Eddy Raphael Galeano v. U.S. Attorney General

709 F. App'x 635
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedSeptember 29, 2017
Docket16-16856 Non-Argument Calendar
StatusUnpublished

This text of 709 F. App'x 635 (Eddy Raphael Galeano v. U.S. Attorney General) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Eddy Raphael Galeano v. U.S. Attorney General, 709 F. App'x 635 (11th Cir. 2017).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Eddy Galeano, through counsel, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) decision affirming the Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) order denying his application for temporary protected status under INA § 244(a)(1), 8 U.S.C. § 1254a(a)(l). On appeal, Galeano argues that it was improper for the IJ to consider facts from a vacated conviction in making a particularly serious crime determination and that he was not a danger to the community because his sentence did not require satellite-based monitoring. He argues that the BIA played an improper prosecutorial role by having ex parte communications with the IJ. He also argues that his conviction for misdemeanor sexual battery under North Carolina law cannot be considered a particularly serious crime that disqualifies him from receiving temporary protected status.

I.

At the outset, we must consider whether we have jurisdiction. Galeano asserts that the IJ lacked subject matter jurisdiction over him because a Government attorney below stated that the Department of Homeland Security needed to adjudicate the initial application. He appears to argue that the IJ then proceeded in the case without sending it back and thus lacked subject matter jurisdiction.

The Government did not need to issue a new Notice to Appear when the crime underlying the charge in the original Notice to Appear was vacated because the Notice to Appear, and Galeano’s removal, were based on his unlawful presence, not the conviction, and that was contained in the initial Notice to Appear. Thus, because the decision to remove was not based on that crime, the fact that it was vacated did not affect the IJ’s subject matter jurisdiction.

We also consider whether we have jurisdiction over arguments raised by Galeano for the first time in his motion to reopen and reconsider the BIA’s decision, for which he did not file a separate petition for review.

A “petition for review must be filed not later than 30 days after the date of the final order of removal.” INA § 242(b)(1), 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b)(1). A deportation order is final and renewable when issued. Stone v. INS, 514 U.S. 386, 405, 115 S.Ct. 1537, 131 L.Ed.2d 465 (1995); Jaggernauth v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 432 F.3d 1346, 1350 (11th Cir. 2005). If an alien chooses, he may seek reconsideration of the BIA’s order within 90 days of its issuance. Stone, 514 U.S. at 405-06, 115 S.Ct. 1537. The denial of a motion for reconsideration is a final order for purposes of the INA. Id. at 401-02, 115 S.Ct. 1537. Two separate petitions are required to review two separate final orders. Id. at 405, 115 S.Ct. 1537. If the alien’s original petition is before the court, the two petitions will be consolidated. Id. at 406,115 S.Ct. 1537. If an alien does not file a petition for review for the denial of his motion for reconsideration, we do not have jurisdiction to review it. Id. The denial of a motion to re-open is an appealable final order. Patel v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 334 F.3d 1259, 1261 (11th Cir. 2003).

The record demonstrates that two of Galeano’s arguments — that it was improper for the IJ to consider facts from his vacated conviction in determining that his sexual battery conviction qualified as a particularly serious crime and that his conviction did not render him a danger to the community because he was not required to register for satellite-based monitoring— were raised only in his motion to reopen and reconsider the decision of the BIA. Because Galeano did not file a separate petition for review of the denial of his motion to reopen and reconsider the BIA’s decision, we do not have jurisdiction to consider these arguments. Stone, 514 U.S. at 406, 115 S.Ct. 1537; Patel, 334 F.3d at 1261.

II.

We must also consider the government’s contention that we lack jurisdiction over two more of Galeano’s arguments: .that his conviction for sexual battery under North Carolina law is not a particularly serious crime and that the BIA played an improper prosecutorial role by participating in an ex parte conversation with the IJ. The government asserts that these arguments have not been exhausted and that they challenge discretionary decisions by the Attorney General.

We may review a final order of removal only if the alien has exhausted all administrative remedies available to him as a matter of right. INA § 242(d)(1), 8 U.S.C. § 1252(d)(1). The exhaustion requirement is jurisdictional and precludes review of a claim that was not presented to the BIA, even if the BIA considered it sua sponte. Amayar-Artunduaga v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 463 F.3d 1247, 1250 (11th Cir. 2006). The exhaustion doctrine requires the petitioner to raise claims before the BIA to ensure it had a full opportunity to consider them. Id.

While some constitutional challenges and due process claims do not require exhaustion, “where [a] claim is within the purview of the BIA which can provide a remedy, the exhaustion requirement applies with full force.” Sundar v. INS, 328 F.3d 1320, 1325 (11th Cir. 2003). An allegation that a petitioner has been deprived of due process because the factfinder was not neutral is “precisely the kind of procedural error which requires exhaustion.” Amayar-Artunduaga, 463 F.3d at 1251. We will not read a futility exception into a statutory exhaustion requirement where Congress has not provided one. Sundar, 328 F.3d at 1326.

If an offense is not per se a particularly serious crime, the Attorney General retains discretion to determine whether the offense constitutes a particularly serious crime on a case-by-case-basis. Lapaix v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 605 F.3d 1138, 1143 (11th Cir. 2010). In making such a determination, the IJ can opt to rely only on the elements of the offense, but the IJ generally considers additional evidence including the nature of the conviction, the type of sentence imposed, and the “circumstances of the underlying facts of the conviction.” Id.

We retain authority to review discretionary decisions only to the extent that a petitioner presents constitutional claims or questions of law. Jimenez-Galicia v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 690 F.3d 1207, 1210 (11th Cir. 2012); INA § 242 (a)(2)(D), 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(D). We do not retain jurisdiction to consider “garden-variety abuse of discretion” arguments. Jimenez-Galicia, 690 F.3d at 1210-11 (quotation omitted).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Patel v. U.S. Attorney General
334 F.3d 1259 (Eleventh Circuit, 2003)
Mohamed Ali Abdi v. U. S. Attorney General
430 F.3d 1148 (Eleventh Circuit, 2005)
Marlene Jaggernauth v. U.S. Attorney General
432 F.3d 1346 (Eleventh Circuit, 2005)
Andres Amaya-Artunduaga v. U.S. Atty. Gen.
463 F.3d 1247 (Eleventh Circuit, 2006)
Stone v. Immigration & Naturalization Service
514 U.S. 386 (Supreme Court, 1995)
Michaelle Lapaix v. U.S. Attorney General
605 F.3d 1138 (Eleventh Circuit, 2010)
Elias Jimenez-Galicia v. U.S. Attorney General
690 F.3d 1207 (Eleventh Circuit, 2012)
Chadrick Calvin Cole v. U.S. Attorney General
712 F.3d 517 (Eleventh Circuit, 2013)
SOSA VENTURA
25 I. & N. Dec. 391 (Board of Immigration Appeals, 2010)
N-A-M
24 I. & N. Dec. 336 (Board of Immigration Appeals, 2007)
JUAREZ
19 I. & N. Dec. 664 (Board of Immigration Appeals, 1988)
North Buckhead Civic Ass'n v. Skinner
903 F.2d 1533 (Eleventh Circuit, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
709 F. App'x 635, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eddy-raphael-galeano-v-us-attorney-general-ca11-2017.