Convictions of certain offenses, including aggravated felonies, may be waived under former INA § 212(c) if the noncitizen entered a plea agreement or was convicted prior to April 24, 1996.  The relief may be unavailable if the noncitizen actually served five years or more for the conviction(s).[344]

 

NOTE:  New Regulations.  On September 28, 2004, the Department of Justice issued a new final rule on former INA § 212(c) applications for persons with criminal convictions occurring prior to April 1, 1997.[345]  This regulation includes some requirements contrary to case law in some jurisdictions, and imposes some new requirements.  Both the new regulations and current case law (which may or may not survive in light of these regulations) are discussed below.

[344] See § 24.28(E), infra.

[345] INA § 212(c), 8 U.S.C. § 1182(c); 8 C.F.R. § § 1003.44, 1212.3, 1240.1.

RELIEF " INA 212(c) WAIVER " COMPARABLE GROUNDS
Judulang v. Holder, ___ U.S. ___, 132 S.Ct. 476 (Dec. 12, 2011) (the comparable grounds test applied by the BIA in Matter of Blake is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U. S. C. 706(2)(A); noncitizens in deportation proceedings are eligible for relief under INA 212(c) if otherwise qualifying conviction triggers some waivable ground of inadmissibility).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) RELIEF " TRIAL BAR " JUDULANG
In Judulang, the Court rejected a rule that categorically excluded a group of deportable LPRs on grounds that bore no relationship to the aliens fitness to remain in the country. Judulang v. Holder, 565 U.S. """", """", 132 S.Ct. 476, 485, 181 L.Ed.2d 449 (2011). Op. at 12. Categorical exclusion of trial conviction cases also bears no relationship to fitness to remain. Indeed, the agency has never claimed that it bore such a relationship. Instead, trial conviction cases have been excluded from relief on the ground that St. Cyr does not require that they be included. See, e.g., Canto v. Holder, 593 F.3d 638 (7th Cir. 2010). That logic is almost identical to the logic that led to the Blake decision. The agency had been ordered by a court to provide 212(c) to some deportable immigrants and did not extend 212(c) to others whom it deemed not covered by St. Cyr. But as the Court found in Judulang, agency practice cannot allow for distinctions that are arbitrary just because they grew out of an accommodation of case law. Instead, access to a critical form of relief must be based on a connection to the broader purpose of the statute and fitness to remain. Moreover, just as the comparable grounds test lacked any connection to the text of the statute, the exclusion of trial convictions finds no basis whatsoever in the wording of 212(c).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR - PRESENTENCE CUSTODY CREDITED AGAINST PRISON SENTENCE COUNTS TOWARD ACTUAL TIME SERVED FOR PURPOSES OF FIVE-YEAR BAR
Matter of Valdovinos, 18 I. & N. Dec. 343, 344 (1982) (pre-trial or pre-sentencing detention that was credited toward custodial sentence counted as actual "time served," for purposes of the five-year actual time served bar to INA 212(c) relief); see Saravia-Paguada v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 1122, ___ n. 2, (9th Cir. May 21, 2007).

BIA

RELIEF " WAIVERS " INA 212(h) WAIVER " UNAVAILABLE TO NONCITIZEN PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED INTO U.S. AS LPR AT ANY TIME IN THE PAST
Matter of Vella, 27 I&N Dec. 138 (BIA 2017) (a noncitizen has previously been admitted to the United States as an LPR within the meaning of INA 212(h) if he or she was inspected, admitted, and physically entered the country as an LPR at any time in the past, even if such entry is not the most recent, and therefore is ineligible for a waiver of inadmissibility under INA 212(h)). CCDOI 22.21 NOTE: This means that while an LPR may not be subject to the aggravated felony or 7 year bars to an INA 212(h) waiver if they adjusted status within the United States, such persons would become subject to the bar if they depart the U.S. and reenter via their LPR status.

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " TRIAL
Matter of Abdelghany, 26 I. & N. Dec. 254 (BIA 2014) (a lawful permanent resident otherwise eligible for relief under former INA 212(c) is eligible without regard to whether the conviction resulted from a plea agreement or a trial, and without regard to whether he or she was removable or deportable under the law in effect when the conviction was entered).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " TRIAL
Matter of Abdelghany, 26 I. & N. Dec. 254 (BIA 2014) (a lawful permanent resident otherwise eligible for relief under former INA 212(c) is eligible without regard to whether the conviction resulted from a plea agreement or a trial, and without regard to whether he or she was removable or deportable under the law in effect when the conviction was entered).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF
Matter of Abdelghany, 26 I. & N. Dec. 254 (BIA 2014) (an LPR with 7 years domicile in the United States who is removable due to a conviction between November 29, 1990 and April 24, 1996, is eligible for former INA 212(c) relief, inadmissible under INA 212(a)(3)(A), (B), (C), (E), or 212(a)(10)(C), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(A), (B), (C), (E), or (10)(C) (2012); or served five years jail, in aggregate because of one or more aggravated felony convictions).

WAIVERS - 212(C) WAIVERS - DATE OF PLEA AGREEMENT, NOT DATE OF SENTENCE, GOVERNS ELIGIBILITY FOR 212(C) RELIEF
Matter of Moreno-Escobosa, 25 I. & N. Dec. 114 (BIA Oct. 30, 2009) (the date of a plea agreement, rather than the date of sentencing, is controlling in determining whether a person is eligible for a waiver under former INA 212(c), 8 U.S.C. 1182(c)).

WAIVERS - 212(C) WAIVERS - ABEBE DOES NOT INVALIDATE REGULATION ALLOWING 212(C) WAIVERS OF GROUNDS OF DEPORTATION
Matter of Moreno-Escobosa, 25 I. & N. Dec. 114 (BIA Oct. 30, 2009) (Abebe v. Mukasey, 554 F.3d 1203 (9th Cir. 2009), does not invalidate 8 C.F.R. 1212.3, so as to preclude a person who seeks to waive a deportation ground from establishing eligibility for a waiver under former INA 212(c)).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR - PRESENTENCE CUSTODY CREDITED AGAINST PRISON SENTENCE COUNTS TOWARD ACTUAL TIME SERVED FOR PURPOSES OF FIVE-YEAR BAR
Matter of Valdovinos, 18 I. & N. Dec. 343, 344 (1982) (pre-trial or pre-sentencing detention that was credited toward custodial sentence counted as actual "time served," for purposes of the five-year actual time served bar to INA 212(c) relief); see Saravia-Paguada v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 1122, ___ n. 2, (9th Cir. May 21, 2007).

First Circuit

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF - NUNC PRO TUNC
Nadal-Ginard v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2009 WL 456411 (1st Cir. Feb. 25, 2009 ( (affirming BIA denial of request to allow INA 212(c) waiver nunc pro tunc; distinguishing Matter of L, 1 I. & N. Dec. 1 (A.G. 1940) on the basis that: (1) crime in this case was much more serious, and BIA was not unreasonable to deny "equitable relief" of nunc pro tunc grant of 212(c); and (2) by leaving the country in 2004 the appellant took "an action that he knew or should have known would render him excludable or deportable without the statutory right to apply for discretionary relief."). See also, Fernandes Pereira v. Gonzales, 417 F.3d 38, 43 & n. 4 (1st Cir.2005) (describing a request to apply for 212(c) relief nunc pro tunc as an "equitable argument"); see also Fernandes Pereira v. Gonzales, 436 F.3d 11, 11 (1st Cir.2006) (Lipez, J., dissenting) (describing nunc pro tunc relief as "equitable relief").

