Romero-Arizaga
Romero-Arizaga v. Immigration & Naturalization Service
Opinion
Lead Opinion
MEMORANDUM **
Jose Guadalupe Romero-Arizaga (lead petitioner), Carolina Madrigal de Romero and Edgar Madrigal Romero-Madrigal (collectively “petitioners”), 1 natives and cit *118 izens of Mexico, petition for review from the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) dismissal of their appeal from the Immigration Judge’s (IJ) denial of them applications for suspension of deportation. Lead petitioner also contends that he was statutorily eligible for voluntary departure based on a showing of good moral character. Finally, petitioners also seek review from the BIA’s denial of their motion to reopen deportation proceedings. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1105a(a), see Avetova-Elisseva v. INS, 213 F.3d 1192 , 1195 n. 4 (9th Cir.2000), and we deny the petition.
To be eligible for suspension of deportation, petitioners must meet a strict threshold criteria of seven years’ physical requirement before a suspension of deportation will be considered. See Dasigan v. INS, 743 F.2d 628, 629-30 (9th Cir.1984). In determining when this time period begins to run, the “stop-time” rule set forth in § 309(c) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Individual Responsibility Act (IIRIRA)…