Opinion ID: 71393
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: claim of u.s. citizenship by birth

Text: We shall review Bekou’s claim of United States citizenship de novo unless we find that “a genuine issue of material fact about [Bekou’s] nationality” has been presented to the court, in which case we “shall transfer the proceeding to the district court . . . for a new hearing on the nationality claim and a decision on that claim as if an action had been brought in the district court.” 8 U.S.C. § 4 Case: 09-60235 Document: 00511014041 Page: 5 Date Filed: 01/27/2010 No. 09-60235 1252(b)(5)(A)-(B). See Lopez v. Holder 563 F.3d 107, 110 (5th Cir. 2009) (“[A] court of appeals is directed to conduct a de novo determination based on the record, of an alien’s claim of nationality.” (citing Marquez-Marquez v. Gonzales, 455 F.3d 548, 554 (5th Cir. 2006))); see also Bustamante-Barrera v. Gonzales, 447 F.3d 388, 393 (5th Cir. 2006) (“Under the plain words of 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b)(5)(A), we are empowered to ‘decide [a putative citizen’s] nationality claim’ if we ‘find[] from the pleadings and affidavits that no genuine issue of material fact about [his] nationality is presented.’”); Alwan v. Ashcroft, 388 F.3d 507, 510 (5th Cir. 2004) (“[T]he INA explicitly places the determination of nationality claims in the hands of the courts.” (citation omitted)). Here, transfer to the district court is inappropriate because Bekou has failed to present “a genuine issue of material fact” as to his citizenship. At the proceedings below, the IJ found that “all of the evidence indicate[d] that [Bekou was] born in Togo.” In particular, DHS presented the following evidence establishing that Bekou was a native and citizen of Togo: (1) Bekou’s Togo passport which was issued on March 14, 2006 and lists his nationality as Togolaise, his birth place as Atakpame, Togo, and his date of birth as March 25, 1968; (2) Bekou’s prior Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal, which was signed by Bekou on April 16, 1999 and lists his present nationality as Togolese, his nationality at birth as Togolese, his city of birth as Atakpame, Togo, his birth date as March 25, 1968, and the expiration date of his authorized stay as October 17, 1998; (3) Bekou’s signed and notarized affidavit in support of his Application for Asylum, wherein Bekou states he was born in Atakpame, Togo on March 25, 1968 and is a native and citizen of Togo; (4) an attestation by Komla Clement Nyamikou, the Federal President of the Union of Forces for Change Federation of Wawa (a political organization in which Bekou was active) stating that Bekou was born on March 25, 1968 in Atakpame, Togo; (5) US-Visit records listing Bekou’s nationality and birthplace as Togo; and a 5 Case: 09-60235 Document: 00511014041 Page: 6 Date Filed: 01/27/2010 No. 09-60235 November 7, 2008 memorandum from Bryan Firmin, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Officer stating that “there is no doubt” that the fingerprints submitted with Bekou’s I-589 Asylum Application match a 2008 sample taken while he was in DHS custody. In contrast, nothing in the record supports Bekou’s claim that he was born in the United States. In his petition before this court, Bekou has introduced additional evidentiary documents, such as college transcripts, receipts for tax preparation services, a United States Treasury tax return check, and medical records; however, none of the additional evidence presented is sufficient to establish that a genuine issue of material fact exists with respect to Bekou’s nationality by birth. Bekou’s conclusory allegations that he was born in the United States are insufficient, and “[s]omething more than a fanciful allegation is required . . . when the moving party has met its burden of demonstrating the absence of any genuine issue of material fact.” Paul Kadair, Inc. v. Sony Corp. of Am., 694 F.2d 1017, 1030 (5th Cir. 1983).3 Accordingly, this court shall retain jurisdiction and determine his claim of citizenship by birth. When, as in this case, an alien “asks the [g]overnment to endow him with all the advantages of citizenship[,]” “the burden is on the alien applicant to show his eligibility for citizenship in every respect.” Berenyi v. Dist. Dir., Immigration and Naturalization Serv., 385 U.S. 630, 636-37 (1967). Because citizenship, “once granted, cannot lightly be taken away,” all “doubts ‘should be resolved in favor of the United States and against the claimant.’” Id. at 637 (citing United States v. Macintosh, 283 U.S. 605, 625 (1931) overruled on other grounds by 3 The “genuine issue of material fact” standard is analogous to that governing motions for summary judgment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56. Agosto v. Immigration and Naturalization Serv., 436 U.S. 748, 754 (1978). “We may reasonably assume that, in using the language from Rule 56 as the standard for granting de novo district court hearings on citizenship claims, Congress intended the language to be interpreted similarly to that in Rule 56.” Id. See also Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. 242, 247-48 (1986). 6 Case: 09-60235 Document: 00511014041 Page: 7 Date Filed: 01/27/2010 No. 09-60235 Girouard v. United States, 328 U.S. 61 (1946)). In addition, “the burden of proof shall be upon the claimant . . . to establish the claimed citizenship by a preponderance of the evidence.” 8 C.F.R. § 341.2(c). Bekou has failed to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that he is a citizen of the United States. We agree with the IJ’s determination that the evidence points towards the conclusion that Bekou was born in Atakpame, Togo on March 25, 1968 and therefore not a citizen by birth of the United States.4 For the foregoing reasons, Bekou’s petition for review and claim of United States citizenship are each hereby DENIED. 4 A person may acquire U.S. citizenship through either birth or naturalization. See Miller v. Albright, 523 U.S. 420, 423 (1998). Because Bekou has not alleged or provided any evidence that he is a naturalized U.S. citizen, we will not consider that issue. See NarvizGuerra, 148 F.3d at 537 (“All issues not briefed are waived.” (citation omitted)). 7