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF - JURY TRIAL
Nadal-Ginard v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2009 WL 456411 (1st Cir. Feb. 25, 2009 (INA 212(c) nor impermissibly retroactive under St. Cyr, 533 U.S. 289, 121 S.Ct. 2271, 150 L.Ed.2d 347, where defendant chose to go to trial), following Dias v. INS, 311 F.3d 456 (1st Cir.2002).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - BLAKE COMPARABLE GROUNDS
Gonzalez-Mesias v. Mukasey, 529 F.3d 62 (1st Cir. Jun.18, 2008) (212(c) relief unavailable to waive aggravated felony sexual abuse of a minor or crime of violence; court indicated that BIA would not follow Blake v. Carbone outside the second circuit), following Dalombo Fontes v. Gonzales, 483 F.3d 115 (1st Cir. 2007) ; Kim v. Gonzales, 468 F.3d 58 (1st Cir. 2006), disagreeing with Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - ELIGIBILITY - NONCITIZEN NOT ELIGIBLE FOR 212(C) RELIEF SINCE TEST REQUIRING COMPARABLE GROUND OF INADMISSIBILITY APPLIES TO SPECIFIC AGGRAVATED FELONY GROUNDS
Dalombo Fontes v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 949590 (1st Cir. March 30, 2007) (rejecting argument that the Board of Immigration Appeals erred in finding noncitizen ineligible for discretionary relief under former INA 212(c) because the comparability test does not apply to persons charged with deportability on the basis of specific aggravated felony grounds).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - ELIGIBILITY - NONCITIZEN NOT ELIGIBLE FOR 212(C) RELIEF DESPITE FACT THAT AGGRAVATED FELONY OFFENSE TRIGGERING DEPORTATION CONSTITUTED CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE FOR WHICH THERE IS A COMPARABLE GROUND OF INADMISSIBILITY
Dalombo Fontes v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 949590 (1st Cir. March 30, 2007) (rejecting argument that the Board of Immigration Appeals erred in finding noncitizen ineligible for discretionary relief under former INA 212(c) because the crime forming the basis for the aggravated felony/crime of violence finding, first-degree sexual assault, is a "crime involving moral turpitude" under INA 212(a), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a), which does have a counterpart in section 212(a) and is thus waivable under section 212(c)).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - ELIGIBILITY - NO COMPARABLE GROUNDS BAR DID NOT VIOLATE EQUAL PROTECTION BY TREATING SIMILARLY SITUATED LPRS DIFFERENTLY BASED SOLELY ON WHETHER THEY TRAVELLED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
Dalombo Fontes v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 949590 (1st Cir. March 30, 2007) (rejecting argument that the Board of Immigration Appeals erred by finding that noncitizen was not eligible for discretionary relief under former INA 212(c) violates equal protection by treating similarly situated permanent residents differently based solely on whether they have traveled outside the United States), citing Kim v. Gonzales, 468 F.3d 58, 62-63 (1st Cir.2006).

Second Circuit

RELIEF - NATURALIZATION - INA 212(c) WAIVER
Ljutica v. Holder, 588 F.3d 119 (2d Cir. Dec. 3, 2009) (grant of a waiver under INA 212(c) does not prevent the waived conviction from barring naturalization as an aggravated felony).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF - OSC
Garcia-Padron v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2009 WL 468202 (2d Cir. Feb. 26, 2009) (noncitizen in pre-IIRAIRA proceeding after service of OSC is eligible to waive post-IIRAIRA convictions under INA 212(c), despite pre-conviction repeal and even though proceedings had been administratively closed and then reopened; interpreting IIRAIRA 309(c)).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(c) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR NOT IMPERMISSIBLY RETROACTIVE FOR NONCITIZEN WHO PLEADED GUILTY AFTER ENACTMENT OF THE IMMIGRATION ACT OF 1990 EVEN THOUGH HE CONFESSED PRIOR TO THE ACT
Singh v. Mukasey, 520 F.3d 119 (2d Cir. Mar. 13, 2008) (Immigration Act of 1990 511(a) five-year 212(c) bar for "an alien who has been convicted of an aggravated felony and has served a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years" held not impermissibly retroactive as applied to one who pled guilty to a disqualifying felony after the Act's enactment, even though he confessed guilt to police prior to the enactment).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(c) RELIEF - AEDPA BAR TO RELIEF NOT IMPERMISSIBLY RETROACTIVE FOR NONCITIZEN WITH CONVICTION PRE-DATING AEDPA WHO WAS BARRED FROM RELIEF BEFORE APPLICATION MADE BECAUSE OF FIVE-YEAR BAR
Singh v. Mukasey, 520 F.3d 119 (2d Cir. Mar. 13, 2008) (AEDPA 440(d) bar for 212(c) relief of all noncitizens convicted of "aggravated felonies" not impermissibly retroactive as applied to a person whose conviction pre-dated AEDPA, but who was statutorily barred from discretionary relief by the time he sought such relief even under pre-AEDPA law because he had already served more than five years imprisonment).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF
Walcott v. Chertoff, 517 F.3d 149 (2d Cir. Feb. 19, 2008) (" 212(c) relief remains available to an alien ordered removed for a pre-AEDPA conviction that was on appeal when the AEDPA took effect, provided that the alien can prove detrimental reliance of the type recognized in Restrepo. Under Wilson, Petitioner is entitled to try and prove his Restrepo claim of reliance before an immigration judge."), see Wilson v. Gonzales, 471 F.3d 111 (2006).

RELIEF - INA 212(c)
Cyrus v. Keisler, 505 F.3d 197 (2d Cir. Oct. 19, 2007) (motion to reopen on basis of application for waiver under INA 212(c) properly denied where firearms conviction made respondent deportable, but not inadmissible).

RELIEF - 212(C) WAIVER - NONCITIZEN WHO PROCURED LPR STATUS BY FRAUD OR MISTAKE HELD INELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR 212(C) RELIEF SINCE NOT "LAWFULLY ADMITTED FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE"
De La Rosa v. Dep't of Homeland Sec., 489 F.3d 551 (2d Cir. Jun. 13, 2007) (a lawful permanent resident who has procured her status by fraud or mistake has not been "lawfully admitted for permanent residence" for purposes of section 212(c)).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) WAIVER - CANCELLATION - NO SIMULTANEOUS RELIEF
Peralta-Taveras v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___ (2d Cir. Jun. 6, 2007) (petitioner, convicted of aggravated felony offense, cannot obtain relief from deportation through simultaneous consideration of applications for cancellation of removal under INA 240A and a waiver of deportation under former INS 212(c)).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - MATTER OF BLAKE REVERSED BY SECOND CIRCUIT
Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007), vacating Matter of Blake, 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005).(under the equal protection principle enunciated in Francis v. INS, 532 F.2d 268 (2d Cir. 1976), each petitioner's eligibility for a waiver of deportability under INA 212(c) must turn on whether a similarly situated lawful permanent resident in exclusion proceedings would be given similar treatment).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - SECOND CIRCUIT OVERTURNS MATTER OF BLAKE
Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007), vacating Matter of Blake, 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005). (INA 212(c) relief is available to noncitizen in deportation proceedings as long as the noncitizen would have been eligible for the relief if placed in inadmissibility proceedings), overruling Matter of Blake, 23 I. N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005) within Second Circuit.

