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GUZMAN ALCOCER v. WILKINSON (2021)

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.2021-02-23No. No. 19-71711

Summary

Holding. The court denied the petition for review in part and dismissed it in part, finding that the Board did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion to reopen as untimely, and that the court lacked jurisdiction to review claims concerning equitable tolling and sua sponte reopening.

Arturo Guzman-Alcocer, a Mexican citizen, sought court review of the Board of Immigration Appeals' decision to deny his motion requesting that removal proceedings be reopened and either terminated or remanded. Guzman-Alcocer did not challenge the agency's determination regarding termination in his opening brief, which caused that issue to be forfeited. The Board properly rejected his motion to reopen for purposes of adjusting his immigration status because he filed it more than two years after his removal order became final, exceeding the regulatory deadline.

The court declined to address Guzman-Alcocer's arguments about equitable tolling and the Board's refusal to reopen proceedings on its own initiative because neither question falls within the court's jurisdiction. The court maintained an existing temporary stay of removal pending issuance of the mandate.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Timeliness of motion to reopen removal proceedings
  • Forfeiture of issues not raised in opening brief
  • Scope of court jurisdiction over equitable tolling arguments
  • Court jurisdiction over agency's denial of sua sponte reopening

Procedural posture

Guzman-Alcocer petitioned for review of a Board of Immigration Appeals order denying his motion to reopen removal proceedings and adjust status.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

MEMORANDUM **

Arturo Guzman-Alcocer, native and citizen of Mexico, petitions pro se for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order denying his motion to reopen and terminate or remand proceedings. Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review for abuse of discretion the BIAs denial of a motion to reopen. Bonilla v. Lynch, 840 F.3d 575, 581 (9th Cir. 2016). We deny in part and dismiss in part the petition for review.

In his opening brief, Guzman-Alcocer does not raise any challenge to the BIAs determination that reopening for termination of proceedings was not warranted. See Lopez-Vasquez v. Holder, 706 F.3d 1072, 1079-80 (9th Cir. 2013) (issues not specifically raised and argued in a partys opening brief are waived).

The BIA did not abuse its discretion in denying as untimely Guzman-Alcocers motion to reopen and remand to adjust status where it was filed more than two years after the order of removal became final. See 8 C.F.R. § 1003.2(c)(2). We lack jurisdiction to consider Guzman-Alcocers contentions regarding equitable tolling. See Barron v. Ashcroft, 358 F.3d 674, 677-78 (9th Cir. 2004) (court lacks jurisdiction to review claims not presented to the agency). We also lack jurisdiction to review the agencys decision not to reopen proceedings sua sponte. See Bonilla, 840 F.3d at 588 (“[T]his court has jurisdiction to review Board decisions denying sua sponte reopening for the limited purpose of reviewing the reasoning behind the decisions for legal or constitutional error.”).

As stated in the courts September 5, 2019 order, the temporary stay of removal remains in place until issuance of the mandate.

PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED in part; DISMISSED in part.