Opinion ID: 713622
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: 2 Barnas, a native and citizen of Poland, entered the United States in March 1986 under a visa admitting him as a visitor for pleasure. He did not leave the country before the visa expired, and in 1987 he was declared to be in the United States illegally. Barnas conceded deportability, but he applied for asylum/witholding of deportation based upon his participation in the Solidarity movement. The petition was denied in 1990 and Barnas was granted voluntary departure. He appealed, and the Board of Immigration Appeals denied his petition on July 14, 1994. It granted Barnas thirty days for voluntary departure. Barnas failed to seek review of or appeal the Board's decision. He also failed to leave the United States. 3 On December 29, 1994, the INS directed Barnas to present himself for deportation on January 17, 1995. On January 13, Barnas petitioned the BIA to reopen his deportation proceedings and suspend his deportation. He relied upon changed circumstances in the form of his marriage to a lawful permanent resident on August 6, 1994, the birth of his United States citizen child on December 9, 1994, and his acquisition of real estate (a home purchased September 15, 1994) and business assets. The Board determined that Barnas had failed to establish prima facie eligibility for suspension of deportation because he did not establish that he, his wife, or his child would suffer extreme hardship. Alternatively, it concluded that it would deny his petition even if he had presented a prima facie case. It denied the motion on April 18, 1995, and Barnas timely appealed.