Opinion ID: 3049765
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: lawyer 1: asylum application

Text: Singh entered the United States on February 15, 1996 on a non-immigrant visa. After overstaying his visa, Singh applied for political asylum and withholding of removal on April 30, 1996. Singh hired a lawyer (“Lawyer 1”) to file his application for asylum and for withholding of removal. Singh’s first claim is that the “legal representative” of Lawyer 1 made 2 The BIA acknowledges and adjudicates IAC claims in immigration proceedings. We note that although alien petitioners do not have a Sixth Amendment right to counsel, precedent in this circuit permits IAC claims as a due process challenge under the Fifth Amendment. See Ortiz v. INS, 179 F.3d 1148, 1153 (9th Cir. 1999). This claim is not coextensive with a Sixth Amendment challenge and, as our cases reflect, the contours of the claim depend on the factual circumstances. But see Magala v. Gonzales, 434 F.3d 523, 526 (7th Cir. 2005). SINGH v. GONZALES 10475 material changes to Singh’s asylum application without his consent in order to present a stronger claim for relief.