Ursachi v. I.N.S.
| Decision Date | 16 July 2002 |
| Docket Number | No. 01-2419.,01-2419. |
| Citation | 296 F.3d 592 |
| Parties | Nistor URSACHI, Petitioner, v. IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE, Respondent. |
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals — Seventh Circuit |
Richard H. Trais (argued), Chicago, IL for petitioner.
George P. Katsivalis, Immigration & Naturalization Service, Chicago, IL, Jeffrey J. Bernstein (argued), Department of Justice Civil Division, Immigration Litigation, Washington, D.C., for respondent.
Before FLAUM, Chief Judge, and COFFEY and KANNE, Circuit Judges.
Nistor Ursachi, a Romanian national, failed to appear at his deportation hearing. The immigration judge ("IJ") at the hearing ordered in absentia that Ursachi be deported to Romania under § 241(a)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA") because he remained in the United States longer than permitted. Ursachi filed a motion to reopen his deportation proceeding, alleging that exceptional circumstances beyond his control prevented him from attending his deportation hearing. The IJ denied Ursachi's motion, finding that Ursachi failed to appear at his deportation hearing without good cause, and the Board of Immigration Appeals ("BIA") affirmed. We affirm.
In 1997, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service Asylum Office denied Ursachi political asylum. Ursachi subsequently filed applications for political asylum and Suspension of Deportation. Ursachi was scheduled to appear before the IJ on April 12, 1999 for a merits hearing. However, Ursachi failed to attend this hearing. In light of Ursachi's failure to attend, the IJ ordered him deported. Ursachi then filed a timely motion to reopen his deportation proceedings, alleging that exceptional circumstances beyond his control prevented him from attending his deportation hearing.
In support of his motion to reopen the proceedings, Ursachi submitted a personal affidavit and a handwritten note from his doctor. Ursachi's personal affidavit provided:
On April 12, 1999, I was very ill and I went to see my doctor, Dr. Ioan Cheregi. He told me to stay home for several days, so I went home on April 12, 1999, and I did not appear before the Immigration Judge.
The note from Dr. Cheregi stated that "[Ursachi] came to my office [illegible] flu symptoms and dizziness." Despite this evidence, the IJ denied Ursachi's motion to reopen his deportation proceeding, stating that "perfunctory statements are insufficient evidence to demonstrate that Ursachi's illness was an `exceptional circumstance.'" Adopting the reasoning of the IJ, the BIA affirmed.
On appeal, Ursachi argues (1) that the IJ erred in denying his motion to reopen, (2) that he was denied due process of law because the BIA relied upon a new evidentiary standard without giving him notice of the new standard, and (3) that his failure to appear at his deportation hearing did not preclude him from reopening his proceedings before the IJ in order to pursue his political asylum application.
Pursuant to § 242B(e)(1)* of the INA, Ursachi first argues that the IJ erred in denying his motion to reopen his deportation proceeding because his failure to appear was due to exceptional circumstances beyond his control. See 8 U.S.C. § 1252b(e)(1). We review the denial of a motion to reopen a deportation order entered in absentia for an abuse of discretion. See Nazarova v. INS, 171 F.3d 478, 482 (7th Cir.1999). Because the BIA adopted the reasoning of the IJ, we will be reviewing the decision of the IJ. See Pop v. INS, 270 F.3d 527, 529 (7th Cir.2001).
Under § 242B of the INA, prior to deportation proceedings, an alien must receive written notice of the time, date, and place of deportation proceedings; notification of the right to be represented by an attorney; and notification of the consequences of a failure to appear for reasons other than the statutorily defined "exceptional circumstances." 8 U.S.C. § 1252b(a)(2), (3); see also Nazarova, 171 F.3d at 482. Exceptional circumstances are defined as circumstances beyond the control of the alien "such as serious illness of the alien or death of an immediate relative of the alien, but not including less compelling circumstances." 8 U.S.C. § 1252b(f)(2).
In In re J-P, Int. Dec. 3348 (BIA 1998), the BIA explained that where an alien alleges illness in the context of a motion to reopen an in absentia deportation order, the evidence offered in support of such allegation should contain "detail regarding the cause, severity, or treatment of the...
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