Opinion ID: 3065361
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whose Hardship Is Relevant

Text: Whose hardship an alien must demonstrate to meet the “extreme hardship” standard under § 216(c)(4)(A) is a question of law we review de novo. The statute itself is silent on the matter: § 216(c)(4)(A) provides only that an alien is eligible for a waiver if he demonstrates that “extreme hardship would result if such alien is removed.”6 In at least one publication, the INS suggested that hardship to the waiver applicant’s spouse and child could be considered. See “INS Responds to Marriage Fraud Questions,” question no. 57, reprinted in 67 Interpreter Releases 314, 341 (Mar. 19, 1990); see also 2 Immigr. L. Serv. 2d (West) § 7:225 (2009). [9] We need not decide the “whose hardship” question here. Although it is unclear which family members the IJ considered in his hardship analysis, the BIA conducted a de novo review and concluded that Singh did not support “his claim of hardship to any of his cited family members with evidence sufficient to establish extreme hardship.” (emphasis added). 5 We note that Singh’s first two arguments turn on questions of law, while the third requires us to review the BIA’s findings of fact. As noted, INA § 242(a)(2)(B)(ii) does not “preclud[e] review of constitutional claims or questions of law raised upon a petition for review filed with an appropriate court of appeals.” § 242(a)(2)(D). Our jurisdiction over questions of law “extends to questions involving the application of statutes or regulations to undisputed facts.” Ramadan v. Gonzales, 479 F.3d 646, 650 (9th Cir. 2007). As Singh’s first two arguments fall under the questions of law category, we could reach those two arguments even if BIA decisions concerning the marriage hardship waiver were otherwise unreviewable. 6 In contrast, the cancellation of removal statute requires an alien to establish, among other things, that “removal would result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to the alien’s spouse, parent, or child, who is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.” INA § 240A(b)(1)(D), 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1)(D) (emphasis added). 716 SINGH v. HOLDER Where the BIA conducts a de novo review, “[a]ny error committed by the IJ will be rendered harmless by the Board’s application of the correct legal standard.” Ghaly v. INS, 58 F.3d 1425, 1430 (9th Cir. 1995); see also Brezilien v. Holder, 569 F.3d 403, 411 (9th Cir. 2009). Because the BIA considered hardship to all the family members discussed in Singh’s testimony, Singh’s claim of legal error fails.