Opinion ID: 2974609
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: voluntary departure claim

Text: According to 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B)(i), “no court shall have jurisdiction to review any judgment regarding the granting of relief under section . . . 1229c [the section regarding voluntary departure].” However, according to § 1252(a)(2)(D), subsection (B) does not preclude this court from reviewing constitutional claims or questions of law. Thus, while our jurisdiction is limited with respect to voluntary departure determinations, where voluntary departure raises a constitutional or legal question, we retain jurisdiction. Patel makes two arguments with respect to voluntary departure. The first argument is constitutional and the second is a question of law. Therefore, we have jurisdiction to review both arguments and will examine each in turn. No. 06-3197 Patel v. Gonzales Page 4
Patel claims that because the BIA expressly overturned the IJ’s finding that Patel was a persecutor, and because the IJ relied solely on this finding in denying Patel’s request for voluntary departure, the BIA was obligated to rule on Patel’s briefed argument that he was entitled to voluntary departure. According to Patel, the BIA’s failure to address this argument was a violation of his right to due process. Questions of law in a deportation order are reviewed de novo. Huicochea-Gomez v. INS, 237 F.3d 696, 699 (6th Cir. 2001). “Fifth Amendment guarantees of due process extend to aliens in deportation proceedings, entitling them to a full and fair hearing.” Id. The Fifth Amendment prohibits “depriv[ation] of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” U.S. CONST. amend V; Voyticky v. Vill. of Timberlake, 412 F.3d 669, 679 (6th Cir. 2005). To prevail, Patel first must show that the BIA’s failure to consider his voluntary departure claim deprived him of a liberty interest. However, we have previously held that “‘[t]he failure to be granted discretionary relief [such as voluntary departure] does not amount to a deprivation of a liberty interest.’” Ali v. Ashcroft, 366 F.3d 407, 412 (6th Cir. 2004) (alterations in original) (quoting Huicochea-Gomez, 237 F.3d at 700). Because there was no deprivation of a liberty interest, Patel’s due process claim is without merit.
Patel also raises the argument that the BIA failed to use any discretion, in that, while it adopted and affirmed the IJ’s decision, it rejected the IJ’s determination that Patel was a persecutor. Because the IJ based his decision to deny Patel’s request for voluntary departure exclusively on the grounds that Patel was a persecutor himself, it was illogical for the BIA ultimately to affirm the IJ’s decision in full. The BIA Decision was silent on the question of voluntary departure. The only way to make sense of the BIA Decision is to conclude that the BIA did not exercise any discretion whatsoever. We conclude that, as a matter of law, when the BIA rejects the underlying reason for an IJ’s decision to deny voluntary departure, and then makes no determination of its own on the voluntary departure issue, the BIA has not exercised any discretion. Therefore, we remand to the BIA so that it may exercise its discretion on the question of whether Patel is entitled to voluntary departure.