United States Fifth Circuit

Whether an alien satisfies the continuous presence requirement is a nondiscretionary determination, and a voluntary departure from the US under the threat of the commencement of immigration proceedings interrupts the requisite continuous presence for eligibility for cancellation of removal, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. section 1229b.

Appellate Information

• Decided 10/27/2003
• Published 10/27/2003

Judges

• RHESA HAWKINS BARKSDALE, Circuit Judge:, Before BARKSDALE, DeMOSS and BENAVIDES, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fifth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Lawrence Erik Rushton (argued), Isaias D. Torres, Houston, TX, for Petitioner.


• For Appellees:
  
• Julia Katherine Doig (argued), Thomas Ward Hussey, Director, David Michael McConnell, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civ. Div., Imm. Lit., Washington, DC, Hipolito Acosta, U.S. INS, Houston, TX, Caryl G. Thompson, U.S.INS, Dist. Directors Office, Attn: Joe A. Aguilar, New Orleans, LA, for Respondent.