CA5 on Admission, Status: Gomez v. Lynch

Gomez v. Lynch, Aug. 5, 2016 - "After representing throughout the litigation that there was no record of Gomez’s purported 1993 admission (and asserting at oral argument that records from the relevant time period did not exist at all), the government reversed course. Now, it informs us, by letter, that it has located records confirming that Gomez was in fact processed normally through a Houston immigration checkpoint in 1993. We granted the motion to vacate and accepted supplemental briefing on the proper interpretation and application of Section 245a.2(u)(4). In its supplemental brief, the government explicitly concedes that Gomez was admitted in 1993. The only basis on which it defends the BIA’s order is that the regulation renders that admission legally ineffective. Thus, the question is whether the regulation’s language stating that Gomez returned “to the unlawful status held prior to” his adjustment to temporary resident status undoes Gomez’s 1993 admission. ... In summary, the language in 8 C.F.R. § 245a.2(u)(4) that provides for an alien to return to a previous unlawful status does not also undo a factual admission that occurred during the time when he was in lawful status. That is because his unlawful status does not encompass his lack of admission. Upon expiration of his temporary resident status, Gomez returned to his previous unlawful status (that is, he lost his permission to be present in the United States). But that does not change the historical fact that he had been admitted. Because Gomez was admitted, and the regulation does not undo that admission, the petition for review is GRANTED, and this matter is REMANDED for proceedings as needed. We express no view on what actions the BIA should take on remand."  [Hats way off to Raed Gonzalez!  And, appellate litigation geeks, note the lengthy discussion of deference: Chevron, Auer and Skidmore.]