Matter of Rojas (Board decision, October 29, 1975)

Plain-English summary

The respondent admitted at her deportation hearing that she had entered the United States without inspection with a professional smuggler's assistance. The Board held that this testimony established deportability regardless of her objection to evidence from the initial interrogation and arrest. It also upheld the denial of voluntary departure. Her lawful permanent resident sister was the only significant favorable factor, and the Board found it insufficient to outweigh her use of professional smugglers. The appeal was dismissed.

Decision snapshot

• Cited authorities: INA §§ 241(a)(2), 244(e)
• Outcome: Deportability and denial of voluntary departure affirmed; appeal dismissed.
• Key point: The respondent's own hearing testimony established deportability, and smuggler assisted entry weighed against discretionary relief.

Full text (BIA official public release)

Interim Decision #2444

MATTER OF ROJAS

In Deportation Proceedings
A-20974502

Decided by Board October 29, 1975
(1) Where respondent's testimony at the deportation hearing, at which she was repre- sented by counsel, without more, clearly establishes her deportability, inquiry into the facts surrounding respondent's initial interrogation and arrest and the allegation of illegally obtained evidence of deportability is necessary. (2) Where the presence in the United States of a lawful permanent resident sister is the only significant favorable factor presented by respondent in support of her application for voluntary departure, there are insufficient equities in respondent's behalf to out- weigh the adverse factor that she gained entry into this country with the assistance of professional smugglers. Accordingly, the immigration judge's denial of voluntary de- parture, in the exercise of discretion, was proper. CHARGE: Order: Act of 1952—Section 241(a)(2) [8 U.S.C. 1251(a)(2)]—Entry without inspec- tion.
ON BEHALF OF RESPONDENT: ON BEHALF OF SERVICE:
Richard Eiden, Esquire
George Indelicato
2669 West Pico Boulevard
Appellate Trial Attorney
Los Angeles, California 90006

In a decision dated April 8, 1975, the immigration judge found the respondent deportable as charged, denied her application for voluntary departure, and ordered her deportation to Columbia. The respondent has appealed from that decision. The appeal will be dismissed. At the hearing, at which she was advised by counsel, the respondent denied all of the facts alleged in the order to show cause and denied deportability on the ground that the "evidence" of deportability had been illegally obtained and should therefore be suppressed. However, when then questioned by the trial attorney, the respondent admitted that she was a native and citizen of Columbia and had last entered the United States without inspection with the assistance of a professional smuggler. The respondent's testimony at the deportation hearing, without more, clearly establishes her deportability. Thus, inquiry into the facts surrounding the respondent's initial interrogation and arrest is unneces- sary. See Guzman-Flores v. INS, 496 F.2d 1245 (C.A. 7, 1974); Klissas v. INS, 361 F.2d 529 (D.C. Cir. 1966).
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 Interim Decision #2444

We note that courts have indicated that, although evidence actually seized during an illegal arrest may be suppressed in a criminal proceed- ing, the mere fact of illegal arrest has no bearing on a subsequent deportation proceeding. U.S. ex rel. Bilokumsky v. Tod, 263 U.S. 149 (1923); Guzman-Flores v. INS, supra; Huerta-Cabrera v. INS, 466 F.2d 759 (C.A. 7, 1972); La Franca v. INS, 413 F.2d 686 (C.A. 2, 1969); Shing Hang Tsui v. INS, 389 F.2d 994 (C.A. 7, 1968). See also Matter of Scavo, 14 I. & N. Dec. 326 (BIA 1973). The contention that the physical presence of an alien is "evidence" that may be suppressed as the "fruit of the poisoned tree" if the alien was illegally arrested was flatly rejected by the court in Guzman-Flores v. INS, supra, and to our knowledge has no judicial support. See also Matter of Burgos and Burgos-Gody, 15 I. & N. Dec. 278 (BIA 1970). Our review of the record satisfies us that the hearing was fair, and that deportability has been established by clear, convincing and un- equivocal evidence. The only remaining issue involves the respondent's application for voluntary departure. The immigration judge denied the respondent's application for volun- tary departure in an exercise of discretion. He considered the respon- dent's use of a professional smuggler to gain entry into the United States to be a significant adverse factor affecting her application. Coun- sel on appeal argues that the method by which the respondent gained entry is not relevant to her application for voluntary departure. He further argues that the immigration judge's reliance on such evidence prevented the immigration judge from fully exercising his discretion as required by section 244(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. We disagree with the contentions of counsel. The respondent wil- lingly participated in a criminal scheme the sole purpose of which was the circumvention of the immigration laws of the United States. In the absence of outstanding equities in her behalf, evidence of such involve- ment in criminal activity will adversely affect her application for discre- tionary relief. Although the record reveals that the respondent's sister, with whom the respondent is living, is a lawful permanent resident, no other sig- nificant favorable factors have been presented. We conclude, as did the immigration judge, that there are insufficient equities in the respon- dent's behalf to outweigh the evidence of the respondent's entry with the assistance of professional smugglers. The respondent does not merit a favorable exercise of discretion. See generally Matter of Arai, 13 I. & N. Dec. 496 (BIA 1974. The decision of the immigration judge is correct. Accordingly, the appeal will be dismissed. ORDER: The appeal is dismissed.

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