Judicial review of orders of removal
Applicable provisions
General orders of removal
Matters not subject to judicial review
Review relating to section 1225(b)(1)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory), including section 2241 of title 28, or any other habeas corpus provision, and sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, no court shall have jurisdiction to review—
except as provided in subsection (e), any individual determination or to entertain any other cause or claim arising from or relating to the implementation or operation of an order of removal pursuant to section 1225(b)(1) of this title,
except as provided in subsection (e), a decision by the Attorney General to invoke the provisions of such section,
the application of such section to individual aliens, including the determination made under section 1225(b)(1)(B) of this title, or
except as provided in subsection (e), procedures and policies adopted by the Attorney General to implement the provisions of section 1225(b)(1) of this title.
Denials of discretionary relief
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory), including section 2241 of title 28, or any other habeas corpus provision, and sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, and except as provided in subparagraph (D), and regardless of whether the judgment, decision, or action is made in removal proceedings, no court shall have jurisdiction to review—
any judgment regarding the granting of relief under section 1182(h), 1182(i), 1229b, 1229c, or 1255 of this title, or
any other decision or action of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority for which is specified under this subchapter to be in the discretion of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, other than the granting of relief under section 1158(a) of this title.
Orders against criminal aliens
Judicial review of certain legal claims
Treatment of certain decisions
Claims under the United Nations Convention
Exclusive means of review
Requirements for review of orders of removal
With respect to review of an order of removal under subsection (a)(1), the following requirements apply:
Deadline
Venue and forms
Service
In general
Stay of order
Alien’s brief
Scope and standard for review
Except as provided in paragraph (5)(B)—
the court of appeals shall decide the petition only on the administrative record on which the order of removal is based,
the administrative findings of fact are conclusive unless any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the contrary,
a decision that an alien is not eligible for admission to the United States is conclusive unless manifestly contrary to law, and
the Attorney General’s discretionary judgment whether to grant relief under section 1158(a) of this title shall be conclusive unless manifestly contrary to the law and an abuse of discretion.
No court shall reverse a determination made by a trier of fact with respect to the availability of corroborating evidence, as described in section 1158(b)(1)(B), 1229a(c)(4)(B), or 1231(b)(3)(C) of this title, unless the court finds, pursuant to subsection (b)(4)(B), that a reasonable trier of fact is compelled to conclude that such corroborating evidence is unavailable.
Treatment of nationality claims
Court determination if no issue of fact
Transfer if issue of fact
Limitation on determination
Consolidation with review of motions to reopen or reconsider
Challenge to validity of orders in certain criminal proceedings
In general
Claims of United States nationality
If the defendant claims in the motion to be a national of the United States and the district court finds that—
no genuine issue of material fact about the defendant’s nationality is presented, the court shall decide the motion only on the administrative record on which the removal order is based and the administrative findings of fact are conclusive if supported by reasonable, substantial, and probative evidence on the record considered as a whole; or
a genuine issue of material fact about the defendant’s nationality is presented, the court shall hold a new hearing on the nationality claim and decide that claim as if an action had been brought under section 2201 of title 28.
The defendant may have such nationality claim decided only as provided in this subparagraph.
Consequence of invalidation
Limitation on filing petitions for review
Construction
This subsection—
does not prevent the Attorney General, after a final order of removal has been issued, from detaining the alien under section 1231(a) of this title;
does not relieve the alien from complying with section 1231(a)(4) of this title and section 1253(g) 1
does not require the Attorney General to defer removal of the alien.
Consolidation of questions for judicial review
Requirements for petition
A petition for review or for habeas corpus of an order of removal—
shall attach a copy of such order, and
shall state whether a court has upheld the validity of the order, and, if so, shall state the name of the court, the date of the court’s ruling, and the kind of proceeding.
Review of final orders
A court may review a final order of removal only if—
the alien has exhausted all administrative remedies available to the alien as of right, and
another court has not decided the validity of the order, unless the reviewing court finds that the petition presents grounds that could not have been presented in the prior judicial proceeding or that the remedy provided by the prior proceeding was inadequate or ineffective to test the validity of the order.
Judicial review of orders under section 1225(b)(1)
Limitations on relief
Without regard to the nature of the action or claim and without regard to the identity of the party or parties bringing the action, no court may—
enter declaratory, injunctive, or other equitable relief in any action pertaining to an order to exclude an alien in accordance with section 1225(b)(1) of this title except as specifically authorized in a subsequent paragraph of this subsection, or
certify a class under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in any action for which judicial review is authorized under a subsequent paragraph of this subsection.
Habeas corpus proceedings
Judicial review of any determination made under section 1225(b)(1) of this title is available in habeas corpus proceedings, but shall be limited to determinations of—
whether the petitioner is an alien,
whether the petitioner was ordered removed under such section, and
whether the petitioner can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the petitioner is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, has been admitted as a refugee under section 1157 of this title, or has been granted asylum under section 1158 of this title, such status not having been terminated, and is entitled to such further inquiry as prescribed by the Attorney General pursuant to section 1225(b)(1)(C) of this title.
