Opinion ID: 771084
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel in Immigration Proceedings

Text: 13 In a deportation hearing, the liberty of an individual is at stake even though it is not technically a criminal proceeding. See Bridges v. Wixon, 326 U.S. 135, 154 (1945). For this reason, [i]t is well established that the Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due process of law in deportation proceedings. Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292, 307 (1993) (citing The Japanese Immigrant Case, 189 U.S. 86, 100 101 (1903)). 14 During deportation proceedings, aliens have a statutory right to be represented by counsel at their own expense. 8 U.S.C. § 1362 (1994). This right is an integral part of the procedural due process to which the alien is entitled. Batanic v. INS, 12 F.3d 662, 667 (7th Cir. 1993) (internal quotation marks omitted). Ineffective assistance of counsel in moving to reopen or reconsider a deportation case occurs when counsel's performance impinged upon the fundamental fairness of the hearing in violation of the fifth amendment due process clause. Rabiu v. INS, 41 F.3d 879, 882 (2d Cir. 1994) (internal quotation marks omitted). Such a deprivation of fundamental fairness is established when (1) '. . . competent counsel would have acted otherwise,' and (2) '[the alien] was prejudiced by [] counsel's performance.' Rabiu, 41 F.3d at 882 (quoting Esposito v. INS, 987 F.2d 108, 111 (2d Cir. 1993) (per curiam)). 3 15 If these conditions are met, the vehicle commonly used to redress claims of ineffective assistance of counsel in deportation proceedings has been an administrative motion to reopen proceedings. See, e.g. Rabiu, 41 F.3d 879 (motion to reopen to permit filing of waiver of deportability based on claim of ineffective assistance of counsel); Esposito, 987 F.2d 108 (motion to reopen to permit filing of appeal based on claim of ineffective assistance of counsel); Castillo Perez v. INS, 212 F.3d 518 (9th Cir. 2000) (motion to reopen to permit filing of applications for asylum and withholding of deportation based on claim of ineffective assistance of counsel). Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel satisfy the general requirement that motions to reopen present new facts that are material and [were] not available and could not have been discovered or presented at the former hearing. 8 C.F.R. § 3.23(b)(3) (2000). 16 In 1990, Congress amended the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide that the Attorney General issue regulations establishing, for the first time, a filing deadline for motions to reopen. In 1996, the Department of Justice issued these regulations which imposed a 90 day filing deadline and limited an alien to only one such motion. See 61 Fed. Reg. 18,900, 18,905 (1996); 8 C.F.R. § 3.23(b)(1) (2000). The question presented is whether equitable tolling applies to this limitations period and, if it does, whether Iavorski's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is sufficient to justify tolling the filing deadline in his case. 17