Opinion ID: 5584
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ogbemudia's Due Process Claim

Text: Ogbemudia's due process claim contains two elements. He first argues that the IJ's decision not to release him on bond, and the effect that decision had on his ability to retain counsel, violated his due process rights. Second, he insists that this court's decision in Partible v. INS10 entitles him to a new proceeding. We address each contention in turn. We note at the outset that even though Congress has provided by statute that an alien has a right to obtain counsel at his own expense,11 an alien does not have a Sixth Amendment right to counsel in an immigration proceeding.12 Nevertheless, the absence of an attorney may create a due process violation if the defect impinged upon the fundamental fairness of the hearing in violation of the fifth amendment,13 and there was substantial prejudice.14 Despite his need to surmount this stringent standard, Ogbemudia still insists that the IJ's refusal to grant him bond prevented him from obtaining counsel and therefore violated his due process rights. We find this argument to be wholly without merit. Although obtaining counsel while in detention pending a hearing may prove inconvenient, it does not rise to the level of a due process violation. This is especially true in the instant case, given that the IJ allowed Ogbemudia an entire month within which to obtain counsel. Like all aliens detained for deportation, Ogbemudia was given a list of attorney's who would represent him at a reduced fee or for no fee at all. Yet, during his month in detention, Ogbemudia phoned only two attorneys, both of whom were reluctant to represent him, the second one for financial reasons only. Apparently Ogbemudia made no attempt to contact any other private attorneys or to obtain free legal service. We note that, in addition to the ample time Ogbemudia had within which to retain legal 10 600 F.2d 1094 (5th Cir.1979). 11 8 U.S.C. § 1362. 12 Paul v. United States INS, 521 F.2d 194, 197 (5th Cir.1975). 13 Id. at 198. 14 Patel v. United States INS, 803 F.2d 804, 807 (5th Cir.1986). representation, he had several other advantages normally not possessed by a detained immigrant. Ogbemudia was educated in the United States; he had first hand knowledge of both deportation and criminal proceedings; and he had outside help available in the persons of his common-law wife and his cousin, both of whom were conveniently located nearby in Houston. Given all these advantages, Ogbemudia's failure to obtain counsel is exactly that—his failure. The blame cannot be shifted to the IJ or the INS. Also without merit is Ogbemudia's reliance on this court's decision in Partible. In that case, a panel of this court held that the BIA abused its discretion in refusing to reopen the deportation proceedings of an immigrant nurse who had waived counsel. The proceeding involved the conditions of her nonimmigrant status and state law restrictions on the services she legally could perform. The court found t hat the waiver was not knowing, that the IJ had not explained the complexity of her dilemma, and that the outcome of the deportation proceeding might have been different if she had had benefit of counsel. The factual distinctions between the situation of the immigrant in Partible and Ogbemudia's circumstances persuade us that Partible does not require a reversal of the BIA's decision here. The court in Partible ascribed some fault to the IJ for failing to explain the complexity of the immigrant's situation. In asylum cases like Ogbemudia's, however, it is well established that an IJ does not have an obligation to explain the asylum procedures unless the immigrant expresses some reluctance to return to his homeland. Here, Ogbemudia expressed no objection to returning to Nigeria; to the contrary, he specifically designated that country when asked. Moreover, as we explained above, Ogbemudia's lack of counsel cannot be blamed on the IJ, but is solely the result of Ogbemudia's lack of diligence. In addition, implicit in Partible is the court's concern for the immigrant's lack of knowledge concerning her predicament. Such a concern is not warranted for Ogbemudia, however, who had almost every advantage an alien could have—education, familiarity with the system, local family support and, most importantly, an entire month in which to obtain an attorney. Ogbemudia's predicament, such as it is, has resulted almost entirely from his own negligence and lack of diligence. Consequently, we conclude that Partible provides him no relief.