Guerrero-Roque v. Lynch

Petitioner, a native and citizen of Mexico, seeks review of the BIA's affirmance of the IJ's decision finding him ineligible for cancellation of removal based on his conviction for four counts of shoplifting, as well as his controlled substance conviction. The court held that INA 212(h), 8 U.S.C. 1182(h), permits the Attorney General to waive only a ground of inadmissibility; it cannot waive a conviction that bars cancellation of removal. Petitioner was found to be inadmissible not on the grounds of his shoplifting or marijuana possession convictions, but because he entered without inspection. Consequently, the 212(h) waiver provision does not apply to his inadmissibility finding. In this case, petitioner's shoplifting convictions preclude him from seeking cancellation of removal and the court declined to reach his argument that treating a conviction for the possession of marijuana as a bar to cancellation of removal is arbitrary and capricious. Accordingly, the court denied the petition for review. View "Guerrero-Roque v. Lynch" on Justia Law