Opinion ID: 794810
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 8 Our review of immigration decisions is limited by statute. Congress has eliminated judicial review of both the BIA's discretionary decisions, 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B), and of any final order of removal against an alien who is removable by reason of having committed certain offenses, among them aggravated felonies and controlled substance offenses, 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(C). But these jurisdictional restrictions are subject to two exceptions. First, we retain jurisdiction to examine certain aspects of an alien's removal, even when removal is for an aggravated felony or controlled substance offense. We have explained that, in reviewing final orders of removal for aggravated felonies, [c]ourts of appeals have jurisdiction ... `to determine whether the jurisdictional bar applies. [Courts] may therefore decide whether the petitioner is (i) an alien (ii) deportable (iii) by reason of a criminal offense listed in the statute.' Latu v. Ashcroft, 375 F.3d 1012, 1017 (10th Cir. 2004) (quoting Tapia Garcia v. INS, 237 F.3d 1216, 1220 (10th Cir.2001)). We therefore have jurisdiction to review any of Mr. Ballesteros' claims that challenge the BIA's order of removal by arguing that his plea and conviction do not constitute an offense that warranted removal without relief. 9 The second exception comes from the recently enacted REAL ID Act. In Calcano-Martinez v. INS, 533 U.S. 348, 350 n. 2, 121 S.Ct. 2268, 150 L.Ed.2d 392 (2001), the Supreme Court recognized a narrow exception to § 1252(a)(2)(C)'s broad jurisdiction-stripping provision and noted that courts of appeals retained jurisdiction to review `substantial constitutional challenges' raised by aliens who come within the strictures of § 1252(a)(2)(C). See also Morales Ventura v. Ashcroft, 348 F.3d 1259, 1262 (10th Cir.2003). With the REAL ID Act, Congress expanded this exception to § 1252's jurisdiction-stripping provision. Pub.L. No. 109-13, 119 Stat. 231, 310 (2005). The new subparagraph of § 1252 states that [n]othing in [1252(a)(2)(B) or (C)], or in any other provision of this chapter (other than this section) which limits or eliminates judicial review, shall be construed as precluding review of constitutional claims or questions of law raised upon a petition for review.... 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(D); see Perales-Cumpean v. Gonzales, 429 F.3d 977, 982 n. 4 (10th Cir.2005). Congress expressly intended this new provision to apply retroactively to all final deportation orders. REAL ID Act § 106(b) (noting that the law applies to cases in which the final administrative order of removal, deportation, or exclusion was issued before, on, or after the date of enactment [May 11, 2005].). Consequently, unless another subparagraph of § 1252 precludes our review of Mr. Ballesteros' claims that raise either constitutional or legal questions, we also have jurisdiction to review those claims. 2 10