Opinion ID: 2996780
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The State Department Profile

Text: A due process challenge alleging unduly prejudicial documentary evidence is also procedural in nature and therefore must be raised before the BIA. As previously quoted, Capric stated in his notice of appeal that the “deportation hearing did not comport with the requirement of due process.” (A.R. 49.) But he failed to make any specific or even general allegations regarding the Profile in his subsequent BIA appeal brief, (A.R. 17-26.) This was not enough to alert the BIA to the issue. Indeed, Capric’s brief to this court contains the first mention of the allegedly prejudicial nature of the Profile. Had Capric properly brought this argument to the BIA’s attention, it could have granted the usual remedy of a new hearing, with a new IJ and/or excluding the Profile entirely or in part. Because Capric did not raise this issue before the BIA, he may not raise it now. Even if we did have jurisdiction to review this issue, Capric’s claim is meritless because he suffered no prejudice as a result of the IJ’s decision to admit the Profile into evidence. First, he had a full opportunity to rebut and challenge the opinions expressed in the Profile. See Gailius v. INS, 147 F.3d 34, 46 n.7 (1st Cir. 1998). Second, nothing in the transcript of either Hearing 1 or 2 demonstrates that the Profile irreparably colored the IJ’s view of ethnic Albanians as a group. Last, the IJ’s decision did not refer to any portion of the Profile which could possibly be construed as prejudicial. Even the language 18 No. 02-3172 which Petitioner vigorously takes issue with,7 when viewed in its complete context, cannot be considered unduly prejudicial. Essentially, Petitioner argues that because the IJ “obviously read [the Profile] . . . [he] was [improperly] influenced by it.” (Pet. Reply Br. at 26.) This conclusory logic is neither persuasive, nor legally sufficient. Even assuming the Profile is impermissibly inflammatory, which we find it is not, the Petitioner has not suffered any identifiable or even likely prejudice. In short, this argument is an attempt to cloak a substantial evidence challenge to the IJ’s decision in due process constitutional garb.