Matter of Grandi

• Citation: 13 I&N Dec. 798
• Decision Date: 01 December 1971
• Docket Number: Interim Decision Number 2107,A-17556854
• Parties: MATTER OF GRANDI In Exclusion Proceedings
• Court: U.S. DOJ Board of Immigration Appeals

13 I&N Dec. 798

MATTER OF GRANDI

In Exclusion Proceedings

Interim Decision Number 2107

A-17556854

Board of Immigration Appeals.

Decided by Board December 1, 1971

(1) Applicant is estopped from contending in exclusion proceedings that he was brought to the United States against his will where, in criminal proceedings for attempted smuggling of heroin into the United States, the courts considered the same contention and found applicant came to the United States voluntarily. Applicant, in possession of a visa for entry into the United States, destined to the United States, voluntarily arriving in the United States and submitting his luggage for inspection by Customs officials, must be considered an applicant for admission.

(2) While it may be desirable for a special inquiry officer to advise an indigent alien who desires counsel about the possibility of obtaining free counsel and afford him the opportunity to explore the possibility if he so desires, the failure of the special inquiry officer to do so in the instant case did not prejudice applicant since counsel could not have altered the facts established by the criminal conviction.

(3) An adjudication of admissibility in exclusion proceedings is proper even though parole of the alien has not been terminated.

EXCLUDABLE: Act of 1952 — Section 212(a)(23) [8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(23)] — Convicted of illegal receiving, concealing, and facilitating the transportation and concealment of a narcotic drug, in violation of 21 U.S.C., sections 173 and 174.

ON BEHALF OF APPLICANT: Tracy E. Mulligan, Esquire (argued), Stephen Bienieck, Esquire, Legal Aid Society of D.C., 666 - 11th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001, (Brief filed)

Esther M. Kaufman, Esquire (argued), 1823 L Street, N.W., Suite 102 Washington, D.C. 20036 For Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers, amicus curiae, (Brief filed)

ON BEHALF OF SERVICE: Irving A. Appleman, Appellate Trial Attorney.

The applicant, a 57-year-old male, a native and citizen of France, appeals from the special inquiry officer's order excluding him on the ground stated in the caption. The appeal will be dismissed.

The applicant admits that he was convicted of the crime set forth in the caption. He contends that he was illegally brought to the United States, that he was never an applicant for admission to the United States, that he was denied the right to counsel, that he was not provided with an adequate interpreter, and that the Service failed to follow its regulations concerning termination of parole.

On December 13, 1967, the applicant was paroled into the United States at Rouses Point, New York pursuant to section 212(d)(5) of the Act for an indefinite period in the custody of United States Customs agents for prosecution as a narcotics smuggler (Ex. 3). An indictment filed on March 1, 1968, under 21 U.S.C. 173 and 174 charged him with unlawful acts in connection with a narcotic drug which had been imported into the United States contrary to law. The applicant entered a plea of not guilty. On June 14, 1968, he was found guilty after a trial by jury. On June 28, 1968, he was sentenced to a period of imprisonment (Ex. 2). He is now serving his sentence. The applicant's appeal was dismissed on April 7, 1970, United States v. Grandi, 424 F.2d 399 (2 Cir., 1970).¹

The opinion of the Court of Appeals reveals the following: The applicant, a passenger on a train coming from Canada to New York, was inspected in Canada by a United States Customs officer on the train. He aroused the officer's suspicions and was told that he would be further examined upon arrival at Rouses Point, New York. The officer, who was accompanied by Canadian officers, sat across the aisle from the applicant. Before entering the United States, the train stopped at Lacolle, Quebec, where the Canadian officers left the train. At the criminal trial, the applicant claimed that at the stop he attempted to get up from his seat and leave the train, but the United States Customs officer motioned him to return to his seat. The officer, however, testified that the applicant made no attempt to rise from the seat and leave the train. Upon arrival at Rouses Point, the officer, directing the applicant to disembark and carrying some of his luggage, took him to the United States Customs Office. When an inspection of his luggage revealed that heroin was concealed in the false bottom of the suitcase, he was arrested. After his arrest, the applicant, while denying any knowledge of the heroin, agreed to cooperate with Customs officials in the capture of his contact man. He accompanied the Customs agents to New York City where he was to meet the contact man. At the trial, applicant contended that since he had been arrested by the United States Customs official before he entered the United States, and he had entered against his will, the unlawful importation of the narcotics was done under the direction of the official. The trial court chose to credit the Customs officer's testimony as to what had happened at Lacolle.

The Court of Appeals found no reason to disturb the finding of the lower court. The appellate court stated that although the applicant was under surveillance before he entered the United States, he was not placed in custody and arrested until after his arrival at Rouses Point.

On December 29, 1970, the Service notified the applicant in writing to appear before a special inquiry officer for a hearing in exclusion proceedings to determine whether he was entitled to enter the United States or whether he should be excluded and deported as one inadmissible under section 212(a)(23) of the Act. He was notified of his right to representation by counsel. The advice is contained in the body of the notice and is also stamped on the margin of the notice.

The exclusion hearing was held on January 13, 1971, at the federal institution where the applicant is serving his sentence. An interpreter in the French language was used. The interpreter stated that his knowledge of French was sufficient for communication with the applicant. The applicant was told that if there was anything he did not understand, he was to advise the special inquiry officer (p. 1).

The special inquiry officer told applicant that he had the right to counsel. The applicant stated he understood this but he had no money to pay for one. When asked whether he was willing to proceed without a lawyer he answered, "Yes, there is nothing else I can do." (p. 3)

The hearing was short. The Service trial attorney stated that on December 13, 1967, the applicant had been detrained by United States Customs agents at Rouses Point, New York because they believed he was bringing narcotics into the United States, that he was then in possession of a visitor's permit, and that he was paroled in custody of the agents for prosecution (pp. 2-3). The applicant testified that he had attempted to enter the United States on December 13th (p. 4), that he was paroled into the United States (p. 4), that he believed he was brought into the country illegally (p. 5), and that he used another name when he attempted to enter (p. 6).

The special inquiry officer, relying on applicant's admission that he had attempted to enter the United States and that he had been paroled (p. 2, special inquiry officer's opinion), held that the applicant was inadmissible by reason of the conviction. The special inquiry officer ordered applicant's exclusion and deportation.

Counsel and amicus curiae contend that an independent evaluation of the facts would show that applicant had been brought to the United States against his will by the United States Customs officer. Amicus curiae requests that the hearing be reopened to explore this issue. Since the courts considered applicant's claim that he had been arrested in Canada and brought to the United States against his will, and since the courts found that the applicant came to the United States...