Worlf Jean Pierre v. U.S. Attorney General ( 2021 )


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  •         USCA11 Case: 20-13607    Date Filed: 04/23/2021      Page: 1 of 3
    [DO NOT PUBLISH]
    IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
    ________________________
    No. 20-13607
    Non-Argument Calendar
    ________________________
    Agency No. A079-474-695
    WORLF JEAN PIERRE,
    Petitioner,
    versus
    U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL,
    Respondent.
    ________________________
    Petition for Review of a Decision of the
    Board of Immigration Appeals
    ________________________
    (April 23, 2021)
    Before JILL PRYOR, BRANCH, and LUCK, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:
    USCA11 Case: 20-13607            Date Filed: 04/23/2021       Page: 2 of 3
    Worlf Jean Pierre petitions for review of the Board of Immigration
    Appeals’s (“BIA”) denial of his motion to reopen and terminate his removal
    proceedings on timeliness grounds. He argues that because he was a minor and a
    rider on his mother’s removal proceedings, which concluded over 12 years before
    he filed his motion to reopen, the BIA should have considered equitable tolling
    when determining whether his motion was time-barred. He contends that the BIA
    failed to give reasoned consideration to the equitable tolling issue and, therefore,
    abused its discretion.
    Generally, a motion to reopen must be filed within 90 days of a final
    administrative order of removal. 8 U.S.C. § 1229a(c)(7)(C)(i). This 90-day
    deadline is subject to equitable tolling. Avila-Santoyo v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 
    713 F.3d 1357
    , 1364 (11th Cir. 2013) (en banc). Equitable tolling requires a litigant to show
    “that he has been pursuing his rights diligently” and “that some extraordinary
    circumstance stood in his way.” 
    Id.
     at 1363 n.5 (quotation omitted). Further, the
    time limits on motions to reopen do not apply if the basis of the motion is to apply
    or reapply for asylum or withholding of removal based on changed country
    conditions. 1 8 U.S.C. § 1229a(c)(7)(C)(ii).
    1
    In his motion to reopen, Jean Pierre alleges that “[t]he validity of the removal order
    against [him] has not been the subject of any judicial proceeding,” “he never had the opportunity
    to argue his individual case,” he “is currently a TPS status holder” and “the beneficiary of an I-
    130” petition, “[a]djustment of status was not available at the time of [his] prior removal
    hearing,” “he was unaware of the existence/effect of the outstanding removal order,” and he “is
    prima facie eligible for adjustment of status.” To the extent he contends that these allegations
    2
    USCA11 Case: 20-13607          Date Filed: 04/23/2021       Page: 3 of 3
    But “[w]e lack jurisdiction to consider a claim raised in a petition for review
    unless the petitioner has exhausted his administrative remedies with respect
    thereto.” Amaya-Artunduaga v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 
    463 F.3d 1247
    , 1250 (11th Cir.
    2006). “Thus, if an alien fails to [raise a] challenge . . . in his appeal to the BIA,
    we lack jurisdiction to consider such challenge in his petition for review.” 
    Id.
    Jean Pierre’s petition fails because he did not raise the issue of equitable
    tolling before the BIA. His statements in his motion to reopen—that he was a
    minor and a rider during the original removal proceedings and, therefore, never
    had the opportunity to argue his individual case—did not readily communicate to
    the BIA that he was requesting equitable tolling of the 90-day deadline. See Jeune
    v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 
    810 F.3d 792
    , 802 (11th Cir. 2016). In fact, he made no
    reference to equitable tolling or the timeliness issue generally before the BIA.
    Accordingly, we dismiss Jean Pierre’s petition for lack of jurisdiction.
    PETITION DISMISSED.
    demonstrate changed country conditions, we deny his petition because “[a]n alien cannot
    circumvent the requirement of changed country conditions by demonstrating only a change in
    [his] personal circumstances.” Zhang v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 
    572 F.3d 1316
    , 1319 (11th Cir. 2009).
    3
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 20-13607

Filed Date: 4/23/2021

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 4/23/2021