Win-Loss Record
Saturday, June 30, 2007
I’m thinking I should keep track of the cases I win and lose at work, but that might make me too concerned about winning at the expense of, well, justice. But when you know there’s so much fraud on the immigration system, it just makes you want to win every case.
A “win” for the government, at least for asylum cases, is where the asylum application is denied by the immigration judge. That means the person doesn’t get asylee status or, a year later, a green card. Instead, they get ordered deported.
A “win” in the context of illegal immigrants applying for cancellation of removal is where their application for relief is denied, and they are ordered deported.
There are other interpretations. A case I read the other day said that “the government wins when justice is done.” Justice could mean that the applicant gets asylum if they have a legitimate claim, or the illegal alien gets their green card if they meet certain statutory requirements and are otherwise deserving.
I think I’m pretty moderate. I don’t view an alien as an enemy until I detect they are lying or not being forthcoming. I don’t give that benefit of the doubt to their attorneys, however. Some of them are truly crooked. I learned the hard way with this one case that I’m still trying to rectify.
It does feel good when you’re waiting for the judge’s decision in an asylum case and the attorney gets smart with you and says, “So, like taking appeals?” and the judge comes back and denies it, and that attorney is the one left taking the appeal. Ha!
Win-loss record so far (that I can remember):
- Asylum: 6-1
- Cancellation of removal for illegals: 1-3
- Relief for green card holders who commit crimes: 0-2
- Adjustment of status: 0-7