Practice Before the Board of Immigration Appeals

Practice Before the Board of Immigration Appeals

April 30, 2013

Panelists

•

Karen Grisez, Public Service Counsel, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.

•

David Neal, Chairman, Board of Immigration Appeals

•

Charles Adkins-Blanch, Vice-Chairman, Board of Immigration Appeals

•

Lauren Sullivan, Advocacy Attorney, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)

What is the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)?

Jurisdiction of BIA

• Appeals from most Immigration Judge decisions on the merits

• Denials of motions to reopen• Bond appeals• Interlocutory appeals (i.e., change of venue

denied)• Appeals from decisions on visa petitions (approx

4,000)• Appeals from denials of INA § 212 waivers of

inadmissibility for nonimmigrants• Decisions on fines and penalties• Decisions on BIA recognition/accreditation• Attorney Discipline matters

Most Common Appeal Types

• Asylum, withholding, CAT• Criminal issues• Cancellation of removal – LPR or non-LPR• Termination of removal proceedings• IJ denial of motions – such as motion to reopen or motion to change venue

Preparing For Possible Appeal

What to Do Before the Immigration Judge:• Make and preserve your Record• Memorialize off-the-record agreements, restrictions, rulings

• Give a solid Closing Argument• Take near-verbatim notes of Oral Decisions• Do not waive appeal unless decision fully favorable

Starting points: How do you file an appeal before the BIA?

• Timing (Received at BIA within 30 days of service of decision whether by hand or mail. No Mailbox Rule.)

• Notice of Appeal (EOIR-26)• Remember to Request Oral Argument (can be waived later)

• Notice of Appearance (EOIR-27) – Required even if you were the attorney before the IJ

• Filing Fee ($110 payable to U.S. Dept. of Justice) Or Fee Waiver (EOIR – 26A)

• Proof of Service on all forms• All forms available at www.justice.gov/eoir

What happens next?

• BIA issues Receipt, Transcript and Briefing Schedule• What if you need the Record of Proceeding?

Briefing schedules: Detained vs. non-detained

Detained cases• Simultaneous 21-day briefing schedule• Response briefs accepted, up to 14 days before briefing deadline. • Board will not delay adjudication to wait for response brief.

Non-detained cases• Filing party: 21 days• Other party: 21 days to file response brief• Cross appeals? Simultaneous 21-day briefing schedule (then follow rules for response briefs---not usually permitted)

• Will accept additional response brief only if complies with rules. • Motion to accept reply brief• Premised on/asserts surprise• Extensions of Time – BIA Practice Manual 4.7(c)• One 21 day extension readily granted• Additional extensions RARE. Require serious medical emergency, death

or similar reason.

Avoid Affirmance Without Opinion

8 C.F.R. § 1003.1(e)(4)(ii): a decision will be affirmed without opinion if:

• IJ decision was correct; error was harmless; issues squarely controlled by case law/statute; or

• Factual/legal issues not “substantial” (no definition in 8 C.F.R.)• Less of an issue than in past.

Strategies to avoid it:• Argue that issues not squarely controlled by existing precedent• Argue errors made not harmless• Argue that issues are substantial and novel• Or argue that remand is necessary to require further fact-finding under the proper legal standard

Getting Three Member Panel Review

•Single Judge Review permitted unless appeal qualifies for 3-member review under 8 C.F.R. §1003.1(e)(6)

•Six bases for 3 member review:• The need to settle inconsistencies among the rulings of different

immigration judges;• The need to establish a precedent construing the meaning of laws,

regulations, or procedures; • The need to review a decision by an immigration judge or the Service that

is not in conformity with the law or with applicable precedents;• The need to resolve a case or controversy of major national import;• The need to review a clearly erroneous factual determination by an

immigration judge; or • The need to reverse the decision of an immigration judge or the Service,

other than a reversal under Section 1003.1(e)(5).•Include near front of brief•Remember to argue against 3 Member Review if you won in Immigration Court

Standards of review

• Appeals from CIS = de novo• Questions of law (including discretion) = de novo• IJ findings of fact (including credibility determinations) = clearly erroneous standard

• Mixed questions of law and fact = de novo

Note: BIA will NOT engage in fact-finding during appeal except to take administrative notice of current events or official documents

Get Familiar with the Get Familiar with the Practice Manual and Practice Manual and Virtual Law LibraryVirtual Law Library

Practice Manual:

• Tells you what the Board prefers to  see

• Read cover to cover ‐‐don’t miss Chapter 3 on filing

• Read appendices

Virtual Law Library:

• Published BIA and Attorney General  precedents

• Federal Register tables

• Country conditions information from  U.S. Government and other sources

• State Department Visa Bulletin

Identify Issues Up FrontIdentify Issues Up Front

• Explain what went wrong below

• Cite statutes/regulations/case law  supporting your arguments

• Make your case on the Notice of  Appeal

Present Arguments, Not Just CitationsPresent Arguments, Not Just Citations

• Recitation of facts and basic law  okay, but …

• Use headings and format to focus  the Board

• Make arguments specific –apply the law to the facts of your case

Use Logic, Not RhetoricUse Logic, Not Rhetoric

• Passion vs. persuasion

• Logic chain (A then B then C)

• What’s broken? How do we fix  it?

