Abascal-Montalvo v. Immigration & Naturalization Service

901 F. Supp. 309, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14572, 1995 WL 579955
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedSeptember 29, 1995
DocketNo. 92-3320-RDR
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 901 F. Supp. 309 (Abascal-Montalvo v. Immigration & Naturalization Service) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Abascal-Montalvo v. Immigration & Naturalization Service, 901 F. Supp. 309, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14572, 1995 WL 579955 (D. Kan. 1995).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

ROGERS, Senior District Judge.

This matter is before the court on a habeas corpus action filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 by a native of Cuba detained under civil immigration authority at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas. Petitioner challenges a final administrative order of exclusion rendered by the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”).

Factual Background

Petitioner arrived in the United States during the 1980 Mariel boatlift from Cuba in which approximately 125,000 undocumented persons arrived in this country. Petitioner arrived in Key West Florida, in May 1980. After an initial inspection, he was denied admission and placed in detention at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. Petitioner submitted an application for asylum in May 1980 in which he stated he was sent to this country by Cuban officials, had served fifteen months of a two year Cuban sentence, and if returned, would be required to complete his sentence.

Petitioner was released on immigration parole in July 1980. In 1983, petitioner was convicted in New York of criminal possession of a weapon and armed felony assault. He was sentenced to concurrent terms of 4 to 8 years and 2lf¿ to 5 years for these offenses. As a result of these convictions, petitioner’s immigration parole was revoked in December 1988.

By superseding charging documents issued in October 1990, petitioner was charged with being excludable pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(9) due to his 1983 conviction for assault, and pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(20) due to his arrival as an intending immigrant not in possession of a valid visa or other required entry document. An exclusion hearing was conducted at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas, on April 13, 1992. During this proceeding, petitioner acknowledged his attempt to enter the United States in May 1980 without a passport or visa as well as his 1983 conviction and a one year jail term in 1982 for weapon possession. He submitted applications for asylum and withholding of deportation, presenting both his May 1980 application for asylum and a second application from December 1991.

In an order issued April 13, 1992, the immigration judge found petitioner excluda-ble as charged and denied petitioner’s application for asylum and withholding of deportation. The immigration judge also held the petitioner was ineligible for suspension of deportation or a waiver of visa fraud.

The Board of Immigration Appeals denied relief on administrative appeal, affirming the immigration judge’s determination that petitioner was ineligible for asylum or withholding of deportation. The Board agreed petitioner is excludable, having been convicted of a particularly serious crime, and declined to consider his claim that he shot in self-defense as the victim attempted to rob him.

After pursuing administrative remedies, petitioner filed this petition for habeas corpus relief. On habeas corpus, petitioner does not specifically challenge the decision finding him excludable. Rather, petitioner identifies a number of statutes he claims provide relief. The court liberally construes the petition to challenge the findings of the Board.

Discussion

The scope of judicial review afforded on habeas corpus is limited. The court is limited to the evidence produced during administrative immigration proceedings. Marczak v. Greene, 971 F.2d 510, 518 n. 10 (10th Cir.1992); Kapcia v. INS, 944 F.2d 702, 704 (10th Cir.1991), 8 U.S.C. § 1226(b). The court’s review is deferential to agency expertise, and where the court finds the agency’s decision is supported by substantial evidence, its findings must be upheld unless compelling evidence to the contrary is shown. INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478, 480-86, 112 S.Ct. 812, 815-17, 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992); Rivera-Zurita v. INS, 946 F.2d 118, 120 (10th Cir.1991). Likewise, the agency’s interpretation of its statutes and regulations is [312]*312afforded deference. Martins v. INS, 972 F.2d 657, 659 (5th Cir.1992).

Excludability

The BIA found petitioner excludable under § 212(a)(9) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(9), as an alien convicted of a crime of moral turpitude, and under § 212(a)(20) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(20), as an immigrant not in possession of a valid immigrant visa. The details of petitioner’s crime support the finding concerning criminal misconduct, and petitioner acknowledges he has no valid immigration visa. The court therefore finds no basis to disturb this finding.

Withholding of deportation or asylum

Petitioner next asserts the Board erred in failing to grant withholding of deportation or asylum. These forms of relief, however, are not available to petitioner due to his conviction of a particularly serious crime. Pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1258(h)(2)(B), an alien is ineligible for withholding of deportation where the Attorney General finds the alien, “having been convicted by a final judgment of a particularly serious crime, constitutes a danger to the community_” Similarly, the regulations which govern asylum applications filed after October 1, 1990, provide that neither asylum nor withholding of deportation shall be granted where the alien constitutes a danger to the community due to the .commission of a particularly serious crime. 8 C.F.R. §§ 208.14(d)(1) and 208.16(c)(2)(ii).

In evaluating petitioner’s crime, the BIA considered the nature of the conviction, the circumstances and underlying facts, the sentence imposed, and whether the circumstances suggest the alien presents a danger to the community. Noting the petitioner had committed a crime against a person and the substantial criminal sentence imposed, the BIA concluded the offense was a particularly serious crime.1 This finding is consonant with the facts contained in the record and with the BIA’s consideration of similar crimes. See Thomas v. INS, 976 F.2d 786 (1st Cir.1992) (discussing assault and battery with a dangerous weapon).

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Bluebook (online)
901 F. Supp. 309, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14572, 1995 WL 579955, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/abascal-montalvo-v-immigration-naturalization-service-ksd-1995.