Filed: May 23, 2007
Latest Update: Mar. 28, 2017
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 06-1962 ALFRED DUKE FORSTER, Petitioner, versus ALBERTO R. GONZALES, Attorney General of the United States, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals. (A27-862-566) Submitted: April 6, 2007 Decided: May 23, 2007 Before TRAXLER, SHEDD, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges. Petition dismissed in part; denied in part by unpublished per curiam opinion. Alfred Duke Forster, Petitioner Pro Se. James Ar
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 06-1962 ALFRED DUKE FORSTER, Petitioner, versus ALBERTO R. GONZALES, Attorney General of the United States, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals. (A27-862-566) Submitted: April 6, 2007 Decided: May 23, 2007 Before TRAXLER, SHEDD, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges. Petition dismissed in part; denied in part by unpublished per curiam opinion. Alfred Duke Forster, Petitioner Pro Se. James Art..
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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 06-1962
ALFRED DUKE FORSTER,
Petitioner,
versus
ALBERTO R. GONZALES, Attorney General of the
United States,
Respondent.
On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration
Appeals. (A27-862-566)
Submitted: April 6, 2007 Decided: May 23, 2007
Before TRAXLER, SHEDD, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges.
Petition dismissed in part; denied in part by unpublished per
curiam opinion.
Alfred Duke Forster, Petitioner Pro Se. James Arthur Hunolt, M.
Jocelyn Lopez Wright, Lindsay L. Chichester, UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C., for Respondent.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Alfred Duke Forster, a native and citizen of Liberia,
petitions for review of a decision of the Board of Immigration
Appeals (Board) affirming the immigration judge’s finding that he
is removable as an aggravated felon, 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii),
and denying as a matter of discretion his request for a § 212(c)
waiver of deportation under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(c) (1994) (repealed in
1996).
Under 8 U.S.C.A. § 1252(a)(2)(C) (West 2005), “we have no
jurisdiction to review a final order of removal of an alien
removable for having committed an aggravated felony.” Ramtulla v.
Ashcroft,
301 F.3d 202, 203 (4th Cir. 2002). We have jurisdiction
to review the facts that trigger the applicability of
§ 1252(a)(2)(C)--that Forster is an alien and that he was convicted
of an aggravated felony. As we find that these facts were
established below, we have jurisdiction only to review Forster’s
constitutional claim. 8 U.S.C.A. § 1252(a)(2)(D) (West 2005); Mbea
v. Gonzales, __ F.3d __, __ n.1,
2007 WL 852346, at *1, n.1 (4th
Cir. Mar. 22, 2007) (No. 05-1204) (holding 28 U.S.C.
§ 1252(a)(2)(D) permits review of constitutional claims and
questions of law, under 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(C)).
Forster asserts that he was denied due process because
the Board did not have a full transcript of his hearing before the
immigration judge, after a tape malfunction rendered inaudible a
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portion of redirect and closing arguments. This court has held
that aliens must be given “an opportunity to be heard at a
meaningful time and in a meaningful manner, i.e., [to] receive a
full and fair hearing on their claims.” Rusu v. INS,
296 F.3d 316,
321-22 (4th Cir. 2002). In order to receive relief on such a
claim, Forster must establish not only that a due process violation
occurred but also that he suffered prejudice from the violation.
Id. at 320. Prejudice requires that the violation was likely to
affect the results of his hearing. Jean v. Gonzales,
435 F.3d 475,
484 (4th Cir. 2006). Here, counsel was given the opportunity to
recreate the missing portion of the record but opted instead to
submit written closing arguments. As the Board found, Forster was
provided a full and fair hearing and the record was sufficient to
allow a complete review. As Forster can show no prejudice from the
alleged due process violation, this claim lacks merit.
Accordingly, we dismiss Forster’s petition for review in
part and deny it in part. We dispense with oral argument because
the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the
materials before the court and argument would not aid the
decisional process.
PETITION DISMISSED IN PART;
DENIED IN PART
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