Francisco Francisco-Pedro v. U.S. Attorney General ( 2020 )


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  •          USCA11 Case: 20-11474      Date Filed: 12/03/2020      Page: 1 of 5
    [DO NOT PUBLISH]
    IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
    ________________________
    No. 20-11474
    Non-Argument Calendar
    ________________________
    Agency No. A206-471-961
    FRANCISCO FRANCISCO-PEDRO,
    Petitioner,
    versus
    UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL,
    Respondent.
    ________________________
    Petition for Review of a Decision of the
    Board of Immigration Appeals
    ________________________
    (December 3, 2020)
    Before MARTIN, LAGOA, and BRASHER, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:
    Francisco Francisco-Pedro, a native and citizen of Guatemala, seeks review
    of a Board of Immigration Appeals decision affirming denial of his application for
    cancellation of removal. Francisco-Pedro argues that the Immigration Judge
    USCA11 Case: 20-11474       Date Filed: 12/03/2020    Page: 2 of 5
    erroneously concluded that he had failed to establish that his removal would cause a
    qualifying relative to suffer an exceptional and extremely unusual hardship. Because
    Francisco-Pedro has not argued any constitutional or legal error, only a discretionary
    one, we lack jurisdiction over his petition. Upon consideration, the petition is
    DISMISSED.
    BACKGROUND
    We presume familiarity with the factual and procedural history and describe
    it below only to the extent necessary to address the issues raised in this appeal.
    The Department of Homeland Security issued a notice to appear to Francisco-
    Pedro, charging that he was removable because he was present in the country without
    having been admitted or paroled and without a valid entry document. Francisco-
    Pedro sought to avoid removal by filing an application for cancellation of removal
    and adjustment of status. He argued that his removal would cause his citizen son,
    now sixteen, to suffer exceptional and extremely unusual hardship from his father’s
    removal. At a preliminary hearing, Francisco-Pedro admitted to the Department’s
    allegations and conceded he was removable as charged.
    At the merits hearing, Francisco-Pedro testified that in 2000 he entered the
    United States. He was in his mid-teens at the time. His parents and siblings remained
    in Guatemala where they are farmers. Soon after entering the United States, he began
    living with his partner. They had a son together. Francisco-Pedro’s main concern for
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    his son is that he would not have access to the same medical care and educational
    opportunities in Guatemala. Francisco-Pedro testified that his son is a good student.
    He also testified that his son sometimes gets sick but has no specific medical
    problems.
    On direct examination, Francisco-Pedro testified that, if removed, he would
    not bring his son and partner with him to Guatemala because he would not be able
    to support them, they would not have accommodations, and his son does not speak
    much Spanish. On cross-examination, Francisco-Pedro stated that, if removed, he
    would take his son and partner with him, but they would experience hardship.
    The Immigration Judge denied Francisco-Pedro’s application for cancellation
    of removal in a written decision. The Immigration Judge found that Francisco-Pedro,
    if removed, would leave his son in the United States. The Immigration Judge also
    found that although Francisco-Pedro had been continuously present in the United
    States for more than ten years and had good moral character, he had not established
    that the emotional or financial toll on his son would rise to the requisite level of
    exceptional and unusual hardship. The Board summarily affirmed the decision. This
    appeal followed.
    DISCUSSION
    Francisco-Pedro asks us to revisit the Immigration Judge’s discretionary
    determination that he failed to establish that the emotional or financial toll on his
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    citizen son would rise to the requisite level of exceptional and unusual hardship. The
    government responds that this Court does not have jurisdiction to review an
    Immigration Judge’s discretionary decisions. We review our own subject matter
    jurisdiction de novo. Jeune v. Att’y Gen., 
    810 F.3d 792
    , 799 (11th Cir. 2016). When
    the Board summarily affirms an Immigration Judge’s decision, the affirmed decision
    “becomes the final removal order subject to review.” Sepulveda v. U.S. Att’y Gen.,
    
    401 F.3d 1226
    , 1230 (11th Cir. 2005).
    The Attorney General, in his discretion, may grant cancellation of removal to
    an applicant who (1) has been physically present in the United States for at least ten
    years, (2) “has been a person of good moral character,” (3) has not been convicted
    of certain crimes, and (4) establishes his “removal would result in exceptional and
    extremely unusual hardship to [his] spouse, parent, or child, who is a citizen of the
    United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.” 8 U.S.C. §
    1229b(b)(1). The Immigration Judge found that Francisco-Pedro met all of these
    criteria except for exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a family member.
    This discretionary decision, like all discretionary decisions by the
    Department, lies beyond our appellate jurisdiction. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B)(i). Our
    review is limited to constitutional claims and questions of law raised by challenges
    to the agency’s decisions. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(D). Section 1252(a)(2)(D) “does
    not restore our jurisdiction” where the Board affirms an Immigration Judge’s order
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    “due to the petitioner’s failure to demonstrate the requisite hardship.” Alhuay v. U.S.
    Att’y Gen., 
    661 F.3d 534
    , 549–50 (11th Cir. 2011). “[S]uch challenges are not
    constitutional claims or questions of law because what constitutes an ‘exceptional
    and extremely unusual hardship’ is itself a discretionary determination.”
    Id. at 550.
    Such is the case here. Francisco-Pedro’s only argument is that we should
    review the Immigration Judge’s conclusion that he failed to demonstrate the
    requisite level of hardship. He neither argues that the Immigration Judge applied the
    wrong legal standard nor that his constitutional rights were violated. As we have
    previously held, whether circumstances constitute an exceptional and extremely
    unusual hardship is a discretionary determination, over which we have no
    jurisdiction.
    CONCLUSION
    Because we have no jurisdiction over an Immigration Judge’s discretionary
    determinations, the petition is DISMISSED.
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Document Info

Docket Number: 20-11474

Filed Date: 12/3/2020

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 12/3/2020