Udell Lambert Davidson v. Immigration and Naturalization Service

Petitioner appeals from an order of the Board of Immigration Appeals which affirmed the decision of the immigration judge denying petitioner’s application for suspension of deportation pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1254 (a)(1). Under the terms of section 1254(a)(1), the Attorney General may, in his discretion, suspend deportation and adjust the status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence where the alien can prove (1) that he has been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of not less than seven years prior to his application, (2) that he is a person of good moral character, and (3) that deportation would, in the opinion of the Attorney General, result in extreme hardship to the alien, or his spouse, parent, or child, who is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Only the existence of “extreme hardship” is an issue in the present case.

Petitioner claims that deportation would impose extreme hardship on him and his citizen children because they would be deported to Belize, British Honduras, a city and country with a lower standard of living than the United States. Petitioner also contends that…