Opinion ID: 203915
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Removal Proceedings and First Motion to Reopen

Text: Because the merits of Chedid's withholding of removal and CAT claims are not before us, we provide only a brief factual summary of his claims. Chedid, a Lebanese citizen, entered the United States on February 9, 2001, as a nonimmigrant visitor with authorization to remain in the United States until May 8, 2001. The former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) [1] issued a Notice to Appear (NTA) on January 6, 2003, charging petitioner with being subject to removal for overstaying his visa. On May 12, 2003, Chedid appeared with counsel before the IJ and admitted the factual allegations in the NTA and conceded that he was removable as charged. However, he also sought withholding of removal and protection pursuant to the regulations implementing the CAT based on his fear of persecution or torture because of his political opinion and religion. Chedid is a Maronite Christian. After a hearing on September 15, 2004, at which Chedid testified, the IJ issued an oral decision denying his application for withholding of removal and CAT protection. [2] The IJ found that Chedid had failed to carry his burden of establishing that he had been a victim of past persecution in Lebanon on account of one of the statutory grounds, or that it was more likely than not that he would be persecuted or tortured upon his return to that country. However, the IJ granted Chedid's request for voluntary departure and entered an alternate order of removal in case Chedid failed to comply with the grant of voluntary departure by the deadline of November 15, 2004. Chedid, through counsel, timely appealed the IJ's decision to the BIA. On February 21, 2006, the Board affirmed the IJ's decision and extended Chedid's voluntary departure deadline to sixty days from the date of its order, or April 22, 2006. On May 19, 2006, Chedid filed a motion to reopen and remand the proceedings to the IJ. His motion, based on his January 12, 2006 marriage to a United States Citizen, sought a remand to allow him to apply for adjustment of status based on an I-130 immediate relative visa petition that his wife had filed on his behalf on February 23, 2006. The board denied the motion to reopen on June 15, 2006. Because Chedid's counsel, Antonio Sambrano Sorraco (Sambrano), did not file an EOIR-27 form entering his appearance in connection with Chedid's motion to reopen, the Board considered Chedid as proceeding pro se on his motion to reopen. The Board found that Chedid did not qualify for reopening because the motion was filed after the April 22 expiration of the sixty-day voluntary departure period. The BIA also concluded that Chedid had failed to submit sufficient evidence to make out a prima facie case of the bona fides of his marriage, and therefore did not meet his burden for reopening in any event. Chedid did not appeal the Board's June 15, 2006 order to this Court.