Source: http://openjurist.org/327/f3d/887
Timestamp: 2015-03-30 01:36:13
Document Index: 322509575

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1229', '§ 1229', '§ 1252', '§ 304', '§ 1229', '§ 1229']

327 F3d 887 Romero-Torres v. Ashcroft | OpenJurist
327 F. 3d 887 - Romero-Torres v. Ashcroft	Home327 f3d 887 romero-torres v. ashcroft
327 F3d 887 Romero-Torres v. Ashcroft 327 F.3d 887
Jose Cruz ROMERO-TORRES, Petitioner,v.John ASHCROFT, Attorney General, Respondent.
No. 01-71638.
Kevin A. Bove, Escondido, California, for the petitioner.
Robert D. McCallum, Jr., Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, Carl H. McIntyre, Jr., Senior Litigation Counsel, Nancy E. Friedman, Office of Immigration Litigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Washington, D.C., for the respondent.
Jose Cruz Romero-Torres ("Romero") appeals the denial of his application for cancellation of removal. He argues that he meets the statutory requirements for cancellation of removal set forth in 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1);1 specifically, Romero claims that his removal would impose an extreme hardship because his parents rely upon him for emotional and financial support. After a hearing, the Immigration Judge ("IJ") denied his request, finding that Romero was not the primary source of his parents' financial support based on his undisputed contribution to their welfare, that his claimed difficulties were a "common occurrence" in any departure situation, and that he failed to demonstrate that his removal would result in "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" as required under the statute. 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1)(D). The IJ granted Romero's request for voluntary departure. The Board of Immigration Appeals ("BIA") adopted the IJ's decision and dismissed the appeal.
The threshold issue — and one of first impression in this circuit — is whether we have jurisdiction to review the BIA's denial of cancellation based on a rejected claim of "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship."2 Under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 ("IIRIRA"), "no court [has] jurisdiction to review ... any judgment regarding the granting of relief" for cancellation of removal. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B). We join the other circuit that has addressed this issue and conclude that an "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" determination is a subjective, discretionary judgment that has been carved out of our appellate jurisdiction. See Gonzalez-Oropeza v. U.S. Attorney General, 321 F.3d 1331, 1332-33 (11th Cir. Feb.2003).
I. CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL UNDER IIRIRA
Cancellation of removal is a new form of discretionary relief made available by IIR-IRA.3 Pub.L. No. 104-208, Div. C, § 304, 110 Stat. 3009 (1996). Under IIRIRA, deportation and exclusion were merged into the broader category of "removal proceedings." Kalaw v. INS, 133 F.3d 1147, 1149 n. 2 (9th Cir.1997). Cancellation of removal, like suspension of deportation before it, is based on statutory predicates that must first be met; however, the ultimate decision whether to grant relief, regardless of eligibility, rests with the Attorney General. See 8 U.S.C. § 1229(b)(1).
The requirements for cancellation of removal for non-permanent residents are codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1):