Opinion ID: 40366
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Petitioner's Fifth Amendment Claim

Text: 11 Petitioner also claims that the IJ violated his rights pursuant to the Due Process Clause by not allowing his attorney to question him, ending his testimony before he finished speaking, taking into account a sworn affidavit submitted by a deportation officer after the close of the hearing, and by failing to create and preserve a record of the hearing. Because we determine that there is no liberty interest at stake in a motion to reopen, Altamirano cannot establish a due process violation. The decision to grant or deny a motion to reopen is purely discretionary. 8 C.F.R. § 1003.23(b)(1)(iv). Even if a moving party has established a prima facie case for relief, an IJ can still deny a motion to reopen. 8 C.F.R. § 1003.23(b)(3). As we stated in Finlay v. INS, the denial of discretionary relief does not rise to the level of a constitutional violation even if [the moving party] had been eligible for it. Finlay v. INS, 210 F.3d 556, 557 (5th Cir.2000); see also, Assaad v. Ashcroft, 378 F.3d 471, 475 (5th Cir.2004) ([Petitioner's] motion to reopen does not allege a violation of his Fifth Amendment right to due process because `the failure to receive relief that is purely discretionary in nature does not amount to a deprivation of a liberty interest.') (citation omitted). Furthermore, when considering motions to reopen, many judges merely consult the parties' pleadings without even holding a hearing. See, e.g., Ahwazi v. INS, 751 F.2d 1120, 1122-23 (9th Cir.1985). Hence, because there is no liberty interest at stake in a motion to reopen, Altamirano cannot establish a due process violation under the Fifth Amendment. Additionally, we find no other evidence that the IJ abused his discretion in denying Petitioner's motion.