Opinion ID: 420974
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Rosemary's Case

Text: 9 As noted by the Board in its decision, the Immigration Judge found Rosemary deportable on two separate grounds: that she failed to comply with a condition of her G-1 status because notice of her status as a diplomatic employee was never sent to the State Department, and that she failed to maintain her status when she left the employ of the Nigerian Ambassador. 3 We affirm on the basis of the second ground, and find it unnecessary to discuss the first. We therefore do not address Rosemary's arguments that the INS failed to prove that she had not complied with the conditions of her status and that unauthenticated hearsay was used against her. Both these points relate to the first ground on which Rosemary was ruled deportable. 10 The Immigration Judge found that Rosemary was deportable for failing to maintain her G-1 status because she stopped working for the Nigerian Ambassador. Rosemary contends that the Government should have been estopped to argue that she failed to maintain her status because she detrimentally relied on misinformation given by a State Department employee that she could attend college without violating her G-1 status. 11 Neither the Supreme Court nor this Court has decided whether equitable estoppel can operate against the Government in immigration cases. See INS v. Miranda, --- U.S. ----, 103 S.Ct. 281, 282-84, 74 L.Ed.2d 12 (1982) (per curiam); INS v. Hibi, 414 U.S. 5, 8-9, 94 S.Ct. 19, 21-22, 38 L.Ed.2d 7 (1973) (per curiam); Kiu Young Bae v. INS, 706 F.2d 866 (8th Cir.1983). But if estoppel is available in immigration cases, it can be invoked only if the government is guilty of affirmative misconduct. Kiu Young Bae v. INS, 706 F.2d 866. 12 The Board concluded that Rosemary failed to establish affirmative misconduct. It based this conclusion on its factual finding that a misunderstanding had occurred between Rosemary and the employee she spoke to at the U.S. Mission. R. 16. 4 The Board found that the employee must have thought that Rosemary wanted to attend college while remaining employed with the Nigerian Ambassador. A nonimmigrant with a G-1 status can attend school while working for a representative to an international organization. 13 In reviewing final orders of deportation, courts of appeals must accept as conclusive any findings of fact that are supported by substantial evidence. Torabpour v. INS, 694 F.2d at 1122. Substantial evidence exists to support the Board's finding that a misunderstanding occurred. From the testimony Rosemary gave concerning her conversation with the U.S. Mission employee, one could reasonably conclude that a misunderstanding occurred. 5 If a misunderstanding occurred, it is clear that the government did not engage in affirmative misconduct. Therefore, Rosemary's estoppel defense must fail. Even if she had complied with the conditions of her G-1 status, she would still be deportable for failing to maintain that status by leaving the employ of the Nigerian Ambassador.