Challenges on validity of the system
In general
Judicial review of determinations under section 1225(b) of this title and its implementation is available in an action instituted in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, but shall be limited to determinations of—
whether such section, or any regulation issued to implement such section, is constitutional; or
whether such a regulation, or a written policy directive, written policy guideline, or written procedure issued by or under the authority of the Attorney General to implement such section, is not consistent with applicable provisions of this subchapter or is otherwise in violation of law.
Deadlines for bringing actions
Notice of appeal
Expeditious consideration of cases
Decision
In any case where the court determines that the petitioner—
is an alien who was not ordered removed under section 1225(b)(1) of this title, or
has demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that the alien is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, has been admitted as a refugee under section 1157 of this title, or has been granted asylum under section 1158 of this title, the court may order no remedy or relief other than to require that the petitioner be provided a hearing in accordance with section 1229a of this title. Any alien who is provided a hearing under section 1229a of this title pursuant to this paragraph may thereafter obtain judicial review of any resulting final order of removal pursuant to subsection (a)(1).
Scope of inquiry
Limit on injunctive relief
In general
Particular cases
Exclusive jurisdiction
Source
(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 5, § 242, 66 Stat. 208; Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1263, § 17, 68 Stat. 1232; Pub. L. 97–116, § 18(h)(1),Notes
References in Text
Amendments
Effective Date of 2005 Amendment
The amendment made by subsection (e) [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this division [
The amendments made by subsection (f) [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this division [
Effective Date of 1996 Amendments
In general.—
Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and section 1231 of this title and repealing section 1105a of this title] shall apply as provided under section 309 [8 U.S.C. 1101 note], except that subsection (g) of section 242 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1252(g)] (as added by subsection (a)), shall apply without limitation to claims arising from all past, pending, or future exclusion, deportation, or removal proceedings under such Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.].
Limitation.—
Paragraph (1) shall not be considered to invalidate or to require the reconsideration of any judgment or order entered under section 106 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [former 8 U.S.C. 1105a], as amended by section 440 of Public Law 104–132.”
Effective Date of 1994 Amendments
Effective Date of 1991 Amendment
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Notice-related provisions.—
Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (e)(1) of section 242B of the Immigration and Nationality Act [former 8 U.S.C. 1252b(a), (b), (c) and (e)(1)] (as inserted by the amendment made by subsection (a)), and the amendment made by subsection (e) [amending this section], shall be effective on a date specified by the Attorney General in the certification described in subparagraph (B), which date may not be earlier than 6 months after the date of such certification.
The Attorney General shall certify to the Congress when the central address file system (described in section 239(a)(4) [probably means 239(a)(3)] of the Immigration and Nationality Act) [8 U.S.C. 1229(a)(3)] has been established.
The Comptroller General shall submit to Congress, within 3 months after the date of the Attorney General’s certification under subparagraph (B), a report on the adequacy of such system.
Certain limits on discretionary relief; sanctions for frivolous behavior.—
Subsections (d), (e)(2), and (e)(3) of section 242B of the Immigration and Nationality Act (as inserted by the amendment made by subsection (a)) shall be effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [
Limits on discretionary relief for failure to appear in asylum hearing.—
Subsection (e)(4) of section 242B of the Immigration and Nationality Act (as inserted by the amendment made by subsection (a)) shall be effective on
Consolidation of relief in judicial review.—
The amendments made by subsection (b) [amending section 1105a of this title] shall apply to final orders of deportation entered on or after
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Regulations
the period of time in which motions to reopen and to reconsider may be offered in deportation proceedings, which regulations include a limitation on the number of such motions that may be filed and a maximum time period for the filing of such motions; and
the time period for the filing of administrative appeals in deportation proceedings and for the filing of appellate and reply briefs, which regulations include a limitation on the number of administrative appeals that may be made, a maximum time period for the filing of such motions and briefs, the items to be included in the notice of appeal, and the consolidation of motions to reopen or to reconsider with the appeal of the order of deportation.”
Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and Transfer of Functions
Transfer of Cases
Transitional Rule Cases
References to Order of Removal Deemed To Include Order of Exclusion and Deportation
Authority To Accept Certain Assistance
In General.—
Subject to subsection (b) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Attorney General, in the discretion of the Attorney General, may accept, hold, administer, and utilize gifts of property and services (which may not include cash assistance) from State and local governments for the purpose of assisting the Immigration and Naturalization Service in the transportation of deportable aliens who are arrested for misdemeanor or felony crimes under State or Federal law and who are either unlawfully within the United States or willing to submit to voluntary departure under safeguards. Any property acquired pursuant to this section shall be acquired in the name of the United States.
Limitation.—
The Attorney General shall terminate or rescind the exercise of the authority under subsection (a) if the Attorney General determines that the exercise of such authority has resulted in discrimination by law enforcement officials on the basis of race, color, or national origin.”