Opinion ID: 195168
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Underlying Deportation

Text: 2 Smith, a citizen of Jamaica, lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident. In March of 1989, Smith was convicted for unlawful possession of a firearm and trafficking in cocaine. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) subsequently commenced deportation proceedings against Smith by issuing an order to show cause. On September 11, 1991, Smith was arrested and served with the order to show cause. 3 On September 20, 1991, Smith appeared before the immigration court and informed the immigration judge that he was represented by Paul Carrigan, a Boston attorney. The immigration judge informed Smith that he should appear with his attorney for a deportation hearing on September 27, 1991. The judge also told Smith that there would be a bond hearing on the same day. Smith contends that he did not know that the deportation hearing would take place on September 27, 1991; rather, he thought there would only be a bond hearing on that date. 4 Smith appeared at the September 27, 1991 hearing. Attorney Carrigan did not appear. Another attorney, Manny Daskal, however, did appear on behalf of Smith, but only with respect to the bond aspects of the hearing. At this hearing, when the immigration judge asked Smith if he had counsel to represent him for the deportation hearing, Smith replied that he did not. The immigration judge then told Smith that he had been given ample time to obtain counsel, and that the judge was going forward with the deportation hearing with Smith representing himself. 5 The deportation hearing then commenced, and the immigration judge explained the procedure that would be followed. After the evidence had been introduced, the immigration judge told Smith that based on the types of offenses of which he had been convicted, a waiver was not available to Smith. The immigration judge then issued an oral order of deportation. 6 The immigration judge then announced that notices of appeal had to be filed by October 7, 1991, and explained the appeal process to Smith. On October 9, 1991, Smith filed an appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals in which Smith claimed that the immigration judge erred by failing to consider the fact that he had five children living in Boston, and that his wife was mentally ill. Smith did not claim that he had been denied his right to counsel at the deportation hearing. On November 14, 1991, before any action was taken with respect to Smith's appeal, Attorney Carrigan sent a letter to the INS stating, in pertinent part: I am an attorney for Tyrone Smith. I hereby withdraw any pending appeals he may have regarding the above referenced deportation matter. Smith himself also submitted a handwritten statement withdrawing his appeal.