Opinion ID: 792148
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Hamdan's Request for Adjustment of Status

Text: 24 Hamdan's primary argument is that the IJ violated the principle of res judicata by revisiting his asylum application at the adjustment of status hearing. 14 In the opinion denying Hamdan's request for adjustment of status, the IJ commented on Hamdan's asylum application, stating that Hamdan's application [for asylum] is frivolous, frivolous in the sense it had no merit and was not intended really to obtain political asylum but rather to enable the respondent to stay in the United States until his mother was naturalized. Hamdan claims that this pronouncement exceeds the IJ's mandate on remand. He argues that because the IJ did not previously determine that his asylum application was frivolous, his decision on Hamdan's request for adjustment of status indicates that the IJ revisited previous facts that had already been established. 25 The doctrine of res judicata proclaims that a valid and final judgment precludes a second suit between the same parties on the same claim or any part thereof. Medina v. INS, 993 F.2d 499, 503 (5th Cir.1993); see also Dye v. U.S. Farm Servs. Agency, 129 Fed.Appx. 320, 322 (7th Cir.2005) ( Res judicata bars suits where there is a final judgment on the merits; an identity of the issues of the lawsuit; and an identity of the parties or their privies.). Res judicata (as well as the related principle of collateral estoppel) applies to administrative proceedings such as the adjudication of petitions for relief in immigration courts. See Astoria Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. Solimino, 501 U.S. 104, 107-08, 111 S.Ct. 2166, 115 L.Ed.2d 96 (1991); Santana-Albarran v. Ashcroft, 393 F.3d 699, 704 (6th Cir.2005); Johnson v. Ashcroft, 378 F.3d 164, 172 n. 10 (2d Cir.2004); Matter of Barragan-Garibay, 15 I. & N. Dec. 77, 78-79 (BIA 1974). Indeed, [w]hen an administrative agency is acting in a judicial capacity and resolves disputed issues of fact properly before it which the parties have had an adequate opportunity to litigate, the courts have not hesitated to apply res judicata to enforce repose. Astoria Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n, 501 U.S. at 107, 111 S.Ct. 2166 (quoting United States v. Utah Constr. & Mining Co., 384 U.S. 394, 422, 86 S.Ct. 1545, 16 L.Ed.2d 642 (1966)). Although res judicata does apply to immigration proceedings, the concept has no role to play in any proceeding until a final judgment has been reached on an issue. Medina, 993 F.2d at 503; see also Tittjung v. Reno, 199 F.3d 393, 397 n. 2 (7th Cir.1999). 15 26 Despite the myriad of problems that exist with Hamdan's res judicata argument, see supra footnote 15, we need not resolve the issue of whether the IJ violated the principle of res judicata. Even if we were to determine that the IJ's decision on Hamdan's asylum application was final and, going one step further, that the judge had violated the principle of res judicata by revisiting Hamdan's asylum application and questioning Hamdan's credibility during the adjustment of status hearing, the record reveals that the IJ articulated sufficient reasons apart from the suspect nature of Hamdan's asylum application to justify denying him adjustment of status. We have previously held that overt abuse of immigration laws alone is a sufficient reason to deny an alien discretionary relief. See, e.g., Elkins v. Moreno, 435 U.S. 647, 668, 98 S.Ct. 1338, 55 L.Ed.2d 614 (1978); Garcia-Lopez v. INS, 923 F.2d 72, 76 (7th Cir.1991); Achacoso-Sanchez v. INS, 779 F.2d 1260, 1262 (7th Cir.1985); Patel v. INS, 738 F.2d 239, 242 (7th Cir.1984). We have also found that the [a]bsence of good faith entry is considered a critical adverse factor in an application for adjustment of status and that [t]his factor alone may be sufficient to deny adjustment to permanent resident status. Patel, 738 F.2d at 242; see also Elkins, 435 U.S. at 668, 98 S.Ct. 1338 (finding that among the adverse factors considered as militating against the granting of adjustment are such things as entering the United States under fraudulent circumstances). Furthermore, [i]f a sufficient reason for the exercise of discretion to deny an application exists, any ill-advised reason for the denial may be disregarded as mere surplusage. Patel, 738 F.2d at 243. 