, at 326 U. S. 154. Further, she may lose the right to rejoin her immediate family, a right that ranks high among the interests of the individual. See, e.g., Moore v. City of East Cleveland, 431 U. S. 494, 431 U. S. 499, 431 U. S. 503-504 (1977) (plurality opinion); Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U. S. 645, 405 U. S. 651 (1972). The Government's interest in efficient administration of the immigration laws at the border also is weighty. Further, it must weigh heavily in the balance that control over matters of immigration is a sovereign prerogative, largely within the control of the Executive and the Legislature. See, e.g., Fiallo, supra, at 430 U. S. 792-793; Knauff, supra, at 338 U. S. 542-543; The Japanese Immigrant Case, supra, at 189 U. S. 97. The role of the judiciary Page 459 U. S. 35 is limited to determining whether the procedures meet the essential standard of fairness under the Due Process Clause, and does not extend to imposing procedures that merely displace congressional choices of policy. Our previous discussion has shown that Congress did not intend to require the use of deportation procedures in cases such as this one. Thus, it would be improper simply to impose deportation procedures here because the reviewing court may find them preferable. Instead, the courts must evaluate the particular circumstances and determine what procedures would satisfy the minimum requirements of due process on the reentry of a permanent resident alien.
Second, Plasencia contends that the notice provided her was inadequate. She apparently had less than 11 hours' notice of the charges and the hearing. The regulations do not Page 459 U. S. 36 require any advance notice of the charges against the alien in an exclusion hearing, and the BIA has held that it is sufficient that the alien have notice of the charges at the hearing, In re Salazar, supra, at 169. The United States has argued to us that Plasencia could have sought a continuance. It concedes, however, that there is no explicit statutory or regulatory authorization for a continuance.
Finally, Plasencia contends that she was allowed to waive her right to representation, § 292, 8 U.S.C. § 1362, [Footnote 8] without a full understanding of the right or of the consequences of waiving it. Through an interpreter, the Immigration Law Judge informed her at the outset of the hearing, as required by the regulations, of her right to be represented. He did not tell her of the availability of free legal counsel, but, at the time of the hearing, there was no administrative requirement that he do so. 8 CFR § 236.2(a) (1975). The Attorney General has since revised the regulations to require that, when qualified free legal services are available, the immigration law judge must inform the alien of their existence and ask whether representation is desired. 44 Fed.Reg. 4654 (1979) (codified at 8 CFR § 236.2(a) (1982)). As the United States concedes, the hearing would not comply with the current regulations. See Tr. of Oral Arg. 11.
If the exclusion hearing is to ensure fairness, it must provide Plasencia an opportunity to present her case effectively, though at the same time it cannot impose an undue burden on the Government. It would not, however, be appropriate for us to decide now whether the new regulation on the right to notice of free legal services is of constitutional magnitude, or whether the remaining procedures provided comport with the Due Process Clause. Before this Court, the parties have devoted their attention to the entitlement to a deportation hearing, rather than to the sufficiency of the procedures in the Page 459 U. S. 37 exclusion hearing. [Footnote 9] Whether the several hours' notice gave Plasencia a realistic opportunity to prepare her case for effective presentation in the circumstances of an exclusion hearing without counsel is a question we are not now in a position to answer. Nor has the Government explained the burdens that it might face in providing more elaborate procedures. Thus, although we recognize the gravity of Plasencia's interest, the other factors relevant to due process analysis -- the risk of erroneous deprivation, the efficacy of additional procedural safeguards, and the Government's interest in providing no further procedures -- have not been adequately presented to permit us to assess the sufficiency of the hearing. We remand to the Court of Appeals to allow the parties to explore whether Plasencia was accorded due process under all of the circumstances.
"Normally an entry occurs when the alien crosses the borders of the United States and makes a physical entry, and the question of whether an entry has been made is susceptible of a precise determination. However, for the purposes of determining the effect of a subsequent entry upon the status of an alien who has previously entered the United States and resided therein, the preciseness of the term 'entry' has not been found to be as apparent. Earlier judicial constructions of the term in the immigration laws, as set forth in Volpe v. Smith (289 U.S. 422 (1933)), generally held that the term 'entry' included any coming of an alien from a foreign country to the United States, whether such coming be the first or a subsequent one. More recently, the courts have departed from the rigidity of that rule, and have recognized that an alien does not make an entry upon his return to the United States from a foreign country where he had no intent to leave the United States (Di Pasquale v. Karnuth, 158 F.2d 878 (C.C.A.2d 1947)), or did not leave the country voluntarily (Deladillo v. Carmichael, 332 U. S. 388 (1947)). The bill defines the term 'entry' as precisely as practicable, giving due recognition to the judicial precedents. Thus, any coming of an alien from a foreign port or place or an outlying possession into the United States is to be considered an entry, whether voluntary or otherwise, unless the Attorney General is satisfied that the departure of the alien, other than a deportee, from this country was unintentional or was not voluntary."