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL
Peralta-Taveras v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 580 (2d Cir. May 22, 2007) (affirming denial of 212(c) and cancellation, since (1) his 1996 aggravated felony convictions rendered him ineligible for cancellation of removal for his 1997 drug conviction under 240A(a); and (2) the plain language of 240A barred simultaneous relief under both 240A(a) and 212(c))

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL - GRANT OF 212(C) RELIEF FOR AN AGGRAVATED FELONY CONVICTION DOES NOT ELIMINATE ITS EXISTENCE FOR PURPOSES OF BARRING CANCELLATION
Peralta-Taveras v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 580, ___ (2d Cir. May 22, 2007) (order granting INA 212(c) relief does not eliminate a conviction for purposes of barring cancellation of removal as an aggravated felony conviction: "The granting of a 212(c) waiver does not expunge the underlying offense or its categorization as an aggravated felony. See, e.g., Chan v. Ganter, 464 F.3d 289, 295 (2d Cir. 2006) (observing that "a waiver under section 212(c) does not preclude the INS or the courts from relying on the underlying offense to bar other forms of immigration relief or benefits); Matter of Baldera, 20 I. & N. Dec. 389, 391 (BIA 1991) ("[S]ince a grant of section 212(c) relief waives' the finding of ... deportability rather than the basis of the excludability itself, the crimes alleged to be grounds for ... deportability do not disappear from the alien's record for immigration purposes")."), following Becker v. Gonzales, 473 F.3d 1000, 1003-04 (9th Cir. 2007); Amouzadeh v. Winfrey, 467 F.3d 451, 458-59 (5th Cir. 2006); Munoz-Yepez v. Gonzales, 465 F.3d 347, 350 (8th Cir. 2006); Rodriguez-Munoz v. Gonzales, 419 F.3d 245, 248 (3d Cir. 2005).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL - GRANT OF ONE FORM OF RELIEF PRECLUDES THE OTHER, WHETHER OR NOT SIMULTANEOUS
Peralta-Taveras v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 580, ___ (2d Cir. May 22, 2007) ("Moreover, granting one form of relief [referring to 212(c) relief and cancellation of removal for lawful permanent residents] precludes the other, whether or not the applications are simultaneous." [Footnote and citation omitted.] Section 240A(c)(6) expressly precludes cancellation of removal for aliens who have previously received relief under 212(c)."), following Munoz-Yepez v. Gonzales, 465 F.3d 347, 350 (8th Cir. 2006) ("[I]t does not matter when the discretionary 212(c) is granted; it disqualifies the alien from 240A relief for a second, post-IIRIRA offense" (emphasis in original)), and distinguishing Matter of Gabryelsky 20 I. & N. Dec. 750, 752, 754-56 (BIA 1993) (BIA allowed simultaneous applications for adjustment of status under INA 245(a) and waiver of inadmissibility under INA 212(c), since a regulation permitted combined 245(a) and 212(c) applications, and granting each form of relief made a noncitizen statutorily eligible for the other form, whereas here there is no regulation permitting combined 212(c) and cancellation applications, and a grant of 212(c) would not make the applicant eligible for 240A relief); see also Drax v. Reno, 338 F.3d 98, 111 n. 18 (2d Cir. 2003).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - EFFECTIVE DATE
Ruiz-Almanzar v. Ridge, 485 F.3d 193 (2d Cir. May 8, 2007) (INA 212(c) relief is not available to waive a post-April 24, 1996 aggravated felony conviction, even if the applicant is seeking the waive in conjunction with an application for adjustment of status).

Third Circuit

RELIEF " WAIVERS " INA 212(h) WAIVER " CONDITIONAL PERMANENT RESIDENT
Paek v. Attorney General of the US, ___ F.3d ___, 2015 WL 4393910 (3d Cir. Jul. 20, 2015) (INA 212(h) waiving unavailable to noncitizen who committed aggravated felony after admission as a Conditional LPR, since an alien admitted as a lawful permanent resident on a conditional basis qualifies as "an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence" for purposes of the aggravated felony bar to INA 212(h) relief).

RELIEF " 212(c) RELIEF
Duhaney v. Attorney General, 621 F.3d 340 (3d Cir. Sept. 14, 2010), cert. denied (2011) (the government was not precluded, by res judicata, from charging respondent with removal in new proceedings based upon (1) convictions that existed at the time of the original proceedings, and that were known to the government, but that the government chose not to allege at the original proceedings, or (2) a conviction previously waived under INA 212(c) that became an aggravated felony after the termination of the original proceedings).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(c) RELIEF - APPLICANT NOT LAWFULLY ADMITTED AS LPR IF LATER DETERMINED TO HAVE BEEN INELIGIBLE AT THE TIME OF OBTAINING THAT STATUS
Gallimore v. Attorney General, 619 F.3d 216, 224-225 (3d Cir. Aug. 20, 2010) (an alien whose status has been adjusted to lawful permanent resident but who is later determined in an immigration proceeding to have originally been ineligible for that status has not been "lawfully admitted for permanent residence" for purposes of eligibility for a waiver under former INA 212(c)); following De La Rosa v. DHS, 489 F.3d 551, 554 (2d Cir. 2007).

RELIEF - INA 212(c) - COLLATERAL ATTACK OF REMOVAL ORDER UPON RE-ENTRY
Debeato v. Atty Gen. U.S., 505 F.3d 231 (3d Cir. Oct. 9, 2007) (defendant must demonstrate underlying removal proceeding was "grossly unjust" in order collaterally to attack underlying order of removal during illegal re-entry prosecution; the fact that INA 212(c) relief was improperly denied on the basis that noncitizen did not have seven years residence, and improperly applying AEDPA aggravated felony bar to case pending on or before April 24, 1996, was not "grossly unjust" because denial of relief was proper under the law as it existed at that time).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) WAIVER - NO ERROR TO DENY RELIEF SINCE AGGRAVATED FELONY CONVICTION OCCURRED AFTER REPEAL OF 212(C)
Cespedes-Aquino v. United States, ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 2363520 (3d Cir. Aug. 21, 2007) (petition for review of a denial of 212(c) relief is denied because aggravated felony conviction occurred after the repeal of 212(c)).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - NO RETROACTIVE APPLICATION OF REPEAL OF FORMER INA 212(C) TO CONVICTION PREDATING THE REPEAL
Atkinson v. Atty Gen. of the U.S., ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 706586 (3d Cir. March 8, 2007) (the repeal of former INA 212(c) is impermissibly retroactive as applied to noncitizens who were convicted by jury, as the Supreme Court law on retroactivity does not require quid pro quo reliance upon the existence of 212(c)).

Fourth Circuit

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - NO IMPERMISSIBLE RETROACTIVE EFFECT TO DENY 212(C) RELIEF TO THOSE WHO WENT TO TRIAL PRIOR TO IIRAIRA IN RELIANCE ON THE AVAILABILITY OF 212(C) RELIEF
Mbea v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 852346 (4th Cir. March 22, 2007) (finding no impermissible retroactive effect to deny relief under former INA 212(c) to noncitizen whose 1994 arson aggravated felony crime of violence conviction resulted from trial, rather than plea), following Chambers v. Reno, 307 F.3d 284 (4th Cir. 2002).

Fifth Circuit

RELIEF " WAIVERS " INA 212(C) RELIEF " RETROACTIVITY
Carranza-De Salinas v. Holder, 700 F.3d 768, *772 (5th Cir. Nov. 6, 2012) (noncitizen convicted by jury trial of an aggravated felony prior to the repeal of former INA 212(c) is eligible to apply for the relief under St. Cyr., even though she was found guilty by a jury; [I]n light of Vartelas, Carranza may invoke the presumption against the retroactive application of statutes. Because she has demonstrated the kind of reliance described by the Court in Vartelas, namely a likelihood of reliance on prior law, see 132 S.Ct. at 1491, she is entitled to argue that IIRIRA's repeal of 212(c) relief may not be retroactively applied to her.).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " INA 212(c)
Enriquez-Gutierrez v. Holder, 612 F.3d 400 (5th Cir. Jul. 16, 2010) (noncitizen cannot be found removable for an offense that was waived in prior immigration proceedings by grant of INA 212(c) relief; government failed to establish that respondent had stipulated in the original proceedings that the offense would not be waived).

