Opinion ID: 769911
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Avoiding the First Offender Act Issue

Text: 58 The INS argues that we should resolve this case without deciding whether the First Offender Act has been repealed. In support of this argument, it contends that the BIA did not actually decide that the Act was repealed, but only determined that state expungement laws that are counterparts to the Act are no longer to be given effect for immigration purposes. We acknowledge, in fairness to counsel for the INS, that the BIA's decision is far from a model of clarity. In fact, it is extremely difficult to follow its reasoning. However, two considerations lead us to the firm conclusion that the BIA did decide that the Act was repealed. 32 59 First, the Board stated that Congress deliberately did not codify an exception for first offenders in the new definition, despite its awareness of the Act. Roldan, 1999 BIA Lexis at -41. Second, the Board noted that Congress had made an exception to the rule that drug convictions result in deportation -for certain marijuana offenses -and stated that Congress could have made a similar exception for first-time simple drug possession offenses had it chosen to do so. Id. These statements make it clear that, whereas the Board accepted the existence of certain exceptions specified in other parts of the immigration statute, it concluded that the exception for first-time drug possession offenses specified in the Federal First Offender Act did not survive the enactment of the new definition. 60 In any event, even if we were incorrect, and the BIA did in fact decide that expungements under state law are no longer to be given effect without deciding whether the provisions of the Federal First Offender Act were partially repealed by implication, it would still be necessary to decide whether the Act was repealed before the BIA decision could be upheld. Our decisions in Garberding and Paredes establish that aliens may not be treated differently based on the mere fortuity that they happen to have been prosecuted under state rather than federal law, or under different state laws, as there is no rational basis for distinguishing among the affected groups. Paredes, 36 F.3d at 811-12; Garberding, 30 F.3d at 1191. Here, both petitioners could have been prosecuted under the Federal First Offender Act and their offenses have already been expunged under state law. Thus, if the Act has not been repealed, they cannot be deported for those offenses. Id. See also Section VI, infra.