Opinion ID: 706107
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: denials of the motions to reopen

Text: 22 We review the BIA's denials of both the Petitioner's and Jason Caruncho's motions to reopen for abuse of discretion. Padilla-Agustin v. INS, 21 F.3d 970, 973 (9th Cir.1994). We defer to the decision of the BIA unless we find that it acted in a manner arbitrary, irrational, or contrary to law. Id. (quoting Ahwazi v. INS, 751 F.2d 1120, 1122 (9th Cir.1985)); see also Santana-Figueroa v. INS, 644 F.2d 1354, 1356 (9th Cir.1981).
23 The law is well settled that the BIA may deny a motion to reopen for any one of at least three reasons: failure to establish a prima facie case for the relief sought, failure to introduce previously unavailable, material evidence, and a determination that even if these requirements were satisfied, the movant would not be entitled to the discretionary grant of relief which he sought. INS v. Doherty, 502 U.S. 314, 323, 112 S.Ct. 719, 725, 116 L.Ed.2d 823 (1992); see also 8 C.F.R. Sec. 3.2; 8 C.F.R. Sec. 103.5(a)(2). Motions to reopen are permissive forms of relief over which the Attorney General has broad discretion, INS v. Doherty, 502 U.S. 314, 323, 112 S.Ct. 719, 724, 116 L.Ed.2d 823 (1992) (quoting INS v. Rios-Pineda, 471 U.S. 444, 449, 105 S.Ct. 2098, 2102, 85 L.Ed.2d 452 (1985)). 24 The Petitioner argues that the BIA should have granted his motion to reopen because he had just recently retained counsel. His counsel had prepared an appellate brief, which the Petitioner wished to submit. The Petitioner contends that this brief itself constituted new, material evidence justifying a reopening of the deportation proceeding pursuant to 8 C.F.R. Sec. 3.2. He also argues that the BIA applied the wrong standard when it held that his motion to reopen did not meet the heavy burden standard outlined in INS v. Abudu, 485 U.S. 94, 108 S.Ct. 904, 99 L.Ed.2d 90 (1988). 4 We need not decide whether the BIA applied too high a standard, however, because we conclude that, under any standard, Petitioner's appellate brief does not constitute new evidence. 25 The applicable regulation provides in part: 26 Motions to reopen in deportation proceedings shall not be granted unless it appears to the Board that evidence sought to be offered is material and was not available and could not have been discovered or presented at the former hearing.... 27 8 C.F.R. Sec. 3.2 (emphasis added). The Petitioner, however, concedes that he presented no new facts or evidence in his motion to reopen. Rather, he argues that the brief in support of his appeal constitutes new evidence simply because he was previously unable to retain counsel to prepare one. We find this argument less than compelling. Injustice results when new evidence that bears on a petitioner's claims is precluded from consideration; it does not result when identical facts are precluded from being presented in a different format. Faced with the same facts in different form, the BIA had no choice but to deny the motion to reopen, and did not abuse its discretion in doing so. Cf. Doherty, 502 U.S. at 325-26, 112 S.Ct. at 726 (reading section 3.2 as imposing a requirement of unforseeability regarding the evidence presented in the motion to reopen) (plurality opinion). 28 With respect to the denial of Jason Caruncho's motion to reopen, the BIA found that he, too, had failed to present any new evidence. The BIA also took into account his involved history of litigation, concluding that it was a blatant example of the reliance on dilatory tactics to gain an immigration advantage. A.R. at 4. Even assuming that Jason Caruncho and Cherie Sagueco's marriage itself was not entered into for purposes of manipulation, the record nonetheless clearly shows that Jason delayed his deportation at successive moments awaiting Cherie Sagueco's naturalization. In light of his already-prolonged deportation proceeding, Petitioner could reasonably be said to have delayed his deportation while awaiting the naturalization of his wife so that she could sponsor him as a citizen. The BIA did not err in pointing out this strategy. The BIA considered Jason Caruncho's marriage to a newly-naturalized citizen, and exercised its discretion to deny his motion to reopen. Given the near seven-year litigation history leading up to the present claim, we conclude that the BIA was neither arbitrary nor unfair. 29 Jason Caruncho also contends that the BIA abused its discretion by failing to consider his marriage, and the potential hardship to him and his spouse. To be sure, the BIA must state its reasons and show proper consideration of all factors when weighing equities and denying relief. Yepes-Prado v. INS, 10 F.3d 1363, 1366 (9th Cir.1993). The BIA, however, properly considered both of these factors. The government rightly points out that equities flowing from his marriage should be given little weight because it took place on May 15, 1992, three months after the BIA's summary dismissal/final deportation order of February 13, 1992. See Obitz v. District Director of INS, 623 F.2d 1331, 1333 n. 2 (9th Cir.1980) (en banc) (suggesting that an alien's marriage entered into subsequent to an order of deportation does not create substantial equities in the alien's favor). 30 Furthermore, the BIA has the authority to construe 'extreme hardship' narrowly should [it] deem it wise to do so. INS v. Jong Ha Wang, 450 U.S. 139, 145, 101 S.Ct. 1027, 1031, 67 L.Ed.2d 123 (1981) (per curiam). The BIA reasonably and within its discretion concluded that Jason Caruncho and his wife would not suffer extreme hardship either from going to the Philippines together, or from separating temporarily. As both the BIA and the government note, Jason Caruncho is not barred from immigrating to the United States through the consular process outside of the country. 31 The BIA's denials of both Petitioner's and Jason Caruncho's motions to reopen are affirmed.