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5 Cir: For 212(h) eligibility, LPR must apply for adjustment

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently held that a lawful permanent resident (LPR) inside the United States might be eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility only by applying for adjustment of status. Cabral v. Holder, 632 F.3d 886, No. 09-60386, slip op. (5th Cir. Feb. 2, 2011) (Jones, Dennis, and Clement, J.). Judge Clement wrote the panel’s decision.

This case involves an LPR who was convicted of two crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMTs) and found ineligible for a waiver of inadmissibility under INA § 212(h). Under § 212(h), an immigration judge (IJ) acting on behalf of the Attorney General may admit into the United States an individual who has been convicted of multiple CIMTs, among other crimes. Though the text of § 212(h) refers only to individuals who are deemed inadmissible, “‘in practice the waiver is also available to deportable aliens.’” Cabral, No. 09-60386, slip op. at 5-6 (quoting Flores-Ledezma v. Gonzales, 415 F.3d 375, 379 n.5 (5th Cir. 2005)).

For a deportable individual to be eligible for a § 212(h) waiver, the court held, the individual must apply for adjustment of status. Cabral, No. 09-60386, slip op. at 6. By applying for adjustment (often called “readjustment” because many LPRs adjusted their status previously) “‘the applicant is assimilated to the position of an alien outside the United States seeking entry as an immigrant.’” Cabral, No. 09-60386, slip op. at 6 (quoting Jankowski-Burczyk v. INS, 291 F.3d 172, 175 n.2 (2d Cir. 2002)).

This case thus requires that LPRs seeking a § 212(h) waiver apply for adjustment of status. In the court’s words: “The adjustment of status application ‘shall be the sole method of requesting the exercise of discretion under sections 212(g), (h), (i), and (k) of the Act, as they relate to the inadmissibility of an alien in the United States.’” Cabral, No. 09-60386, slip op. at 6 (quoting 8 C.F.R. § 1245.1(f)).

Accordingly, the court found that because Cabral was an LPR physically present in the United States who had not filed an adjustment application he was ineligible for a § 212(h) waiver. Cabral, No. 09-60386, slip op. at 6.

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Posted by César on June 23, 2011 on 9:00 am 14 Comments
Filed Under: 212(h), 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, crime involving moral turpitude, waiver

Comments

  1. Pradeep Parashar says

    July 29, 2011 at 9:31 am

    It is like a rebirth of some LPR. Justice is great in the United States!!!

    Reply
  2. Al Herrera says

    January 11, 2012 at 3:15 am

    This article is helpful. It would be great if the procedure for applying for the 212h waiver and adjustment of status was explained as well.

    Reply
  3. Russell Doncouse says

    June 10, 2012 at 8:19 pm

    Why the disparity between those who enter as LPR’s and those who enter and become LPR’s. You can adjust status of those who entered and then acquired LPR, and seek 212(h), but if you lawfully entered as LPR, you cannot adjust status with USC spouse and seek 212(h) waiver? Because 212)h) says so, right?

    Reply
  4. Cesar says

    June 17, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    Seems to me to be less a distinction found in equity than in the Fifth Circuit’s reading of the statutory text. If I understand the decision correctly, the court is simply explaining what it takes the language that Congress adopted to mean whether or not it makes much sense that Congress adopted this language. For what it’s worth, I also don’t think it makes much sense for Congress to have adopted this limited reading, but that’s not to say that Congress didn’t do it. Congress, after all, can adopt statutory text that makes little sense and it regularly shows a proclivity for doing that in immigration statutes.

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