Opinion ID: 3165086
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Unreasonable Detention Claim

Text: When an alien is ordered removed, the Attorney General generally has 90 days to remove the alien from the United States. 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(1)(A). The 90-day period beings to run on the latest of the following: (1) the date the removal order becomes administratively final; (2) the date of a reviewing court’s final order, if the removal order was reviewed by a higher court and a stay of removal was ordered; or (3) the date the alien is released from detention or confinement, if the alien was detained or confined for reasons unrelated to the immigration process. Id. § 1231(a)(1)(B). However, the 90-day removal period may be extended and the alien may remain in detention, “if the alien fails or refuses to make timely application in good faith for travel or other documents necessary to the alien’s departure or conspires or acts to prevent the alien’s removal subject to an order of removal.” Id. § 1231(a)(1)(C). In Zadvydas v. Davis, the Supreme Court considered whether 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(6)—which authorizes detention beyond the 90-day removal period if the 7 Case: 14-15791 Date Filed: 12/23/2015 Page: 8 of 10 alien is, among other things, removable for violations of criminal law—permitted the Attorney General to indefinitely detain an alien. Zadvydas, 533 U.S. at 682; 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(6). In that case, the aliens were detained pending removal, but either every potential receiving country had refused to accept the alien, or there was no repatriation treaty with the potential receiving country. Zadvydas, 533 U.S. at 684, 686. The Court held that six months was a presumptively reasonable time to detain an alien awaiting removal. Id. at 701. After the expiration of the six-month period, if the alien puts forth “good reason to believe that there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future,” the Government must present evidence to rebut that showing. Id. The Court, however, emphasized that this did not mean that every detained alien must be released after six months, as DHS may continue to hold the alien in detention until it is determined that there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future. Id. To state a claim under Zadvydas, we have held that an alien must show that: (1) he has been detained for more than six months following the final order of removal and (2) there is good reason to believe that there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future. Akinwale v. Ashcroft, 287 F.3d 1050, 1052 (11th Cir. 2002). 8 Case: 14-15791 Date Filed: 12/23/2015 Page: 9 of 10 Here, the district court did not err in determining that Petitioner’s three-year detention while awaiting removal was not unreasonable. The parties do not dispute that Petitioner has been in DHS custody awaiting removal since March 2012, or in other words, more than three years. However, Petitioner’s own acts and failure to make timely application in good faith for travel documents has prevented his removal. See 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(1)(C). His refusal to voluntarily sign his travel document or inform Brazil that he is willing to return has extended his removal period beyond the 90 days following the issuance of his Final Administrative Order of Removal. Id. Unlike the petitioners in Zadvydas, who could not be removed because all potential receiving countries either refused to accept the alien or there was no repatriation treaty, Brazil has not refused to accept Petitioner. See Zadvydas, 533 U.S. at 684, 686. In fact, the Consulate has indicated that it cannot issue Petitioner a travel document unless he voluntarily signs for it. It follows that the Consulate would issue Petitioner a travel document if he signed for it and expressed his willingness to return to Brazil. And, if Petitioner were issued a travel document, he would be released from detention and removed. In sum, it is Petitioner who prevents his removal from the United States. Indeed, he even stated in his reply that he would follow the law and arrange for his departure from the United States if he were released from confinement to seek 9 Case: 14-15791 Date Filed: 12/23/2015 Page: 10 of 10 medical treatment. Because Petitioner is responsible for thwarting his removal, he cannot show that there is no reasonable likelihood that he will not be removed in the reasonably foreseeable future if he cooperates with DHS and voluntarily signs for the travel document. See Akindale, 287 F.3d at 1052; Zadvydas, 533 U.S. at 701. Accordingly, the district court did not err in determining that Petitioner’s continued detention was not unreasonable.