Filed: Aug. 30, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: 17-1962 Lin v. Barr BIA Nelson, IJ A200 743 458 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT SUMMARY ORDER RULINGS BY SUMMARY ORDER DO NOT HAVE PRECEDENTIAL EFFECT. CITATION TO A SUMMARY ORDER FILED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2007, IS PERMITTED AND IS GOVERNED BY FEDERAL RULE OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 32.1 AND THIS COURT=S LOCAL RULE 32.1.1. WHEN CITING A SUMMARY ORDER IN A DOCUMENT FILED WITH THIS COURT, A PARTY MUST CITE EITHER THE FEDERAL APPENDIX OR AN ELECTRONIC DATABASE (WITH THE NOTATIO
Summary: 17-1962 Lin v. Barr BIA Nelson, IJ A200 743 458 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT SUMMARY ORDER RULINGS BY SUMMARY ORDER DO NOT HAVE PRECEDENTIAL EFFECT. CITATION TO A SUMMARY ORDER FILED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2007, IS PERMITTED AND IS GOVERNED BY FEDERAL RULE OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 32.1 AND THIS COURT=S LOCAL RULE 32.1.1. WHEN CITING A SUMMARY ORDER IN A DOCUMENT FILED WITH THIS COURT, A PARTY MUST CITE EITHER THE FEDERAL APPENDIX OR AN ELECTRONIC DATABASE (WITH THE NOTATION..
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17-1962
Lin v. Barr
BIA
Nelson, IJ
A200 743 458
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
SUMMARY ORDER
RULINGS BY SUMMARY ORDER DO NOT HAVE PRECEDENTIAL EFFECT. CITATION TO A SUMMARY ORDER
FILED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2007, IS PERMITTED AND IS GOVERNED BY FEDERAL RULE OF
APPELLATE PROCEDURE 32.1 AND THIS COURT=S LOCAL RULE 32.1.1. WHEN CITING A SUMMARY ORDER
IN A DOCUMENT FILED WITH THIS COURT, A PARTY MUST CITE EITHER THE FEDERAL APPENDIX OR AN
ELECTRONIC DATABASE (WITH THE NOTATION “SUMMARY ORDER”). A PARTY CITING TO A SUMMARY
ORDER MUST SERVE A COPY OF IT ON ANY PARTY NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL.
At a stated term of the United States Court of Appeals
for the Second Circuit, held at the Thurgood Marshall
United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, in the City of
New York, on the 30th day of August, two thousand nineteen.
PRESENT:
REENA RAGGI,
PETER W. HALL,
SUSAN L. CARNEY,
Circuit Judges.
_____________________________________
YUE FENG LIN,
Petitioner,
v. 17-1962
NAC
WILLIAM P. BARR, UNITED STATES
ATTORNEY GENERAL,
Respondent.
_____________________________________
FOR PETITIONER: Gary J. Yerman, New York, NY.
FOR RESPONDENT: Chad A. Readler, Acting Assistant
Attorney General; Jessica E.
Burns, Senior Litigation Counsel;
Rosanne M. Perry, Trial Attorney,
Office of Immigration Litigation,
United States Department of
Justice, Washington, DC.
UPON DUE CONSIDERATION of this petition for review of a
Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) decision, it is hereby
ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the petition for review
is DISMISSED.
Petitioner Yue Feng Lin, a native and citizen of the
People’s Republic of China, seeks review of a May 24, 2017,
decision of the BIA affirming the February 22, 2016, decision
of an Immigration Judge (“IJ”) pretermitting asylum, granting
withholding of removal, and denying cancellation of removal.
In re Yue Feng Lin, No. A200 743 458 (B.I.A. May 24, 2017),
aff’g No. A200 743 458 (Immig. Ct. N.Y. City Feb. 22, 2016).
We assume the parties’ familiarity with the underlying facts
and procedural history in this case.
We have reviewed both the IJ’s and the BIA’s opinions
“for the sake of completeness.” Wangchuck v. Dep’t of
Homeland Security,
448 F.3d 524, 528 (2d Cir. 2006).
A. Asylum
Under 8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(2)(B), an alien is ineligible
for asylum “unless the alien demonstrates by clear and
convincing evidence that the application has been filed
within 1 year after the date of the alien’s arrival in the
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United States.” An application may be considered outside the
deadline “if the alien demonstrates . . . extraordinary
circumstances relating to the delay,” 8 U.S.C.
§ 1158(a)(2)(D), and the application is filed within a
reasonable time, 8 C.F.R. § 1208.4(a)(4)(ii), (5).
Extraordinary circumstances include, but are not limited to,
serious illness, legal disability, ineffective assistance of
counsel, maintenance of lawful status or a grant of parole,
timely filing of an application rejected by the Service, and
death or serious illness of legal representative or immediate
family.
