Opinion ID: 795965
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jurisdiction to review discretionary decisions

Text: 12 The government first challenges our jurisdiction to consider the BIA's discretionary decisions denying waiver of inadmissibility and finding Ali ineligible for asylum and withholding of removal. Section 1252(a)(2)(B) generally deprives courts of jurisdiction to review discretionary denials of immigration relief, and § 1252(a)(2)(C) strips courts of jurisdiction to review final removal orders against aliens who are removable by reason of having committed certain crimes. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B), (C). But there is an exception for constitutional claims and questions of law: the statute provides that neither subparagraph (B) or (C) of § 1252(a)(2) precludes judicial review of constitutional claims or questions of law raised upon a petition for review filed with an appropriate court of appeals. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(D); Sokolov v. Gonzales, 442 F.3d 566, 569 (7th Cir.2006). 13 So while we lack jurisdiction to review the Attorney General's exercise of discretion to grant or deny relief to an alien (or, more commonly, the discretionary decision of the BIA acting on the Attorney General's behalf), we retain jurisdiction to examine whether the correct legal standard was applied to the alien's claim for relief. See Jean v. Gonzales, 452 F.3d 392, 396 (5th Cir.2006). Accordingly, we proceed to Ali's argument that the BIA evaluated his claims using improper legal standards.