27 Beyond noting that Hamdan's asylum application seemed suspect based on his testimony at the adjustment of status hearing, the IJ also set forth additional grounds for denying Hamdan's request for adjustment of status. Specifically, the judge highlighted Hamdan's abuse of immigration laws when he obtained a student visa without intending to study at the designated university (as he had represented to the immigration authorities), his failure to attend the university previously designated once he arrived in the U.S, and his failure to return to Jordan as required when his student visa expired. The IJ noted that this was not Hamdan's first deception, as he had entered the U.S. in 1984 allegedly to study but did not, returning to Kuwait after only a brief stay. The IJ also mentioned Hamdan's recent hospitalization to treat his mental illness as well as his subsequent arrest and stated that he would consider these matters in determining Hamdan's worthiness for the relief sought. All of these additional reasons set forth by the IJ in his decision clearly manifested themselves during the adjustment of status hearing and provided sufficient reason for the IJ, in his discretion, to deny Hamdan's request. Because the IJ has supplied additional reasons for denying Hamdan adjustment of status beyond his comments regarding Hamdan's frivolous asylum application, any alleged violation of the principle of res judicata by the IJ would be harmless. 28 Hamdan's only remaining argument is that the IJ violated his right to due process by aggressively questioning him at his adjustment of status hearing. The Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due process in immigration proceedings. Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292, 306, 113 S.Ct. 1439, 123 L.Ed.2d 1 (1993). Furthermore, in extreme cases, an overly aggressive IJ can dominate the proceedings so as to prevent an alien from effectively presenting his case. See Podio v. INS, 153 F.3d 506, 509 (7th Cir.1998). However, in order to make a valid due process claim, a claimant must have a liberty or property interest in the outcome of the proceedings. Dave v. Ashcroft, 363 F.3d 649, 653 (7th Cir.2004). As we have previously ruled, in immigration proceedings, a petitioner has no liberty or property interest in obtaining purely discretionary relief. . . . Id. Thus, an alien's right to due process does not extend to proceedings that provide only discretionary relief, and the denial of such relief does not violate due process. Id.; see also Dandan v. Ashcroft, 339 F.3d 567, 575 (7th Cir.2003) ([T]he decision when to commence deportation proceedings is within the discretion of the Attorney General and does not, therefore, involve a protected property or liberty interest. . . . As such, Dandan's due process argument does not get off the ground.); Nativi-Gomez v. Ashcroft, 344 F.3d 805, 808 (8th Cir.2003); Aguilera v. Kirkpatrick, 241 F.3d 1286, 1292-93 (10th Cir.2001); Huicochea-Gomez v. INS, 237 F.3d 696, 700 (6th Cir.2001); Appiah v. INS, 202 F.3d 704, 709 (4th Cir.2000); Mejia Rodriguez v. Reno, 178 F.3d 1139, 1146-48 (11th Cir.1999). This reasoning has been applied to cancellation of removal cases, see Dave, 363 F.3d at 653, claims of ineffective assistance of counsel, see Nativi-Gomez, 344 F.3d at 808, and claims that the BIA inappropriately streamlined an appeal despite an IJ's use of an inappropriate legal standard, see Garcia v. Att'y Gen. of the U.S., 329 F.3d 1217, 1222-23 (11th Cir.2003). Because adjustment of status is also a form of discretionary relief, see Achacoso-Sanchez, 779 F.2d at 1262-63, Hamdan's due process challenge to the BIA's denial of his request for adjustment of status fails, see Garcia, 329 F.3d at 1222 ([W]here a constitutional claim has no merit, the Court does not have jurisdiction.).