Opinion ID: 669805
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 8 The BIA had jurisdiction to review the immigration judge's decision under 8 C.F.R. Secs. 3.1(b)(2), 242.21 (1993). In general, we have jurisdiction to review the BIA's order pursuant to 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1105a(a). 9 However, Rashtabadi raises two arguments in his petition to this court that he did not raise before the BIA. He argues that his admission of deportability should be overturned because the immigration judge failed to advise him of his constitutional and statutory rights before accepting his admission, and because his attorney admitted deportability without his consent. We lack jurisdiction to resolve either of these issues. 10 Absent overriding justification, an alien must exhaust his administrative remedies prior to seeking review of a deportation order. Failure to raise an issue in an appeal to the BIA constitutes a failure to exhaust remedies with respect to that question and deprives this court of jurisdiction to hear the matter. 11 Vargas, 831 F.2d at 907-08 (citation omitted); accord Contreras-Buenfil v. INS, 712 F.2d 401, 404 (9th Cir.1983); see 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1105a(c). An exception to the exhaustion requirement has been carved for constitutional challenges to the Immigration and Naturalization Act and INS procedures. El Rescate Legal Servs., Inc. v. Executive Office of Immigration Review, 959 F.2d 742, 746-48 (9th Cir.1991). Because the BIA has no jurisdiction to adjudicate constitutional issues, the Act's exhaustion requirement does not preclude petitioners from raising them for the first time before the Court of Appeals. Bagues-Valles v. INS, 779 F.2d 483, 484 (9th Cir.1985). 12 Notwithstanding the exception, a petitioner cannot obtain review of procedural errors in the administrative process that were not raised before the agency merely by alleging that every such error violates due process. Reid v. Engen, 765 F.2d 1457, 1461 (9th Cir.1985). Those allegations do not guarantee review in the court of appeals of procedural errors correctable by the administrative tribunal. Id.; accord Bagues-Valles, 779 F.2d at 484. 13 Rashtabadi's allegations of due process violations are exactly the sorts of procedural errors which require exhaustion. Given the opportunity, the BIA could have corrected any of the alleged procedural errors. See Matter of Lemhammad, Interim Decision No. 3151 at 12, 1991 WL 353518 at  14- 16 (BIA1991) (alleged denial of right to confront witnesses); Matter of Duran, Interim Decision No. 3101 at 3, 1989 WL 331857 at  4 (BIA1989) (immigration judge's alleged failure to advise alien of his rights and other due process violations). Thus, since Rashtabadi did not present his arguments to the BIA, we have no jurisdiction to resolve them. 14 To the extent that Rashtabadi argues that because he was represented on appeal by the same counsel who represented him at his deportation hearing, he could not raise his consent claim, he can move the Board to reopen his appeal. Vides-Vides v. INS, 783 F.2d 1463, 1470 (9th Cir.1986) (discussing raising ineffective assistance claims before the BIA on a motion to reopen after substituting counsel); Roque-Carranza v. INS, 778 F.2d 1373, 1373-74 (9th Cir.1985) (same); see 8 C.F.R. Secs. 3.2, 3.8(a) (1993) (procedures for motion to reopen or reconsider). Thus, we dismiss this part of his petition for lack of jurisdiction.