Source: http://openjurist.org/274/f3d/648
Timestamp: 2013-05-24 04:07:08
Document Index: 114624928

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1251', '§ 2254', '§ 2241', '§ 309', '§ 309', '§ 1227', '§ 1227', '§ 1227', '§ 1182', '§ 304', '§ 2241']

In September 1994, the INS began deportation proceedings against Sol, asserting that his 1991 controlled substance conviction rendered him subject to deportation as an alien convicted of a controlled substance offense and as an alien convicted of an aggravated felony. See 8 U.S.C. § 1251(a)(2)(A)(iii), (B)(i) (1994).1 Following a hearing at which the Immigration Judge ("IJ") heard testimony from Sol and other witnesses and considered Sol's record of criminal convictions, the IJ found Sol deportable under Section 241(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA").2 Sol also had sought a waiver of deportation pursuant to Section 212(c) of the INA,3 but the IJ denied that application.
In March 2000, Sol renewed his § 2254 petition in the District Court, claiming, inter alia, that the BIA had abused its discretion in denying him a waiver of deportation. The District Court construed Sol's petition as filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241.4 In denying the petition, the District Court held that because Sol challenged discretionary determinations by the INS, the Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to review the petition. The District Court also found that even if it had jurisdiction, Sol had failed to establish an abuse of discretion by the IJ or the BIA. Sol filed a timely notice of appeal. On appeal, Sol argues that the District Court had subject matter jurisdiction over his petition and that the District Court erroneously concluded that the IJ and the BIA had not abused their discretion.
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act sets forth "transitional" rules that by their terms apply to cases, like Sol's, where the INS began removal proceedings prior to April 1, 1997, and a resulting deportation order became final after October 30, 1996. See IIRIRA § 309(c)(1), (4), 110 Stat. at 3009-625 to -626. The transitional rules provide that "there shall be no appeal permitted in the case of an alien who is... deportable by reason of having committed a criminal offense covered in... section 241(a)(2)(A)(iii), (B), (C), or (D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act." Id. § 309(c)(4)(G), 110 Stat. at 3009-626. The enumerated criminal offenses include any "aggravated felony" and any "violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance... other than a single offense involving possession for one's own use of 30 grams or less of marijuana." 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii), (B)(i). Sol's conviction in July 1991 for cocaine possession is a controlled substance offense within the scope of the statute. Therefore, the statutory language would appear to foreclose any appeal by Sol of the order of deportation entered against him.
In 1996, these sections were transferred to 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii), (B)(i).
Now codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(B)(i).
Under Section 212(c) of the INA, the Attorney General had broad discretion to waive the deportation of any criminal alien who demonstrated that he or she had maintained a lawful domicile in the United States for at least seven years and who had not been convicted of an "aggravated felony" for which he or she served a term of imprisonment of five years or longer. See 8 U.S.C. § 1182(c) (1994). In September 1996, IIRIRA repealed this authority. See IIRIRA § 304(b), 110 Stat. 3009-597.
The District Court properly treated Sol's habeas petition as filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241, because Sol's challenge was to the deportation proceedings initiated as a result of his state conviction, not the constitutionality of that underlying conviction.
Home274 f3d 648 juan ramon sol v. immigration and naturalization service