Court Opinion

ID: 9464844
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 23:44:35.178631+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:38:51.076916
License: Public Domain

WALLACE, Circuit Judge,
concurring specially:
I concur in the result reached in the majority’s opinion and agree with most of its analysis. But I do not concur in the statement that “[a]n immigration official may, but need not, deny a motion to reopen deportation proceedings if the official finds that the alien is ineligible for an adjustment of status.”
We need not decide that potentially difficult question until an immigration judge’s decision to grant an ineligible alien’s motion to reopen on adjustment of status grounds is resisted by the government on appeal. That was not the case in Espinosa v. Immigration and Naturalization Service, 404 F.2d 544 (9th Cir. 1968). Thus, Espinosa cannot provide persuasive authority for the dictum. I would reserve comment on this issue until it is properly before us.