Tecanhuehue-Gonzalez

Tecanhuehue-Gonzalez v. Ashcroft

Good Law
112 F. App'x 645
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitNovember 9, 2004No. 03-72925California262 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM **

The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) did not abuse its discretion by denying petitioner’s motion to reopen. Even if petitioner satisfied the requirements established in Matter of Lozada, 19 I & N Dec. 637 (BIA 1988), for a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, he failed to dem *646 onstrate prejudice from counsel’s alleged shortcomings. See Munoz v. Ashcroft, 339 F.3d 950, 955 (9th Cir.2003). Although petitioner claimed counsel failed to file a timely appeal, the immigration judge had granted petitioner voluntary departure— the only relief sought.

For the first time on appeal, petitioner argues prejudice from counsel’s advice to withdraw his asylum application and instead seek only voluntary departure. This claim has not been exhausted before the BIA, and petitioner is therefore precluded from raising the claim before this court. See Socop-Gonzales v. INS, 272 F.3d 1176, 1183 (9th Cir.2001).

Petitioner also asks this court to restore his voluntary departure nunc pro tunc. However, petitioner appeals not from the initial order of deportation but from the separate denial of a motion to reopen. This court lacks the authority to revive an already expired…

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