Chen v. Keisler
Opinion of the Court
SUMMARY ORDER
Ai Zheng Chen, a citizen of China, petitions for review of the October 18, 2006 decision of the BIA denying Chen’s motion to reconsider its July 27, 2006 decision. In re Ai Zheng Chen, No. A77-174-595 (B.IA. Oct. 18, 2006). We assume the parties’ familiarity with the underlying facts and procedural history of the case.
This Court reviews the BIA’s denial of a motion to reconsider for abuse of discretion. See Kaur v. BIA, 413 F.3d 232, 233 (2d Cir. 2005) (per curiam). An abuse of discretion may be found where the BIA’s decision “provides no rational explanation, inexplicably departs from established policies, is devoid of any reasoning, or contains only summary or conclusory statements; that is to say, where the Board has acted in an arbitrary or capricious manner.” Ke Zhen Zhao v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 265 F.3d 83, 93 (2d Cir. 2001) (internal citations omitted). “A motion for reconsideration is a request that the Board reexamine its decision in light of additional legal arguments, a change of law, or perhaps an argument or aspect of the case which was overlooked.” Jin Ming Liu v. Gonzales, 439 F.3d 109, 111 (2d Cir. 2006) (per curiam) (internal quotation marks omitted).
On appeal from the IJ’s denial of the motion to reopen, the BIA concluded that Chen did not demonstrate due diligence in pursuing his claim for the period he seeks to have tolled, because he should have taken action sometime between the summer of 2000, when he testified to being dissatisfied with his attorney, Joseph F. Muto, and November of 2001, when he hired a new attorney. The BIA, however, did not consider that during this entire period, Chen’s appeal from the denial of his first motion to reopen was pending before it. Chen therefore had no reason
For the foregoing reasons, the petition for review is GRANTED, and the case is REMANDED to the BIA for further consideration in accordance with this order. The pending motion for a stay of removal in this petition is DISMISSED as moot.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ai Zheng CHEN v. Peter D. KEISLER
- Status
- Published