Court Opinion

ID: 2963585
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:12:26.695713+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:42:43.325250
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

          September 5, 1995
                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]
                            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT

                                 ____________________

        No. 95-1137

                              ALFORD CHRISTOPHER CLARK,

                                     Petitioner,

                                          v.

                       IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE,

                                     Respondent.

                                 ____________________

                          ON PETITION FOR REVIEW OF AN ORDER

                         OF THE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                                Cyr, Boudin and Lynch,
                                   Circuit Judges,
                                   ______________

                                 ____________________

            Alan M. Pampanin and Bennett R. Savitz on brief for petitioner.
            ________________     _________________
            Frank  W.  Hunger, Assistant  Attorney  General,  Civil  Division,
            _________________
        Philemina  McNeill Jones  and  John  J.  Andre, Attorneys,  Office  of
        ________________________       _______________
        Immigration Litigation Civil Division, on brief for respondent.

                                 ____________________

                                 ____________________

                      Per  Curiam.      Petitioner  Alford  Clarke  seeks
                      ___________

            judicial review of a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) order

            that dismissed his appeal  from an Immigration Judge's denial

            of  his motion  to reopen  deportation proceedings  after the

            petitioner was ordered deported in absentia.  The immigration
                                            __ ________

            judge  entered the  deportation  order  after the  petitioner

            failed to appear on time for a hearing on his application for

             212(c) relief.  See 8 U.S.C.  1182(c).
                             ___

                 We have thoroughly reviewed  the record and the parties'

            briefs  on  appeal.   We find  no  merit in  the petitioner's

            arguments.   It is well established that in absentia hearings
                                                     __ ________

            are  not  "per  se  violative   of  due  process."  Patel  v.
                       ___  __                                  _____

            U.S.I.N.S., 803 F.3d 804, 806 (5th Cir. 1986).  The fact that
            __________

            the petitioner appeared late, as opposed to failing to appear

            at  all, and had previously  reported to the  INS pursuant to

            the conditions  of his  release, is  irrelevant.  The  record

            discloses  that   the  petitioner  was   given  a  reasonable

            opportunity to be  present and  that he failed  to provide  a

            reasonable cause for his absence.  Under these circumstances,

            the  in  absentia order  did not  violate  due process.   See
                 __  ________                                         ___

            Maldonado-Perez  v.  INS, 865  F.2d  328,  329-37 (D.C.  Cir.
            _______________      ___

            1989);  Reyes-Arias v.  INS, 866  F.2d 500,  503   (D.C. Cir.
                    ___________     ___

            1989).

                 Accordingly, the petition for review is denied. 
                                                         _______

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