Opinion ID: 449260
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Leonillo Duran's Motion to Reopen

Text: 5 Appellant Leonillo Duran sought reopening of his deportation proceedings in order to apply for asylum under section 208(a) of the Refugee Act of 1980, 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1158(a) (1982), or for a determination under section 243(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1253(h) (1982), that the Attorney General is prohibited from deporting him. 1 The Immigration Judge concluded that Leonillo Duran had not met the new evidence requirement set forth in 8 C.F.R. Sec. 242.22 (1984) and had not reasonably explained his failure to request asylum at his deportation proceeding, as required by 8 C.F.R. Sec. 208.11 (1984). Leonillo does not challenge the Immigration Judge's finding that he has not satisfied the traditional requirements to reopen his case. Rather, he argues that he was unaware of his right to apply for relief under section 208(a) or section 243(h), and that the Immigration Judge should have informed him of that right at the deportation hearing. The Immigration Judge concluded that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) regulations do not require an immigration judge to notify an alien of his right to apply for relief under section 208(a) or section 243(h). We agree. 6 Leonillo maintains that the Immigration Judge's decision is inconsistent with Congress' intent to expand asylum protection to persons subject to persecution in their homelands, as expressed in the Refugee Act of 1980. 2 7 While we are sympathetic to Leonillo's plight, our decision in Ramirez-Gonzalez v. INS, 695 F.2d 1208 (9th Cir.1983), controls here. In Ramirez-Gonzalez, we held that 8 C.F.R. Sec. 242.17(c) does not, by its terms, require notice of the right to apply for asylum on the basis of likely political persecution in the country designated by the alien. Id. at 1212. Notice of the right to apply for asylum is required only where the special inquiry officer, rather than the alien, designates the country to which the alien will be deported. 8 C.F.R. Sec. 242.17(c) (1984). 3 We therefore must affirm the denial of Leonillo's motion to reopen his deportation proceedings. 8