344 U.S. at 344 U. S. 600.
I agree that the Immigration and Nationality Act permitted the INS to proceed against respondent in an exclusion Page 459 U. S. 38 proceeding. The question then remains whether the exclusion proceeding held in this case satisfied the minimum requirements of the Due Process Clause. While I agree that the Court need not decide the precise contours of the process that would be constitutionally sufficient, I would not hesitate to decide that the process accorded Plasencia was insufficient. [Footnote 2/1]
The Court has already set out the standards to be applied in resolving the question. Therefore, rather than just remand, I would first hold that respondent was denied due process because she was not given adequate and timely notice of the charges against her and of her right to retain counsel and to present a defense. [Footnote 2/2]
While the type of hearing required by due process depends upon a balancing of the competing interests at stake, due process requires, "at a minimum . . . , that deprivation of life, liberty or property by adjudication be preceded by notice and opportunity for hearing." Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., 339 U. S. 306, 339 U. S. 313 (1950). See, e.g., Bell v. Burson, 402 U. S. 535, 402 U. S. 542 (1971). Permanent resident aliens who are detained upon reentry into this country clearly are entitled to adequate notice in advance of an exclusion proceeding. Page 459 U. S. 39
To satisfy due process, notice must "clarify what the charges are" in a manner adequate to apprise the individual of the basis for the government's proposed action. Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U. S. 539, 418 U. S. 564 (1974). Notice must be provided sufficiently in advance of the hearing to "give the charged party a chance to marshal the facts in his defense." Id. at 418 U. S. 563, 418 U. S. 564 (prisoners charged with disciplinary violations must be given "advance written notice of the claimed violation"). See, e.g., Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U. S. 254, 397 U. S. 267-268 (1970) (welfare recipients must be given "timely and adequate notice detailing the reasons for a proposed termination"); In re Gault, 387 U. S. 1, 387 U. S. 33 (1967) (juvenile must be given notice of "the specific charge or factual allegations" to be considered at delinquency hearing "at the earliest practicable time, and in any event sufficiently in advance of the hearing to permit preparation").
Respondent was not given notice sufficient to afford her a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate that she was not excludable. The Immigration Judge's decision to exclude respondent was handed down less than 24 hours after she was detained at the border on the night of June 29, 1975. By notice in English dated June 30, 1975, she was informed that a hearing would be conducted at 11 o'clock on the morning of that same day, and that the Government would seek to exclude her on the ground that she had "wilfully and knowingly aided and abetted the entry of illegal aliens into the United States in violation of the law and for gain." [Footnote 2/3] It was not until the commencement of the hearing that she was given notice in her native language of the charges against her and of her right to retain counsel and to present evidence.
The charges against Plasencia were also inadequately explained at the hearing itself. [Footnote 2/4] The Immigration Judge did not explain to her that she would be entitled to remain in the Page 459 U. S. 40 country if she could demonstrate that she had not agreed to receive compensation from the aliens whom she had driven across the border. [Footnote 2/5] Nor did the judge inform respondent that the meaningfulness of her departure was an issue at the hearing.
These procedures deprived Plasencia of a fair opportunity to show that she was not excludable under the standards set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Because Plasencia was not given adequate notice of the standards for exclusion or of her right to retain counsel and present a defense, she had neither time nor opportunity to prepare a response to Page 459 U. S. 41 the Government's case. The procedures employed here virtually assured that the Government attorney would present his case without factual or legal opposition.
Because the due process question was squarely addressed in the briefs and at oral argument, there is no doubt that the Court may now decide the issue. See Vance v. Terrazas, 444 U. S. 252, 444 U. S. 258-259, n. 5 (1980), and cases cited therein. In fact, the Court has reached the threshold of deciding the constitutional question. It has identified the deficiencies in the exclusion hearing afforded Plasencia, and it has set forth the standards that it would apply to determine whether the procedures, as described, denied Plasencia due process. I do not see any interest to be served in declining to take the final step of applying these due process standards to the record before us, as the Court of Appeals would otherwise be required to do on remand.