PETITION FOR REVIEW " RELIEF " INA 212(c)
Enriquez-Gutierrez v. Holder, 612 F.3d 400 (5th Cir. Jul. 16, 2010) (a waiver under INA 212(c) may be used to waive a post-IIRAIRA conviction if the proceedings in which the waiver is sought began prior to April 1, 1997), agreeing with Garcia-Padron v. Holder, 558 F.3d 196 (2d Cir.2009).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) - FIVE-YEAR BAR
Romero-Rodriguez v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 672 (5th Cir. Jun. 4, 2007) (case remanded to allow BIA to decide whether to apply nunc pro tunc authority to allow noncitizen whos 212(c) application was improperly denied in 2000, to apply for 212(c) as of the date of the original denial, despite the fact that the noncitizen would currently be barred for having "served ... a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years").

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - INAPPLICABLE WHERE CONVICTION FOR UNAUTHORIZED USE OF MOTOR VEHICLE LACKED A COMPARABLE GROUND OF INADMISSIBILITY UNDER INA 212(a) - MATTER OF BLAKE FOLLOWED
Brieva-Perez v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___ (5th Cir. March 19, 2007) (noncitizen properly found ineligible to apply for relief under former INA 212(c) where conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle lacked a comparable ground of inadmissability under INA 212(a)), following 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005), vacated by Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007).; Vo v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___ (5th Cir. March 19, 2007). http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/5th/0560639cv0p.pdf

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - MATTER OF BLAKE - NONCITIZEN INELIGIBLE FOR 212(C) RELIEF BECAUSE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD LACKS COMPARABLE GROUND OF INADMISSIBILITY
Avilez-Granados v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___ (5th Cir. March 19, 2007) (affirming BIA decision holding noncitizen ineligible to apply for discretionary relief under former INA 212(c), 8 U.S.C. 1182(c), because conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a child lacks a comparable ground of inadmissability under INA 212(a)), following 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005), vacated by Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007); Vo v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___ (5th Cir. March 19, 2007). http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/5th/0561165cv0p.pdf

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - INAPPLICABLE WHERE CONVICTION FOR UNAUTHORIZED USE OF MOTOR VEHICLE LACKED A COMPARABLE GROUND OF INADMISSIBILITY UNDER INA 212(a) - MATTER OF BLAKE FOLLOWED
Vo v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___ (5th Cir. March 19, 2007) (noncitizen properly found ineligible to apply for relief under former INA 212(c) where conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle lacked a comparable ground of inadmissability under INA 212(a)), following Matter of Blake, 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005); see De La Paz Sanchez v. Gonzales, 473 F.3d 133 (5th Cir.2006) (UUV lacks statutory counterpart, and 212(c) relief therefore is unavailable); Caroleo v. Gonzales, 476 F.3d 158, 164-68 (3d Cir.2007) (aggravated felony of "crime of violence" does not have a statutory counterpart in INA 212(a)); Valere v. Gonzales, 473 F.3d 757, 761-62 (7th Cir.2007) (8 C.F.R. 1212.3 is not impermissibly retroactive). http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/5th/0560518cv0p.pdf

Sixth Circuit

RELIEF - INA 212(c) - JURY TRIAL
Kellerman v. Holder, 592 F.3d 700 (6th Cir. Jan. 25, 2010) (noncitizen convicted by jury trial ineligible for INA 212(c) relief under St. Cyr).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF - COMPARABLE GROUNDS
Koussan v. Holder, 556 F.3d 403 (6th Cir. Feb. 12, 2009) (INA 237(a)(3)(A)(ii) (violation of 18 U.S.C. 1546, fraud & misuse of entry documents, is not a "comparable" to INA 212(a)(6)(C)(1), misrepresentation to obtain entry document, for purposes of making an application for relief under former INA 212(c) in deportation proceedings), following Matter of Jimenez-Santillano, 21 I & N Dec. 567 (BIA 1996).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - AEDPA AGGRAVATED FELONY BAR
Morgan v. Keisler, __ F.3d __, 2007 WL 3131687 (6th Cir. Oct. 29, 2007) (relief under INA 212(c) is not available to a noncitizen convicted of an aggravated felony between April 24, 1996 and April 1, 1997, even if the offense was not considered an aggravated felony at the time of conviction).

Seventh Circuit

RELIEF " 212(c) WAIVER " TRIAL CONVICTION
Khodja v. Holder, 666 F.3d 415 (7th Cir. Dec. 12, 2011) (waiver under INA 212(c) was available to applicant who was found guilty following jury trial prior to April 1, 1997, where applicant was able to show actual reliance on the availability of a 212(c) by showing that he had affirmatively abandoned his right to pursue a Judicial Recommendation Against Deportation; INS attorney showed up at the JRAD criminal sentencing hearing, described the 212(c) hearing process, and argued that the waiver was best left to the federal immigration judge; the state court agreed and denied the JRAD; after the denial, his defense attorney withdrew the JRAD motion).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) RELIEF
Torres-Rendon v. Holder, 656 F.3d 456 (7th Cir. Aug. 23, 2011) (a waiver of the fraud under former INA 241(f) applies only to those inadmissible on grounds of fraud; respondent was inadmissible on grounds of a controlled substance conviction); citing Matter of Sosa"Hernandez, 20 I. & N. Dec. 758, 760"61 (BIA 1993) (a waiver under INA 241(f) waives not only deportability but also the underlying fraud, thereby validating the applicant's lawful permanent resident status and making him theoretically eligible for a 212(c) waiver). NOTE: The courts reasoning is arguably faulty. In Sosa-Hernandez, the INS never charged the respondent with fraud, only with deportability for having been convicted of a controlled substance offense. In addition to finding deportability as charged for the drug trafficking offense, the IJ found sua sponte that he was excludable for fraud at the time of his entry as a LPR. See Matter of Sosa-Hernandez, 20 I&N Dec. 758, 759 (BIA 1993). Thus, the procedural posture of Sosa-Hernandez lines up with Torres: in both cases, there was commission of fraud at the time of entry as a LPR, the respondent was convicted for drug trafficking, and charged only with deportability for the drug offense, and IJ found an additional ground of deportability. In Torres, the IJ found that he was inadmissible for fraud in 2009 when he returned from a trip abroad; the BIA reversed that part of the IJ's decision and agreed that he was excludable in 1984 at the time of his entry. The BIA's reasoning for avoiding a direct application of Sosa-Hernandez was abominable: in Torres, the DHS challenged his eligibility for a 241(f) waiver and refused to charge him with an I-261 for the fraud ground. Thus, because DHS never charged him formally with being excludable at the time of entry in 1984 (before he pled guilty to drug trafficking), he does not qualify for a 241(f) waiver even though both the IJ and the BIA agreed that he had committed fraud as noted above. Thanks to Maria Baldini-Potermin.

RELIEF " WAVIER UNDER INA 212(c) " MATTER OF BLAKE JUDICIAL REVIEW " ACTIONS OF DHS/ATTORNEY GENERAL
Frederick v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2011 WL 1642811 (7th Cir. May 3, 2011) (Illinois aggravated felony sexual abuse of minor convictions did not have statutory counterpart to ground of inadmissibility, so noncitizen was not eligible for waiver of deportation under former INA 212(c); court lacks jurisdiction, under 8 U.S.C. 1252(g) ([N]o court shall have jurisdiction to hear any cause or claim by or on behalf of any alien arising from the decision or action by the Attorney General to commence proceedings, adjudicate cases, or execute removal orders against any alien under this chapter.), to address issue of whether DHS decision to charge respondent for an aggravated felony, rather than for two crimes of moral turpitude, violates equal protection).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(c) RELIEF
Mancillas-Ruiz v. Holder, 625 F.3d 993 (7th Cir. Aug. 11, 2010) (aggravated felony crime of violence category has no statutory counterpart under INA 212(a)).

