Associate
Clark Hill PLC
D.C.
Elsy says “It is truly an honor to represent this family.” Here is a copy of Judge Manuel’s excellent decision:
Siahaan, Binsar_BIA Order Granting Motion to Reopen
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For more on Elsy’s previous efforts on behalf of this family, see https://immigrationcourtside.com/category/pro-bono-representation/clark-hill-plc/elsy-m-valasquez-esquire/
Clear, concise, helpful, and correct. This is the type of guidance that should be in BIA precedents! It has the potential to “move” large number as of cases through Garland’s backlogged system.
It would also deter ill-advised “bogus oppositions” to meritorious motions such as the one woodenly advanced by DHS in this case. They do it because sometimes they are rewarded by lousy EOIR judging. At worst, it’s a crap shoot as EOIR currently functions (or, in too many cases, malfunctions).
Start consistently granting meritorious motions like this and the dilatory tactics from DHS will stop! In any system, particularly one as backlogged as this one, getting the Government to stop wasting judicial time and promoting bad results in a big step forward!
The prior Administration made an all-out effort to institutionalize bias and bad judgment. Garland has been far, far too slow in exposing and rooting out this bad behavior!
Just look around for some helpful, positive “precedential” guidance from the BIA on equitable tolling in the Fourth Circuit. Let me know if you find any!
So what aren’t cases like this precedents? Why does Garland’s BIA instead keep publishing a steady stream of obtuse, poorly reasoned, anti-immigrant precedents written by Trump holdovers. These push IJs in the wrong direction, lead to prolonged wasteful litigation, reinforce the toxic “culture of denial,” create a “false narrative” that denies the merits of many respondents’ claims, and, worst of all, abrogate the BIA’s duty to insure fundamental fairness and due process for all!
Where’s the positive guidance on how to grant gender-based and family-based asylum cases, building on the restoration of A-R-C-G- to clear out meritorious old cases?
Where’s the positive guidance on how to “leverage” PD and administrative closing to reduce backlogs?
Where’s the positive precedent on expeditiously granting reopening in the many non-LPR cancellation cases mishandled by EOIR in light of Pereira and Niz-Chavez?
Where’s the common sense workable rule on nexus that reflects “mixed motive” and incorporates ordinary concepts of causation while jettisoning the prior Administration’s bogus “look for any motivation that doesn’t qualify, no matter how attenuated or contrived” approach?
Where’s the reasonable bond guidance that would promote consistency and end the routine practice of setting absurdly high bonds in some Immigration Courts?
Garland’s “Miller Lite Holdover” BIA continues to fail, flail, and betray the Administration’s promise to appoint better, more broadly experienced, representative Federal Judges at all levels, including the “retail level.” However, a number of his “Temporary” Appellate Immigration Judges continue to outshine and outperform their holdover colleagues. See, e.g., https://immigrationcourtside.com/2022/02/26/%f0%9f%91%a9%f0%9f%8f%bb%e2%9a%96%ef%b8%8f-temporary-appellate-judge-beth-liebmann-gets-it-right%f0%9f%98%8e-but-garlands-bia-majority-steamrolls/
With the available talent to reshape the BIA into a body that would actually fulfill the vision of “through teamwork and innovation be the world’s best tribunal guaranteeing fairness and due process for all” why does Garland continue to screw immigrants and build more backlog by treating “Miller Lite Holdovers” as if they were life-tenured judges? They aren’t!
Although Garland appears to be in denial, “immigration judging” is some of the most consequential and important decision-making in the entire Federal Judicial System! Many, probably the majority, of those languishing in Garland’s out of control, largely self-created 1.6 million case EOIR backlog have strong claims to remain in a fair and efficient system. Yet, you would never know it by the indolent way Garland has handled the BIA mess (82,000 pending appeals) and his failure to speak out and lead by example on due process, fundamental fairness, racial justice, and human rights.
A new, functioning, expert, star-studded BIA, dedicated to due process, fundamental fairness, equal justice, human rights, and best practices, would be a great starting place! A year into an Administration that should know better, it’s long, long overdue!
Meanwhile, Elsy and other talented, motivated, committed members of the NDPA will continue to pound and expose Garland’s dysfunctional “courts” at all levels of the judicial system until we get the change that we need and that was (falsely) promised!
🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!
PWS
03-10-22
