Opinion ID: 75280
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Before addressing the merits of Farquharson’s appeal, we must consider whether we have jurisdiction to hear his petition. Section 106 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”), 8 U.S.C. § 1105(a), as amended by section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 (“IIRIRA”) governs this Court’s jurisdiction. Although most of IIRIRA’s provisions apply only to proceedings commenced on or after April 1, 1997, 2 After filing this petition, Farquharson also filed a petition with the district court for a writ of habeas corpus, 28 U.S.C. § 2241, in which he raised the same arguments he raised in his petition for review with this Court. The district court dismissed Farquharson’s habeas petition for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because his petition for direct review was pending before this Court. Farquharson appealed from the judgment of the district court, and that appeal (No. 00-13647) was consolidated with his petition for review (No. 00-11807). In addressing Farquharson’s petition for review we reach all of the issues raised in Farquharson’s habeas petition; therefore, we dismiss as moot Farquharson’s appeal of the district court’s dismissal. 5 IIRIRA adopted transitional rules which apply in the case of an alien who is in exclusion or deportation proceedings before April 1, 1997, where the final order is entered after October 31, 1996. See Alanis-Bustamante v. Reno, 201 F.3d 1303, 1306 (11th Cir. 2000). IIRIRA’s transitional rules apply to Farquharson because his deportation proceedings were commenced before April 1, 1997, and the final deportation order was entered after October 31, 1996. IIRIRA’s transitional rules provide that “there shall be no appeal permitted in the case of an alien who is inadmissible or deportable by reason of having committed a criminal offense” described in specific enumerated sections. IIRIRA §309(c)(4)(G), reprinted in 8 U.S.C. § 1101 note. Notwithstanding this restriction, this Court retains jurisdiction to determine whether an alien is deportable under the immigration statute. See Lettman v. Reno, 168 F.3d 463, 465 (11th Cir. 1999). Because judicial review is limited by statutory conditions, courts retain jurisdiction to determine whether those conditions exist. See id. As explained in Lettman, this determination involves considering whether the petitioner is (1) an alien (2) deportable (3) by reason of a criminal offense listed in the statute. See id. We thus have jurisdiction over Farquharson’s petition for direct review to determine whether the BIA correctly concluded that Farquharson is deportable. 6