Id. § 1208.4(a)(5)(i)-(vi).
Our jurisdiction to review the agency’s findings
regarding the timeliness of an asylum application and the
circumstances excusing untimeliness is limited to
“constitutional claims or questions of law.” 8 U.S.C.
§ 1252(a)(2)(D); see 8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(3). For
jurisdiction to attach, such claims must be colorable.
Barco-Sandoval v. Gonzales,
516 F.3d 35, 40-41 (2d Cir. 2008).
Lin argues that the IJ failed to provide her an
opportunity to testify about the extraordinary circumstances
alleged in her asylum application—her status as a single
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mother with financial difficulties. As the Government
argues, we need not consider this argument, which Lin failed
to exhaust on appeal to the BIA because she argued only that
the IJ erred in rejecting her claim of extraordinary
circumstances. See Lin Zhong v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice,
480
F.3d 104, 121-22 (2d Cir. 2007) (providing that we generally
consider only those issues that were exhausted and formed the
basis for the agency’s decision); Theodoropoulos v. INS,
358
F.3d 162, 172 (2d Cir. 2004) (requiring exhaustion of
constitutional issues where BIA could offer a remedy).
Moreover, Lin’s argument is not colorable because the IJ
provided Lin a full and fair opportunity to present her claim.
See Li Hua Lin v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice,
453 F.3d 99, 104-05
(2d Cir. 2006) (providing that due process requires that an
applicant receive a full and fair hearing that provides a
meaningful opportunity to be heard). Lin was represented by
counsel before the IJ, was aware of the timeliness issue, and
was permitted to testify and present witnesses on any matter.
Further, Lin does not identify what additional facts she would
have provided to establish that extraordinary circumstances
prevented her from filing her asylum application in the twelve
4
years between her entry into the United States and her
application.
Accordingly, because Lin does not raise a colorable
constitutional claim or question of law regarding the
agency’s pretermission of asylum, we lack jurisdiction to
review that decision. See 8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(3); see also
Barco-Sandoval, 516 F.3d at 40-41.
B. Cancellation of Removal
An alien, like Lin, who is not a permanent resident, may
have her removal cancelled if she “(A) has been physically
present in the United States for a continuous period of not
less than 10 years immediately preceding the date of such
application; (B) has been a person of good moral character
during such period; (C) has not been convicted of [certain]
offense[s] . . . ; and (D) establishes that removal would
result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to [her]
spouse, parent, or child, who is a citizen of the United
States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence.” 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1). The agency concluded
that Lin satisfied all but the hardship requirement. Our
jurisdiction to review the agency’s conclusion that an
5
applicant failed to satisfy the hardship requirement is
limited to colorable constitutional claims and questions of
law. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B), (D);
Barco-Sandoval, 516 F.3d
at 39-40.
Lin argues that the agency ignored and misconstrued
evidence related to the hardship determination and that the
BIA failed to consider her argument that the IJ violated due
process. Lin’s arguments are not colorable.
Lin argues that the agency mischaracterized the medical
evidence in concluding that her daughter would not suffer the
requisite hardship. Although the agency may commit an error
of law if it ignores or seriously mischaracterizes material
facts, see Mendez v. Holder,
566 F.3d 316, 323 (2d Cir. 2009),
the IJ did not ignore or mischaracterize this evidence. A
psychologist testified that Lin’s daughter did not require
medication for her abandonment issues, depression, and
anxiety, and his and Lin’s testimony established that Lin’s
daughter attended only five therapy sessions in four years.
Accordingly, contrary to Lin’s argument, the agency did not
mischaracterize the evidence in concluding that her daughter
did not require medication or receive regular therapy.
6
Likewise, Lin has no colorable claim that the agency
failed to consider evidence that her removal would cause her
husband and other children hardship. Neither Lin nor her
husband testified that their children or Lin’s stepson would
suffer any specific hardship caused by her removal. And the
agency acknowledged that Lin’s husband testified that it
would be difficult for him to work and take care of their
children but concluded that such hardship was not exceptional
or extremely unusual. Therefore, the agency did not ignore
the impact her removal would have on her husband and children.
Finally, Lin’s argument that the BIA failed to consider
her due process claim is not colorable. The BIA explicitly
considered and rejected Lin’s contention that the IJ replaced
the expert psychologist’s opinion with her own and failed to
consider Lin’s husband’s testimony regarding hardship.
Accordingly, because Lin’s arguments are not colorable
constitutional claims nor do they raise colorable questions
of law, we lack jurisdiction to review the denial of
cancellation of removal. See 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B), (D);
see also
Barco-Sandoval, 516 F.3d at 40-41.
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For the foregoing reasons, the petition for review is
DISMISSED.
FOR THE COURT:
Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe
Clerk of Court
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