RELIEF - INA 212(c) - GUILTY PLEA AND RELIANCE REQUIRED
Esquivel v. Mukasey, 543 F.3d 919 (7th Cir. Sept. 11, 2008) (former INA 212(c) relief unavailable to noncitizen who was convicted, by jury, of murder in 1981), following United States v. De Horta Garcia, 519 F.3d 658, 661 (7th Cir.2008) ("relief under 212(c) is not available to any alien whose removal proceeding began after repeal except to those who affirmatively abandoned rights or admitted guilt in reliance on 212(c) relief."); Montenegro v. Ashcroft, 355 F.3d 1035, 1037 (7th Cir. 2004).

RELIEF - 212(C) - COMPARABLE GROUNDS
Zamora-Mallari v. Mukasey, __ F.3d __, 2008 WL 191207 (7th Cir. Jan. 24, 2008) (noncitizen charged with aggravated felony sexual abuse of a minor not eligible for 212(c) relief where there is no comparable ground of inadmissibility).

RELIEF - 212(C) - BLAKE
Gutierrez-Almazan v. Gonzales, 491 F.3d 341 (7th Cir. 2007) ("Gutierrez-Almazan also challenges the BIA's holding that he could not show prejudice from Trigo's ineffective assistance because he was ineligible for a 212(c) waiver. Should the BIA accept his brief on remand, it may wish to reconsider its prejudice ruling in light of the Second Circuit's decision in Blake v. Carbone, et al., F.3d , 2007 WL 1574760 (2d Cir. June 1, 2007).")

Eighth Circuit

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " COMPARABLE GROUNDS
Lovan v. Holder, 659 F.3d 653 (8th Cir. Oct. 13, 2011) (rejecting the comparable grounds doctrine as applied to a person who would have been eligible for 212(c) relief before the crime of conviction became an aggravated felony: Had Lovan traveled to Laos and returned after his 1991 conviction but before repeal, he would have been considered excludable based on a prior conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude. See 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) (1994); In re Olquin"Rufino, 23 I. & N. Dec. 896, 897 (B.I.A.2006). If immigration officials had overlooked this criminal history and admitted him, he would have been eligible for 212(c) relief nunc pro tunc under In re G"A" as construed in Hernandez"Casillas. If that relief was granted, he could not have been deported based upon the same criminal conviction, without regard to the statutory counterpart analysis that was applied to aliens who did not travel in cases like Wadud. In re G"A", 7 I. & N. Dec. at 275. Rather than analyze the issue of retroactive effect in this manner, the BIA majority simply declared that it was free to apply the statutory counterpart doctrine as it has evolved in post-repeal cases. This was an error of law in applying St. Cyr ; accordingly, the agency should proceed to determine whether [Lovan] warrants a 212 waiver. Lovan I, 574 F.3d at 996.).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - AVAILABLE AFTER CONVICTION BY TRIAL
Lovan v. Holder, 574 F.3d 990 (8th Cir. Jul. 31, 2009) (St. Cyr applies to respondents who were convicted following a trial, so respondent is eligible for relief under former INA 212(c)); following Atkinson v. Attorney General, 479 F.3d 222, 230 (3d Cir. 2007) (non-citizen need not show "actual reliance" to seek relief under former INA 212(c); but see Carranza-De Salinas v. Gonzales, 477 F.3d 200, 206-09 (5th Cir. 2007) (non-citizen convicted after trial must show actual reliance on the possibility of INA 212(c) relief to be eligible for that relief now); see also Wilson v. Gonzalez, 471 F.3d 111, 122 (2d Cir. 2006) (INA 212(c) relief exists for individuals convicted after a trial only if they show actual reliance on the possibility of relief); Restrepo v. McElroy, 369 F.3d 627, 631-40 (2d Cir. 2004) (same); Dias v. INS, 311 F.3d 456, 458 (1st Cir. 2002) (INA 212(c) relief is not available to individuals who were convicted after trial); Montenegro v. Ashcroft, 355 F.3d 1035, 1037 (7th Cir. 2004) (same); Armendariz-Montoya v. Sonchik, 291 F.3d 1116, 1121-22 (9th Cir. 2002) (same).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - BLAKE - LPR WHO WAS READMITTED, BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MAY SEEK 212(C)
Lovan v. Holder, 574 F.3d 990 (8th Cir. Jul. 31, 2009) (strongly suggesting that an LPR who commits a CIMT, leaves the U.S. and is re-admitted, and is then put into immigration proceedings as an aggravated felon should be eligible for a waiver under INA 212(c), despite lack of a comparable ground, because the immigration authorities should not have re-admitted the LPR upon seeking readmission), citing In re G-A-, 7 I. & N. Dec. 274 (B.I.A.1956); In re L-, 1 I. & N. Dec. 1 (BIA 1940).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - BLAKE
Vue v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___, 2007 WL 2239286 (8th Cir. Aug. 7, 2007) (rejecting equal protection claim that noncitizen convicted of an aggravated felony crime of violence should be eligible to apply for relief under INA 212(c)), refusing to follow Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88, 100 (2d Cir.2007). Note: one judge filed concurring opinion indicating that he would follow Blake v. Carbone, but for controlling precedent, Soriano v. Gonzales, 489 F.3d 909 (8th Cir.2006).

Ninth Circuit

RELIEF " 212(c) WAIVER " JURY TRIAL
Cardenas-Delgado v. Holder, __ F.3d __ No. 11-72057 (9th Cir. 2013) (relief under former INA 212(c) is available to noncitizens who were convicted by jury trial; it is not required that the noncitizen establish reliance to show repeal of former INA 212(c) was impermissibly retroactive).

WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " FIVE YEARS SERVED BAR
Corpuz v. Holder, 697 F.3d 807, *814 (9th Cir. Aug. 31, 2012) (while time in pre-conviction civil confinement to determine competence to stand trial generally would not be included in the phrase term of imprisonment for purposes of former INA 212(c), such a period is considered part of the term of imprisonment where the defendant was given credit for time served on the basis of the civil confinement, but with limitations: The question is how this time should be counted. We conclude that time spent in civil psychiatric confinement that is credited against a defendant's sentence should be counted in a manner that allows us to approximate, as closely as possible, the time the defendant would have served in prison had he never been in civil psychiatric confinement. This means that we should determine a constructive good time credit for the period spent in civil confinement based on the degree to which the defendant accumulated good time credit while in prison. The period spent in pre-trial psychiatric confinement should be calculated as part of the defendant's term of imprisonment only after this constructive good time credit is taken into account.).

RELIEF"WAIVERS"212(C) WAIVER"JURY TRIAL CONVICTIONS
Peng v. Holder, 673 F.3d 1248, 1250-1251 (9th Cir. Mar. 22, 2012) (The enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which repealed the waiver of deportation under Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) 212(c), 8 U.S.C. 1182(c), does not affect the right of aliens to use the 212(c) waiver, when such aliens proceeded to trial and were convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude prior to the enactment of IIRIRA. Aliens charged with and convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude prior to the enactment of IIRIRA remain eligible for 212(c) relief, regardless of whether they pleaded guilty or proceeded to trial. Such aliens can demonstrate reasonable reliance on 212(c) prior to its repeal, because they may have acted differently had 212 relief not been possible at such time.). NOTE: This decision was made without reference to Vartelas v. Holder, 132 S.Ct. 1479 (Mar. 29, 2012), decided a week later. In Peng, the Ninth Circuit reaffirmed the prior cases that found that a noncitizen charged with a potential aggravated felony would not be able to show reliance on INA 212(c) if they proceeded to trial.

