25 I. & N. Dec. 564
BIA2011Background
- Respondent Roberto Bustamante, a native and citizen of Mexico, entered the United States without admission or parole.
- In April 2008, Bustamante was convicted of possession of not more than 20 grams of marijuana under Florida law (Fla. Stat. 893.13(6)(b)).
- Removal proceedings were initiated, charging Bustamante as an alien present in the U.S. without admission or parole (INA 212(a)(6)(A)(i)).
- At a hearing, Bustamante conceded removability and sought cancellation of removal under INA 240A(b).
- DHS argued Bustamante was ineligible due to the bar in INA 240A(b)(1)(C) for offenses under INA 212(a)(2).
- Bustamante pursued a waiver under INA 212(h) to overcome the statutory bar.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can 212(h) waive the 240A(b)(1)(C) bar? | Bustamante argues 212(h) should eliminate the conviction's effect. | DHS contends 212(h) only waives inadmissibility grounds, not removal bar. | No; 212(h) cannot overcome the conviction-based bar. |
Key Cases Cited
- Matter of Mendez, 21 I&N Dec. 296 (BIA 1996) (waiver may overcome inadmissibility, not conviction-based bars to relief)
- Matter of Sanchez, 17 I&N Dec. 218 (BIA 1980) (212(h) relief may cure inadmissibility at entry)
- Matter of Millard, 11 I&N Dec. 175 (BIA 1965) (discretionary relief waives inadmissibility rather than the basis of excludability)
- Matter of Martinez-Espinoza, 25 I&N Dec. 118 (BIA 2009) (interprets 212(h) as waiving application of ground of inadmissibility)
- Barma v. Holder, 640 F.3d 749 (7th Cir. 2011) (plain-language bar governs removal; 212(h) cannot nullify conviction for 240A(b)(1)(C))
- Gonzalez-Gonzalez v. Ashcroft, 390 F.3d 649 (9th Cir. 2004) (statutory language controls; legislative history limited)
- INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421 (1987) (when language is plain, rely on statute rather than history)