Court Opinion

ID: 9496359
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 16:24:21.286672+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:57:31.293456
License: Public Domain

DOWD, District Judge,
dissenting in part.
I have no dispute with most of the majority’s opinion. However, I must, respectfully, dissent from the decision to the extent it holds to be harmless the denial of an opportunity to make a closing argument. Although such error might be harmless with respect to an opening statement, in my view, where counsel requests a closing argument, due process, even in the context of INS proceedings, requires that the request be granted and failure to do so is so prejudicial that it should be considered prejudice per se. I would remand this case for review by a different immigration judge.