Opinion ID: 3001393
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mallari

Text: On appeal, in addition to the arguments raised by the other petitioners in relation to the § 212(c) waiver issue, Mallari contends that the law of the case doctrine required the IJ to consider his request for a § 212(c) waiver.8 As noted above, the IJ originally denied Mallari § 212(c) relief because he lacked the requisite seven years of residency then required for such a waiver. On appeal to the Board, the Board remanded his case to the IJ for consideration of Mallari’s request for a § 212(c) waiver. Mallari argues that because the Board previously remanded the case to the IJ to allow him to apply for a § 212(c) waiver, the law of the case doctrine bars the Board from now ruling that he is not entitled to a § 212(c) waiver. The law of the case doctrine generally provides that “once an appellate court either expressly or by necessary 8 In his appellate brief, Ibarra states in passing: “The law of this case therefore is that the Petitioner is statutorially eligible under St. Cyr.” See Ibarra Petitioner Brief at 21. Ibarra, however, did not further develop this argument and has thus forfeited it. See Boyle, 484 F.3d at 946. 32 Nos. 06-3717, 06-3841, 06-3979, 07-1199 & 07-1670 implication decides an issue, the decision will be binding upon all subsequent proceedings in the same case.” Key v. Sullivan, 925 F.2d 1056, 1060 (7th Cir. 1991). The law of the case doctrine has been applied to agency proceedings. Id. See also Zhang v. Gonzales, 434 F.3d 993, 998 (7th Cir. 2006). However, the law of the case doctrine is inapplicable in this case because the Board never ruled that Mallari was entitled to a § 212(c) waiver. Rather, the Board remanded the case to allow Mallari to seek a § 212(c) waiver, noting that he now met the required seven years of residency. The Board never addressed the merits of Mallari’s petition for § 212(c) relief. Nor did the Board address the question of whether Mallari’s basis for removal had a comparable ground in § 212(a). Accordingly, the law of the case doctrine does not apply. See Key, 925 F.2d at 1061 (holding that “the law of the case doctrine comes into play only with respect to issues previously determined”). Mallari also seeks to challenge on appeal the Board’s denial of his motion to remand. As noted above, while Mallari’s appeal from the IJ’s denial of his request for a § 212(c) waiver was pending before the Board, Mallari requested a remand to pursue adjustment of status on the basis of an approved relative visa petition filed by his adult son who is a United States citizen. The government opposed Mallari’s motion to remand. On September 21, 2006, the Board dismissed Mallari’s appeal, concluding that Mallari was ineligible for a waiver under § 212(c). The Board further held that while he might be eligible for an adjustment of status on the basis of a relative visa petition, Mallari had failed to establish any discretionary considerations favoring remand and therefore failed to meet his heavy burden of proving that reopening the Nos. 06-3717, 06-3841, 06-3979, 07-1199 & 07-1670 33 proceedings was warranted. Mallari challenges the Board’s denial of his motion to remand. As with Ibarra’s motion to reopen, we lack jurisdiction to consider Mallari’s challenge to the Board’s denial of his motion to remand. Mallari was charged with removability as an aggravated felon and § 1252(a)(2)(C) precludes all judicial review, other than for constitutional and legal claims. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(C). See supra at 51-52. Mallari argues alternatively that if § 1252(a)(2)(C) acts to bar this court from having jurisdiction over the Board’s decision to deny his remand request, the issue is still properly before this court pursuant to § 1252(a)(2)(D), as an issue involving constitutional dimensions. Mallari then posits that “[g]iven the utter lack of attention to Mr. Mallari’s life circumstances along with the significant error of facts contained in the Board’s decision, it appears Mr. Mallari’s constitutional right to due process was violated as the Board’s decision is truly void of any discretion.” Petitioner Mallari’s Reply Brief at 10. Again, we stress that “petitioner may not create the jurisdiction that Congress chose to remove simply by cloaking an . . . argument in constitutional garb . . . .” Torres-Aguilar v. INS, 246 F.3d at 1271. Rather, a constitutional claim “would at least have to be colorable” before a court will exercise jurisdiction to review such a claim or question. Id. “To be colorable in this context . . . the claim must have some possible validity.” Id. (internal quotation omitted). In this case, Mallari failed to present even a colorable due process claim. While a permanent resident alien is entitled to due process, such process is provided in the form of notice of the charges against him and a meaningful opportunity to be heard at a deportation hearing. Kwong Hai Chew v. Colding, 344 U.S. 590, 596-98 34 Nos. 06-3717, 06-3841, 06-3979, 07-1199 & 07-1670 (1953). In this case, Mallari received both notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard during the removal proceedings. Due process does not require the Board to provide for additional hearings on remand, and an alien does not have a constitutionally protected interest in receiving discretionary relief. Therefore, Mallari’s claim that the Board erred in denying his request for remand fails to state a colorable constitutional claim. We accordingly lack jurisdiction to review that issue on appeal.