DonDon’’t Ignore a Judget Ignore a Judge’’s s Adverse Credibility FindingAdverse Credibility Finding

• Credibility = finding of fact

• Findings of fact must be “clearly  erroneous”

• Gateway to other issues on  appeal

Pay Attention to Circuit Court LawPay Attention to Circuit Court Law

• Board defers to law of the circuit  where case arises

• Differences arise: asylum and  criminal conviction issues 

• Learn your circuit’s law and cite to it

Read the Asylum / Withholding / CAT Read the Asylum / Withholding / CAT  Regulations at 8 CFR 1208.1Regulations at 8 CFR 1208.1‐‐

1208.241208.24

• Blueprint for analysis of asylum  cases 

• Codified much of asylum case law ‐‐ but added some twists

Be Candid, Not CageyBe Candid, Not Cagey

• Acknowledge and confront  weaknesses in your case

• If case law is not on your side,  argue how to distinguish it

Write ProfessionallyWrite Professionally

• Professional = persuasive

• Decorum in presentation ‐‐ organization, headings, cover page

• Decorum in argument ‐‐clear arguments, analysis, conclusion

Be Judicious with Be Judicious with New Evidence on AppealNew Evidence on Appeal

• Board rarely takes evidence on  appeal

• Got new evidence? Why now? 

• Make remand request clear and  specific

RESOURCESRESOURCES

BIA WEB PAGE:  BIA WEB PAGE:  http://http://www.justice.gov/eoir/biainfo.htmwww.justice.gov/eoir/biainfo.htm

BIA PRACTICE MANUAL:BIA PRACTICE MANUAL:http://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/qapracmanual/apptmtn4.htmhttp://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/qapracmanual/apptmtn4.htm

EOIR VIRTUAL LAW LIBRARY:  EOIR VIRTUAL LAW LIBRARY:  http://http://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/libindex.htmlwww.justice.gov/eoir/vll/libindex.html

Practitioner’s Tips for Brief Writing

Understand BIA Structure and Operations• Staff Attorneys do first level review and a draft decision• Case loads are heavy – Make it easy to understand your issues/arguments

• Highlight important quotations• Cite to/Quote from key documents• Append any “Silver Bullet” Transcript pages or Exhibits• Use the Practice Manual• Parts of Brief in order – 4.6(c)(iv)• Formatting Guidance• Length

Practioner’s Tips for Brief Writing

Avoid Common Pitfalls• Choose issues wisely; relegate minor points to footnotes

• Beware of boilerplate and model briefs• Individualize your brief• Allocated space should correspond to significance of issue

Be Clear About Remedy• Affirmance• Outright Reversal• Remand

Does Record Support Your Request

BIA decisions

When are they issued?• Generally a few months after briefing completed, but can

be up to a year or more.• BIA tries to expedite detained cases.• Served on parties by regular mail.

How to you keep track of your Board case/get updates?• EOIR hotline: (800) 898-7180• Recorded procedural information (BIA TIPS line):

(703) 605-1007

What comes next?

• If you win, can DHS appeal? (No) • If you lose, can you appeal? (Often)

• To Circuit Court, within 30 days of BIA decision• File a Petition for Review. Procedure varies depending on rules of Circuit Court.

Note: Circuit Court does not always have jurisdiction• Some limitations on discretionary opinions by BIA• No jurisdiction over aliens removable for committing certain criminal offenses (INA § 242(a)(2)(C)), but Circuit has jurisdiction to determine its own jurisdiction.

Additional Resources

BIA Directory http://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/qapracmanual/prac manual/AppB.pdf Bender’s Immigration Bulletin http://www.bibdaily.comAILA http://www.aila.orgDepartment of State Country Reports http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/index.htm

BIA Pro Bono Project

Overview of the Project•Who is involved?

•Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)•Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc (CLINIC)•American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)•American Immigration Council (AIC)•National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG)•Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (CAIR)

•Who do we serve?•Detained •Non-detained•Pro Se before the IJ

•Why do we do it?

BIA Pro Bono Project: What do we do?

What do we do?

• Screen

• Select

• Distribute

• Match

• Represent

BIA Pro Bono Project: Why Volunteer?

Screened cases

Mentorship

6 weeks for brief writing

Transcripts and Records

Resources

Sign Up to Volunteer

Sign up at:

http://cliniclegal.org/programs/center-immigrant- rights/bia-pro-bono-project/0811/bia-pro-bono- project

Questions

(Use the chat box on the right of your screen to ask questions.)

IAN Pro Bono Resource Center

IAN Pro Bono Resource Center

• National network of volunteer attorneys who represent low-income immigrants on a pro bono basis

• Access to IAN content, trainings and technical assistance, as well as specialized content for pro bono attorneys

• State-by-state guide to volunteer opportunities and IAN partner pro bono projects

• Access to the IAN Community Forum

Join Us!

Join a community of over 5,000 advocates dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of immigrants in the United States.

To learn more, visit www.immigrationadvocates.org

twitter.com/immadvocates

facebook.com/immigrationadvocates