RELIEF"WAIVERS"212(c) RELIEF"COMPARABILITY REQUIREMENT
Rangel-Zuazo v. Holder, 2012 WL 432283 (9th Cir. Feb. 13, 2012) (unpublished) (granting petition for review of a final order of removal issued by the BIA in light of Judulang v. Holder, 132 S. Ct. 476 (2011), which required reversal of the BIA's conclusion that the petitioner was ineligible for a waiver under former INA 212(c) because he failed to meet the comparability requirement).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " STIPULATED FACTS TRIAL IS EQUIVALENT TO A GUILTY PLEA FOR PURPOSES OF ELIGIBILITY FOR 212(C) RELIEF
Tyson v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___ (9th Cir. Jan. 27, 2012) (We agree with Tyson that the stipulated facts trial in this case is substantially equal to a guilty plea for the purpose of 212(c) relief. We hold that applying the repeal of 212(c) relief would produce an impermissible retroactive effect on Tyson, who was convicted pursuant to a stipulated facts agreement based on a reasonable expectation that it would not negatively affect her immigration status. INS v. St. Cyr, 533 U.S. 289, 319 (2001); Landgraf v. USI Film Prods., 511 U.S. 244, 269-70 (1994). Because the BIA erred in its legal analysis of the effect of this stipulated facts trial, we reverse and remand with instructions to consider Tysons 212(c) application on the merits.).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF
Luna v. Holder, 659 F.3d 753 (9th Cir. Sept. 19, 2011) (the April 26, 2005, deadline to seek a waiver of removal under former INA 212(c), 8 U.S.C. 1182(c), established by 8 C.F.R. 1003.44, is a constitutionally-sound procedural rule; absent some exceptional circumstances, not present here, petitioners that miss the deadline are not entitled to relief).

RELIEF " INA 212(c) WAIVER " DISCRETION
Zheng v. Holder, __ F.3d __, 2011 WL 1709849 (9th Cir. May 6, 2011) (BIA erred in failing to consider respondents significant service to the community as a positive factor, separate from rehabilitation, in determining whether to grant relief as a matter of discretion).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) WAIVER OF INADMISSIBILITY " RES JUDICATA
Paulo v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2011 WL 1663572 (9th Cir. May 4, 2011) (res judicata binds BIA to the final decision of the district court, which held that petitioner, a native and citizen of the Philippines, is eligible for discretionary relief under INA 212(c); issue preclusion bars re-litigation where one party could have raised an issue but failed to do so during the original hearing; even if issue preclusion allows re-litigation in light of a subsequent change in the law, Matter of Blake did not constitute a change in the law).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) WAIVER " PRE-IIRAIRA PROCEEDINGS
Pascua v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2011 WL 1024434 (9th Cir. Mar. 23, 2011) (a waiver of removal under former INA 212(c) may be applied in deportation proceedings that commenced before the April 1, 1997, effective date of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, to waive post-IIRAIRA criminal offenses).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " EVIDENCE OF GUILTY PLEA
Gallegos-Vasquez v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2011 WL 692086 (9th Cir. Mar. 1, 2011) (absent criminal records, statement by noncitizen that he understands the difference between jury trial and guilty plea, and that he was convicted by guilty plea, was sufficient to establish that he was eligible for relief under former INA 212(c) under St. Cyr).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(C) RELIEF " EVIDENCE OF GUILTY PLEA
Gallegos-Vasquez v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2011 WL 692086 (9th Cir. Mar. 1, 2011) (noncitizen had settled expectations at the time of his plea that he could receive relief under INA 212(c) to waive his convictions, even though he was a SAW applicant at the time, rather than a Lawful Permanent Resident).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - INA 212(c) - EFFECT OF WAIVER
Rodriguez v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___ (9th Cir. Aug. 23, 2010) (per curiam) (waived convictions under California Health & Safety Code 11350(a), possession of cocaine, still exist for the purposes of disqualifying respondent from eligibility for the personal-use exception to deportability for a later conviction of possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana); see Becker v. Gonzales, 473 F.3d 1000, 1003-04 (9th Cir.2007); Molina-Amezcua v. INS, 6 F.3d 646, 647 (9th Cir.1993) ("A waiver of deportation gives the alien a chance to stay in the United States despite his misdeed, but it does not expunge the conviction.").

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF
Segura v. Holder, ___ F.3d ___, 2010 WL 2089396 (9th Cir. May 26, 2010) (noncitizen ineligible for 212(c) relief where initial admission as an LPR was obtained by mistake of INS, since noncitizen was inadmissible for conviction of a controlled substances offense at the time of admission, and INS failed to deny admission on that basis).

RELIEF - WAIVERS -- INA 212(c)
Kim v. Holder, __ F.3d ___ (9th Cir. May 3, 2010) (noncitizens held ineligible for INA 212(k) waiver for certain lawful permanent residents where they obtained LPR status through fraud).

RELIEF - INA 212(c) WAIVER
Kawashima v. Holder, 593 F.3d 979 (9th Cir. Jan. 27, 2010) (motion to reopen to seek 212(c) relief, in light of St. Cyr, even if timely filed before April 26, 2005, was properly rejected as failing to comply with 8 C.F.R. 1003.44(h) because the motion did not contain the notation "special motion to seek 212(c) relief.").

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - INAPPLICABLE TO DEPORTATION
Abebe v. Mukasey, 548 F.3d 787 (9th Cir. Nov. 20, 2008) (en banc) (a waiver under former INA 212(c) waives only inadmissibility, not deportability), overruling Tapia-Acuna v. INS, 640 F.3d 223 (9th Cir. 1981) (INA 212(c) waives both inadmissibility and deportability).

Note: this is the only jurisdiction that holds that INA 212(c) does not apply to any ground of deportation. This should not prevent noncitizens in deportation proceedings from applying for INA 212(c) in conjunction with an application for adjustment of status.

RELIEF - INA 212(c) WAIVER
United States v. Medina-Avila, ___ F.Supp.2d ___, 2008 WL 4446693 (D.Ariz. Sept. 30, 2008) (illegal reentry indictment dismissed, on grounds the underlying deportation order was legally invalid, because the immigration judge erroneously failed to advise the noncitizen that he was eligible for a waiver of deportability under INA 212(c), which rendered the removal proceedings fundamentally unfair).

RELIEF - 212(C) - CORRESPONDING GROUNDS
Abebe v. Gonzales, 493 F.3d 1092 (9th Cir. 2007), rehearing en banc granted, Abebe v. Mukasey, __ F.3d __, 2008 WL 222341 (9th Cir. Jan. 25, 2008). The original decision (upholding Matter of Blake), may no longer be cited as Ninth Circuit precedent.

RELIEF - 212(c) - MOTION TO REOPEN
Kawashima v. Gonzales, __ F.3d __, 2007 WL 2702330 (9th Cir. Sept. 18, 2007) (BIA did not err in treating motion to reopen under standard timeliness regulations, rather than special 212(c) regulations, where motion to reopen was not specifically labeled a "special motion to seek section 212(c) relief").

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - BLAKE
Abebe v. Gonzales, 493 F.3d 1092 (9th Cir. Jul. 9, 2007) (upholding Matter of Blake, 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005), vacated by Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007), in light of Komarenko v. INS, 35 F.3d 432 (9th Cir. 1994)), agreeing with Dolombo Fontes v. Gonzales, 483 F.3d 115 (1st Cir. 2007); Caroleo v. Gonzales, 476 F.3d 158 (3rd Cir. 2007); Brevia-Perez v. Gonzales, 4F.3d 356 (5th Cir. 2007); Valere v. Gonzales, 473 F.3d 757 (7th Cir. 2007), disagreeing with Blake v. Carbone, __ F.3d __, 2007 WL 1574760 (2d Cir. 2007).

