Opinion ID: 809268
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Second and Fifth Circuit decisions

Text: Since the BIA decided Matter of Wang, two of our sister circuits have considered subsection (h)(3). Though the Second and Fifth Circuits reached different conclusions as to the scope of subsection (h)(3)’s applicability, neither found the language of the CSPA ambiguous and therefore neither deferred to Matter of Wang. See Khalid v. Holder, 655 F.3d 363 (5th Cir. 2011); Li v. Renaud, 654 F.3d 376 (2d Cir. 2011). The Fifth Circuit concluded that the unambiguous language of the CSPA extends automatic conversion and priority date retention to both F2A beneficiaries and aged-out derivative beneficiaries of other family-sponsored petitions. Khalid, 655 F.3d at 374-75. The Fifth Circuit held that because subsection (h)(2) explicitly encompasses both F2A visas and all derivative visas, and subsections (h)(1), (h)(2), and (h)(3) are interdependent, “the statute, as a whole, clearly expresses Congress’ intention about the universe of petitions covered by (h)(3),” and “there is no room for the agency to impose its own answer to the question.” Id. at 371 (internal quotation DE OSORIO v. MAYORKAS 11825 marks omitted). The Fifth Circuit thus declined to defer to the BIA’s interpretation of subsection (h)(3), instead holding that automatic conversion is available for derivative beneficiaries of all family petitions, even when this necessitates a change in the identity of the petitioner. In contrast, the Second Circuit held that an aged-out derivative beneficiary of an F2B petition was not entitled to automatic conversion and priority date retention when his mother filed an F2B petition that named him as a primary beneficiary. Li, 654 F.3d at 383. The Second Circuit concluded that the appellant’s petition could not be automatically converted because “the phrase conversion to an appropriate category refers to a petition in which the category is changed, but not the petitioner.” Id. at 384. According to the Second Circuit, a change in the petitioner forecloses the possibility of automatic conversion.