Opinion ID: 2648824
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: was in possession of an immigrant visa or

Text: equivalent document and was otherwise admissible to the United States at the time of such admission except for those grounds of inadmissibility specified under paragraphs (5)(A) and (7)(A) of section 1182(a) of this title which were a direct result of that fraud or misrepresentation. 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(1)(H). In lay language, § 1227(a)(1)(H) allows the Attorney General to waive in her/his discretion the removal of certain aliens who were inadmissible (that is, not eligible for legal entry into the United States) at the time they entered the country and are facing removal because they were not admissible at the time of entry. Only aliens with a United States citizen or legal permanent resident relative (such as a spouse) are eligible. These waivers are available to aliens who were inadmissible because they committed certain kinds of immigration fraud as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(C)(i). An alien is inadmissible under that provision if he or she, “by fraud or willfully misrepresenting a material fact, seeks to procure (or has sought to procure or has procured) a visa, other documentation, or admission into the United States or other benefit provided under this chapter . . . .” 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(C)(i) (emphases added). Because of the “sought to procure” language, attempted fraud and completed fraud are equally grounds for inadmissibility under § 1182(a)(6)(C)(i). Contrary to the Eids’ assertions, nothing in the text of either § 1227(a)(1)(H) or § 1182(a)(6)(C)(i) suggests that attempted and completed frauds or willful misrepresentations are not equally subject to waiver. Nor is 15 there any reason to believe that the BIA or the CIS in practice grant waivers only for such completed acts. In support of their claim, the Eids cite only the bare text of § 1227(a)(1)(H) and a single case where an alien who entered the United States based on a fraudulent marriage was granted a waiver, see Vasquez v. Holder, 602 F.3d 1003, 1010-17 (9th Cir. 2010), without any evidence of otherwise eligible aliens being denied waivers because their frauds or willful misrepresentations were merely attempted rather than completed. In this context, the District Court did not err in dismissing this count for failure to state a claim.7