NOTE: The concurrence in Abebe would have agreed with Blake v. Carbone but for the requirement that the panel follow the precedent set by Komarenko v. INS, and argued that Komarenko was a poorly reasoned decision. The concurrence also brought up an interesting point: that once granted, 212(c) waives all grounds of deportability and inadmissibility caused by the offense; therefore, the BIAs analysis applied to application for the relief [which is ground specific] and the effect of the relief [which is offense specific] are inconsistent. Blake v. Carbone, on the other hand, focuses on the offense itself - regardless of whether it falls within a particular ground - and therefore is consistent with the effect of 212(c) once granted.

Finally, the majority spends much time discussing nunc pro tunc grants of INA 212(c) relief to persons who committed the offense, left the United States, were re-admitted, and then were placed in deportation proceedings - suggesting that 212(c) may (in some cases) still be available in this circumstance.

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR - IMPRISONMENT SERVED AS A RESULT OF A RECIDIVIST SENTENCE ENHANCEMENT COUNTS TOWARD ACTUAL TIME SERVED FOR PURPOSES OF FIVE-YEAR BAR
Saravia-Paguada v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 1122, 2007 WL 1462240 (9th Cir. May 21, 2007) (rejecting claim under United States v. Corona-Sanchez, 291 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir. 2002), and Rusz v. Ashcroft, 376 F.3d 1182 (9th Cir. 2004), that the IJ erroneously included time served pursuant to the three-year sentence enhancement under California Health and Safety Code 11370.2, when concluding that Petitioner had served more than five years for his aggravated felony convictions).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR APPLIES TO CONVICTIONS THAT OCCURRED BEFORE IMMACT 90 AS LONG AS THE CONVICTION AROSE FROM A JURY TRIAL
Saravia-Paguada v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 1122, 2007 WL 1462240 (9th Cir. May 21, 2007) (Toia v. Fasano, 334 F.3d 917 (9th Cir. 2003), which held that the five-year bar did not apply for convictions occurring prior to the effective date of IMMACT 90, only applies where the conviction arose out of a guilty plea; the five-year bar applies to a noncitizen convicted before IMMACT 90 by jury trial).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR - IMPRISONMENT SERVED AS A RESULT OF A RECIDIVIST SENTENCE ENHANCEMENT COUNTS TOWARD ACTUAL TIME SERVED FOR PURPOSES OF FIVE-YEAR BAR
Saravia-Paguada v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 1122 (9th Cir. May 21, 2007) (rejecting claim under United States v. Corona-Sanchez, 291 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir. 2002), and Rusz v. Ashcroft, 376 F.3d 1182 (9th Cir. 2004), that the IJ erroneously included time served pursuant to the three-year sentence enhancement under California Health and Safety Code 11370.2, when concluding that Petitioner had served more than five years for his aggravated felony convictions).

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - FIVE-YEAR BAR APPLIES TO CONVICTIONS THAT OCCURRED BEFORE IMMACT 90 AS LONG AS THE CONVICTION AROSE FROM A JURY TRIAL
Saravia-Paguada v. Gonzales, 488 F.3d 1122 (9th Cir. May 21, 2007) (Toia v. Fasano, 334 F.3d 917 (9th Cir. 2003), which held that the five-year bar did not apply for convictions occurring prior to the effective date of IMMACT 90, only applies where the conviction arose out of a guilty plea; the five-year bar applies to a noncitizen convicted before IMMACT 90 by jury trial).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF - NINTH CIRCUIT TO REHEAR ABEBE ON MATTER OF BLAKE ISSUE
The Ninth Circuit ordered that Abebe v. Gonzales, 493 F.3d 1092 (9th Cir. 2007) be reheard en banc. In Abebe, a panel of the Ninth Circuit upheld the BIAs decision in Matter of Blake, 23 I. & N. Dec. 722 (BIA 2005) (finding a person convicted of sexual abuse of a minor is ineligible for a 212(c) waiver). The BIA had reasoned that the aggravated felony ground of removal had no statutory counterpart in the INA 212(a) grounds of inadmissibility, so INA 212(c) could not waive deportation on account of the conviction.

Eleventh Circuit

RELIEF " WAIVERS " INA 212(h) WAIVER " VAWA CANCELLATION
(BIA reasonably concluded INA 212(h) cannot be used to waive CMT bar to applicants seeking relief under INA 240A(b)(2)(A), VAWA cancellation).

RELIEF - INA 212(c) WAIVER
De la Rosa v. U.S. Attorney General, 579 F.3d 1327 (11th Cir. Aug. 20, 2009) (conviction of aggravated felony sexual abuse of a minor disqualifies respondent from eligibility to apply for a waiver of deportation pursuant to the former INA 212(c), since the aggravated felony ground of removal has no statutory counterpart in the grounds of inadmissibility under INA 212(a) of the Act), following Matter of Blake, 23 I. & N. Dec. 722, 723, 727 (BIA 2005).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) RELIEF - JURY TRIAL CONVICTIONS CANNOT BE WAIVED EVEN IF THE CONVICTION OCCURRED BEFORE THE REPEAL OF 212(C)
Ferguson v. U.S. Attorney General, ___ F.3d ___, 2009 WL 824434 (11th Cir. Mar. 31, 2009) ("Joining the majority of circuits, we decline to extend St. Cyr to aliens who were convicted after a trial because such aliens' decisions to go to trial do not satisfy St. Cyr ' s reliance requirement. Therefore, 212(c) relief is not available to such aliens. . . . And aside from her decision to go to trial, she points to no other "transactions" or "considerations already past" on which she relied. ").

Note: this decision agrees with the majority of the circuits in finding that at least some showing of reliance is required. It appears, however, that the Eleventh Circuit could find reliance even where the noncitizen was found guilty by jury, as in Restrepo v. McElroy, 369 F.3d 627 (2d Cir. Apr. 1, 2004).

RELIEF - 212(C) - BLAKE
Palomino-Abad v. U.S. Atty. Gen'l., __ F.3d __ (11th Cir. Jul. 10, 2007) ("Without expressing any opinion about the issues raised in Palomino's petition for review or Palomino's eligibility for 212(c) relief, we GRANT the petition, VACATE the order denying reconsideration, and REMAND this case to the BIA for the purpose of allowing the BIA to consider Palomino's motion to reconsider in light of [Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. Jun. 1, 2007)].").

BIA

RELIEF " WAIVERS " INA 212(C) RELIEF " APPLIED EQUALLY TO INADMISSIBLE AND DEPORTABLE LPRS
Matter of Abdelghany, 26 I&N Dec. 254, 269 (BIA 2014)(the BIA drew no distinction, for the purpose of retroactivity of eligibility for relief under former INA 212(c), between convictions at trial or guilty pleas, and found unpersuasive precedential decisions demanding a showing of detrimental reliance on the availability of relief: a lawful permanent resident convicted after trial need not demonstrate that he acted or could have acted in reliance on the availability of 212(c) relief when structuring his conduct. [Instead, all that is required is a showing; that the AEDPA or IIRIRA amendments attached a new disability to pleas or convictions occurring before their effective dates.).

