Opinion ID: 3015327
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Last Habitual Residence

Text: “A grant of asylum allows an otherwise-removable alien to stay in the United States.” Abdulai, 239 F.3d at 545. “Subject to numerous exceptions not implicated in this case, the Attorney General may grant asylum to an alien he determines to be a refugee.” Id. (internal citation omitted). A “refugee” is defined as any person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of decision is entitled to deference. 10 persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42) (emphasis added). Paripovic argued below—and the IJ accepted—that Paripovic is a “stateless” individual. He strenuously argues that the IJ should have determined that he last habitually resided in Croatia. The IJ reasoned: In this case the Court determines that the respondent last habitually resided in Serbia. He resided in Serbia from August of 1991 to December of 1993. The Immigration and Nationality Act defines the concept of residence and it states the “term residence means the place of general abode; the place of general abode of a person means his principal, actual dwelling place in fact, without regard to intent.” Particularly relevant there in this definition is the issue of intent. The respondent may well not have intended to stay in a refugee camp his whole life, but the Court feels that the amount of time he spent there makes it fairly clear that his last place of habitual residence was Serbia. 11 Under Chevron, we must determine whether “the statute is silent or ambiguous with respect to the specific issue,” and, if so, “whether the agency’s answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute.” Chevron, 467 U.S. at 843; see also Okeke v. Gonzales, 407 F.3d 585, 588 (3d Cir. 2005). Here, the INA states that an individual’s refugee status shall be determined “in the case of a person having no nationality” by his or her relationship with the “country in which such person last habitually resided,” § 1101(a)(42), but it nowhere clarifies the meaning of “last habitually resided.” Given the silence as to the meaning on this specific issue, we consider whether the answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute. Though “last habitually resided” is undefined, the INA does define the term “residence” as “the place of general abode; the place of general abode of a person means his principal, actual dwelling place in fact, without regard to intent,” 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(33); cf. 8 C.F.R. § 214.7(4)(i) (defining “habitual residence” for determining citizenship of the territories and possessions of the United States as the “place of general abode or a principal, actual dwelling place of a continuing or lasting nature”). It was for this reason that the IJ concluded that Paripovic’s intent was irrelevant to the analysis. Paripovic argues that it was not his choice to live in Serbia, and therefore it should not be deemed to be his place of last habitual residence. This argument, however, essentially replaces the notion of “intent” with the concept of “choice.” They are too similar to provide a basis for concluding that the IJ, given due 12 deference, erred in his analysis. Although the IJ does not expressly define “habitual,” his reasoning makes clear that he understood this term to relate to the “amount of time [Paripovic] spent there.” “Habitual” may be defined as “established by long use” or “usual.” See Chen v. Mayflower Transit, Inc., 315 F. Supp. 2d 886, 911 n.22 (N.D. Ill. 2004) (citing The American Heritage College Dictionary 609 (3d ed. 2000) (defining “habitual” as, inter alia, “[e]stablished by long use; usual”)). Thus it was permissible (if not necessary) for the IJ to consider the duration of time that Paripovic lived in Serbia. Having concluded that the IJ’s interpretation of the statute was permissible, we next consider whether his factual findings were supported by substantial evidence. There is no dispute that Paripovic resided in Serbia for more than two years in a permanent (or at least semi-permanent) dwelling. These facts are sufficient given our narrow standard of review. Lastly, Paripovic argues that the fact that he lived in Serbia under duress negates the “habitual” finding. There is no evidence, however, that he was prevented from leaving Serbia, and as a result we cannot say we are compelled to reach a contrary conclusion. Thus, the last habitual residence determination by the IJ is supported by substantial evidence. 13