Opinion ID: 3053055
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to analyze how removal would affect the

Text: citizen-children Petitioners next argue that the IJ committed legal error by focusing only upon the children’s present medical conditions and by failing to analyze how their parents’ deportation would affect the citizen-children in the future. 6 Petitioners also argue that the IJ erred when the IJ failed to consider the most important factors set forth in BIA and Ninth Circuit precedent for determining whether qualifying citizen-children would suffer “exceptional and extremely unusual hardship” if their parents were removed. Because we grant the petition based upon the other challenges, we do not reach the question of whether the IJ made a legal error by failing to consider certain factors. 12626 FIGUEROA v. MUKASEY [9] Petitioners are correct. The IJ read the statute and BIA case law as requiring him to determine whether the children were currently suffering from an exceptional and extremely unusual hardship, whereas the law requires the IJ to consider whether the citizen-children would suffer an exceptional and extremely unusual hardship in the future should their parents be removed. See 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1)(D) (stating that the alien must “establish[ ] that removal would result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to the alien’s . . . child, who is a citizen of the United States”) (emphasis added); Cabrera-Alvarez, 423 F.3d at 1012 (“If the children will accompany the removed parent, the agency considers . . . adverse conditions that [the children] might experience in the country of removal[.]” (citing In re Monreal, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 63-64)); In re Recinas, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 468 (“We . . . noted that, in deciding a cancellation of removal claim, consideration should be given to the age, health, and circumstances of the qualifying family members, including how a lower standard of living or adverse country conditions in the country of return might affect those relatives.”); In re Monreal, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 58 (“[A]n alien must show that his or her qualifying relative would suffer exceptional and extremely unusual hardship if the alien is deported.”). For example, the IJ stated: The 8 year old child has astigmatism and has a [sic] ocular disorder with a history that runs in the family. The Court cannot find that astigmatism and wearing eyeglasses which is a common occurrence rises to the level of exceptional and extremely unusual hardship. I cannot find that this medical condition, not to take lightly, but people wear glasses because they can’t see. While it may be a hardship to the person, I think that Congress intended not to include someone who had an astigmatism. FIGUEROA v. MUKASEY 12627 IJ Opinion at 23. As for the son, Louis, the IJ also analyzed his present condition and not what effect the removal would have on him: L[o]uis is a 13 year old child who has ADHD. . . . [Louis] receives resources and special help to help him maintain his grade point average for two hours and 40 minutes a week. He . . . receives the help of a medical psychological social worker . . . [T]his Court does not take lightly the medical diagnosis of attention deficit disorder, but the Court believes that when it looks at the services that are provided and looks at the test scores of this child, and looks at documents that have been presented, the Court believes that on this (indiscernible) hardship to exceptional and extremely unusual hardship, the Court cannot find that Luis’ condition is compelling or serious enough to rise to the level of exceptional and extremely unusual hardship. IJ Opinion at 24. [10] The IJ has, thus, misconstrued the statute and BIA precedent. The inquiry is whether, in the event of the parents’ removal, the Alvarezes’ daughter’s eye condition would create an exceptional hardship in the country of return and whether Louis’ ADHD and depression would create an exceptional hardship for him in the country of return. It is a futureoriented analysis, not an analysis of their present conditions. Congress did not provide for the exercise of discretion based upon whether the citizen-children already faced an extremely unusual hardship as they live in the United States; rather, Congress intended that discretion in cancellation of removal cases be exercised on the basis of whether removal would result in an exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to the citizen-children. “[I]t is clear that BIA does not exercise its discretion when it acts in a matter contrary to law. Because the BIA did so 12628 FIGUEROA v. MUKASEY here, we review its determination, reverse its decision, and remand for further proceedings consistent with the opinion.” Hernandez, 345 F.3d at 849. [11] Because the IJ acted contrary to law by looking only to the children’s current condition and not to the citizenchildren’s future condition in the event of their parents’ removal in making his hardship determination, we reverse the BIA’s decision and remand for further proceedings.