ARTICLE
The BIA explained: If an otherwise qualifying LPR is removable or deportable by virtue of a plea or conviction between Apr. 24, 1996 and Apr. 1, 1997, 212(c) relief is available unless: (1) proceedings were commenced on or after Apr. 24, 1996, and the conviction renders the applicant deportable under one or more of the deportability grounds enumerated in 440(d) of the AEDPA; or (2) the applicant is subject to the grounds of inadmissibility under sections 212(a)(3)(A), (B), (C), or (E), or (10)(C) of the Act; or (3) the applicant has served an aggregate term of imprisonment of at least 5 years as a result of one or more aggravated felony convictions entered between November 29, 1990 and Apr. 24, 1996. Id. at 272. Section 440(d) of AEDPA made the following classes of aliens ineligible for 212(c) relief: (1) aggravated felons; (2) those convicted of controlled substance offense; (3) those convicted of firearm offenses; (4) those convicted of specific miscellaneous crimes, such as espionage; and (5) those convicted of multiple CIMTs. AEDPA 440(d); see INA 212(c) (2005). An LPR who meets the 7 year domicile requirement and is removable or deportable by virtue of a plea or conviction entered before Apr. 24, 1996, is eligible to apply for discretionary relief under former section 212(c), however, the same grounds of inadmissibility apply. Matter of Abdelghany, 26 I&N Dec. 254. Thanks to Tamikka Pate at Crimmigration.com

Other

PRACTICE ADVISORY " RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) RELIEF
NIP-NLG and Immigrant Defense Project have written an advisory on Matter of Abdelghany, 26 I&N Dec. 254 (BIA 2014). http://nipnlg.org/publications.htm

RELIEF"INA 212(c)"JURY TRIAL
The recent U.S. Supreme Court case, Vartelas v. Holder, includes language helpful in overcoming the quid quo pro argument that a noncitizen convicted by jury trial is ineligible for relief under former INA 212(c): As the Government acknowledges, th[is] Court has not required a party challenging the application of a statute to show [he relied on prior law] in structuring his conduct. Brief for Respondent 25"26. In Landgraf, for example, the issue was the retroactivity of compensatory and punitive damages as remedies for employment discrimination. [C]oncerns of . . . upsetting expectations are attenuated in the case of intentional employment discrimination, the Court noted, for such discrimination has been unlawful for more than a generation. 511 U. S., at 282, n. 35. But [e]ven when the conduct in question is morally reprehensible or illegal, the Court added, a degree of unfairness is inherent whenever the law imposes additional burdens based on conduct that occurred in the past. Id., at 283, n. 35. And in Hughes Aircraft, the Court found that Congress 1986 removal of a defense to a qui tam action did not apply to pre-1986 conduct in light of the presumption against retroactivity. 520 U. S., at 941"942.FN8 As in Landgraf, the relevant conduct (submitting a false claim) had been unlawful for decades. See 520 U. S., at 947. Vartelas v. Holder, 132 S.Ct. 1479, 1490-91 (Mar. 28, 2012).

RELIEF - WAIVERS - 212(C) - REGULATION ALLOWS MULTIPLE GRANTS OF RELIEF
8 C.F.R. 1212.3(d) ("If the applicant is excludable, deportable, or removable based upon any previously unidentified grounds a new application [for relief under former INA 212(c)] must be filed." [emphasis added]).

RELIEF - INA 212(C) WAIVER - DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS
The Law Office of Robert Jobe is reporting that the DHS is taking the position that INA 212(c) relief is still available to noncitizens in the Ninth Circuit who are charged with a ground of deportability, despite the Ninth Circuits decision in Abebe, because the federal regulations allow for INA 212(c) relief in deportation proceedings. Thanks to Robert Jobe.

RELIEF - 212(C) RELIEF - COURT TRIAL - SOME NEGOTIATED COURT TRIALS ARE TANTAMOUNT TO "SLOW PLEAS OF GUILTY" SO 212(C) RELIEF REMAINS AVAILABLE
In some jurisdictions, a defendant can negotiate the verdict of a court trial in the same way as for a guilty plea, saving the state the expense and uncertainty of a jury trial. Immigration counsel can argue that convictions resulting from these "slow pleas" are tantamount to guilty pleas, and convictions resulting from them should receive the same eligibility for 212(c) relief as those resulting from guilty pleas. See N. TOOBY & J. ROLLIN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE OF IMMIGRANTS 24.28(J) (2007).

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) RELIEF " SUPREME COURT HAS GRANTED CERTIORARI TO DECIDE COMPARABLE GROUNDS ISSUE
In Judulang v. Holder, Supreme Court Case No. 10-694, the Court agreed to hear a case about the continued availability of 212(c) relief. The question presented is: Whether a lawful permanent resident who was convicted by guilty plea of an offense that renders him deportable and excludable under differently phrased statutory subsections, but who did not depart and reenter the United States between his conviction and the commencement of removal proceedings, is categorically foreclosed from seeking discretionary relief from removal under former INA 212(c). See Matter of Blake, 23 I&N Dec. 722 (BIA 2005) (deportable lawful permanent residents who had not traveled abroad after their convictions could only seek discretionary relief if the government charged them under a deportation provision in the INA that used similar language to an exclusion provision). The circuits are now split three ways as to the lawfulness of the BIAs new approach. The Second Circuit has correctly rejected the BIAs new position as resting on an irrational distinction. The Ninth Circuit, in a sharply divided en banc decision, ruled that Section 212(c) does not apply to deportable LPRs at all--a position that neither the BIA nor the government has ever endorsed and that directly conflicts with St. Cyr. Eight other circuits have affirmed the BIAs new approach.

RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) RELIEF " SUPREME COURT GRANTS CERTIORARI TO RECONSIDER MATTER OF BRIEVA
The Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in a case challenging the BIA's 212(c) decisions Matter of Blake and Matter of Brieva. In Matter of Blake, 23 I&N Dec. 722 (BIA 2005), and Matter of Brieva, 23 I&N Dec. 766 (BIA 2005), the BIA ruled that individuals who pled guilty to a crime of violence or sexual abuse of a minor aggravated felony are categorically ineligible for 212(c) relief, even if the offense would have made them inadmissible had they departed the country and presented themselves for readmission at the border. Similarly-situated individuals who had left the country and reentered remain eligible for 212(c) relief. The BIA's rule applies in every circuit except the Second Circuit, which has struck down Blake and Brieva as irrational. The Supreme Court will hear a case from the Ninth Circuit, Judulang v. Holder, 10-694. See http://www.supremecourt.gov/qp/10-00694qp.pdf. CD4:24.28;AF:2.44;CMT3:3.43

PRACTICE ADVISORY " RELIEF " WAIVERS " 212(c) RELIEF
Sara Fawk, Note, Eligibility for Section 212(c) Relief from Deportation: Is it the Ground or the Offense, the Dancer or the Dance?, 32 Western New England L. Rev. 417 (2010)(describing circuit split concerning whether to disqualify noncitizen from eligibility for waiver of deportability under former INA 212(c) unless the ground of deportability has a statutory counterpart ground of inadmissibility, with the First, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits determining whether a comparable ground of exclusion exists by looking only at the statutory language of the charged ground of deportation and the language of the ground of exclusion that the respondent claims is comparable, and the Second Circuit which adopted an offense-specific approach in Blake v. Carbone, 489 F.3d 88 (2d Cir. 2007), in which the comparable grounds determination turns not on the language of the grounds but instead on the offense committed by the petitioner; the Ninth Circuit rejected the comparable grounds analysis entirely in Abebe v. Mukasey, 554 F.3d 1203, 1206 (9th Cir. 2009) (en banc)(employ[ing] a[n equal protection] standard of bare rationality and offered a legitimate reason for the different treatment of deportees who are similarly situated to excludees but for a temporary departure from the country"namely, Congress could have limited section 212(c) relief to aliens seeking to enter the country from abroad in order to create an incentive for deportable aliens to leave the country.).

RELIEF " INA 212(c) WAIVER " COMPARABLE GROUNDS
Immigrant Defense Project, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and the American Immigration Councils Legal Action Center, Practice Advisory, Implications of Judulang v. Holder for LPRs Seeking 212(c) Relief and for Other Individuals Challenging Arbitrary Agency Policies http://www.legalactioncenter.org/sites/default/files/Judulang-212-c-relief.pdf