PRACTITIONER’S TOOLKIT ON CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL FOR LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Lawful Permanent Resident Cancellation of Removal Toolkit PART 1 ........................................................................................................................ 7 I. PREFACE ................................................................................................................ 8 2016 Edition .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 About the Center .............................................................................................................................................. 9 About the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center ................................................................................... 9 About the Redacted Version (Available Upon Request) ................................................................................... 9 Methodology ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Statutory Section ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Case Law ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Practice Advisories ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Advice from Practitioners ............................................................................................................................... 11 Evidence ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Sample Legal Documents ............................................................................................................................... 11 Legal Disclaimer .............................................................................................................................................. 11 II. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 13 III. STATUTE- LPR Cancellation of Removal: INA § 240A(a) & 8 U.S.C. § 1229b ..... 15 Burden of Proof .............................................................................................................................................. 15 SECTION 1 - (1) Has Been an Alien Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence for Not Less Than 5 Years .... 16 SECTION 2 - (2) Has Resided in the United States Continuously for 7 Years After Having Been Admitted in Any Status .................................................................................................................................................................. 17 Stop Time Rule ............................................................................................................................................... 17 SECTION 3 - (3) Has Not Been Convicted of Any Aggravated Felony .......................................................... 19 Retroactivity ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Aggravated Felony Determination ................................................................................................................. 19 Categorical Approach ................................................................................................................................. 20 Modified Categorical Approach ................................................................................................................. 20 List of Aggravated Felonies Under INA § 101(a)(43): ................................................................................. 22 SECTION 4 - Discretionary Component of LPR Cancellation of Removal .......................................................... 31 Positive Factors ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Negative Factors .......................................................................................................................................... 32 SECTION 5 - Individuals Ineligible for LPR Cancellation Relief ............................................................................... 33 INA § 240A(c) - Aliens ineligible for relief: ...................................................................................................... 33 Explanation of INA § 240A(c) .......................................................................................................................... 34 IV. REGULATIONS ................................................................................................... 35 8 C.F.R. § 1240.20: Cancellation of removal and adjustment of status under INA § 240A ................................. 35 8 C.F.R. § 1240.11(a): Creation of the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence .............. 35 V. CASE LAW .......................................................................................................... 37 (a). Arranged by Court Authority ........................................................................................................................ 38 (1). Supreme Court of the United States ......................................................................................................... 38 (2). United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ................................................................................ 42 (3). Board of Immigration Appeals ................................................................................................................. 57 (b). Arranged by Statutory Element .................................................................................................................... 67 (1). Has been an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence for not less than 5 years ......................... 67 (A). Conditional Lawful Permanent Residents ........................................................................................... 67 Page 2 of 327 TABLE OF CONTENTS (B). Burden of Proof for Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status ......................................... 69 (C). Ability to Impute a Parent’s Lawful Permanent Resident Status ......................................................... 70 (2). Has resided in the U.S. continuously for 7 years after having been admitted in any status ................... 71 (A). Retroactivity ........................................................................................................................................ 71 (B). Re-entry After a Clock Stopping Event ................................................................................................ 73 (C). An Incomplete NTA’s Application to Stop-Time Rule .......................................................................... 77 (D). Ability to Impute Parent’s Continuous Residence Time ...................................................................... 79 (E). Date to Stop Time of Continuous Residence ....................................................................................... 80 (F). Stop-Time Rule’s Application to 5 years as Lawful Permanent Resident ............................................. 84 (G). Nonimmigrant Status and 7 Years Continuous Residence Requirement ............................................ 85 (3). Has not been convicted of any aggravated felony ................................................................................... 86 (A). Categorical Approach .......................................................................................................................... 86 (B). Modified Categorical Approach ........................................................................................................... 88 (C). Simultaneous Applications for Relief if Applicant Committed an Aggravated Felony ......................... 90 (D). Availability of Alternative Discretionary Relief if Convicted of an Aggravated Felony ....................... 91 (4). Discretionary Component of LPR Cancellation of Removal .................................................................... 91 (A). Standard for Determining Discretionary Component ......................................................................... 91 (B). Court of Appeals Jurisdiction to Hear Appeals Concerning the Discretionary Component ................ 95 (C). Retroactivity ........................................................................................................................................ 95 VI. PRACTICE ADVISORIES ...................................................................................... 98 (a). How to Apply for LPR Cancellation of Removal ............................................................................................ 98 Preparing the Application .............................................................................................................................. 98 Supporting Documents ................................................................................................................................