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Title 8: Aliens and Nationality
PART 1240—PROCEEDINGS TO DETERMINE REMOVABILITY OF ALIENS IN THE UNITED STATES

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Subpart D—Exclusion of Aliens (for Proceedings Commenced Prior to April 1, 1997)

§ 1240.30   Proceedings prior to April 1, 1997.

Subpart D of 8 CFR part 240 applies to exclusion proceedings commenced prior to April 1, 1997, pursuant to the former section 236 of the Act. An exclusion proceeding is commenced by the filing of Form I–122 with the Immigration Court, and an alien is considered to be in exclusion proceedings only upon such filing. All references to the Act contained in this subpart are references to the Act in effect prior to April 1, 1997.

§ 1240.31   Authority of immigration judges.

In determining cases referred for further inquiry as provided in section 235 of the Act, immigration judges shall have the powers and authority conferred upon them by the Act and this chapter, including the adjudication of applications for adjustment of status pursuant to section 202 of Pub. L. 105–100, or section 902 of Pub. L. 105–277. Subject to any specific limitation prescribed by the Act and this chapter, immigration judges shall also exercise the discretion and authority conferred upon the Attorney General by the Act as is appropriate and necessary for the disposition of such cases.

[62 FR 10367, Mar. 6, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 27829, May 21, 1998; 64 FR 25766, May 12, 1999]

§ 1240.32   Hearing.

(a) Opening. Exclusion hearings shall be closed to the public, unless the alien at his or her own instance requests that the public, including the press, be permitted to attend; in that event, the hearing shall be open, provided that the alien states for the record that he or she is waiving the requirement in section 236 of the Act that the inquiry shall be kept separate and apart from the public. When the hearing is to be open, depending upon physical facilities, reasonable limitation may be placed upon the number in attendance at any one time, with priority being given to the press over the general public. The immigration judge shall ascertain whether the applicant for admission is the person to whom Form I–122 was previously delivered by the examining immigration officer as provided in 8 CFR part 1235; enter a copy of such form in evidence as an exhibit in the case; inform the applicant of the nature and purpose of the hearing; advise him or her of the privilege of being represented by an attorney of his or her own choice at no expense to the Government, and of the availability of free legal services programs qualified under 8 CFR part 1003 and organizations recognized pursuant to §1292.2 of this chapter located in the district where his or her exclusion hearing is to be held; and shall ascertain that the applicant has received a list of such programs; and request him or her to ascertain then and there whether he or she desires representation; advise him or her that he or she will have a reasonable opportunity to present evidence in his or her own behalf, to examine and object to evidence against him or her, and to cross-examine witnesses presented by the Government; and place the applicant under oath.

(b) Procedure. The immigration judge shall receive and adduce material and relevant evidence, rule upon objections, and otherwise regulate the course of the hearing.

(c) Attorney for the Service. The Service shall assign an attorney to each case in which an applicant's nationality is in issue and may assign an attorney to any case in which such assignment is deemed necessary or advantageous. The duties of the Service counsel include, but are not limited to, the presentation of evidence and the interrogation, examination, and cross-examination of the applicant and other witnesses. Nothing contained in this section diminishes the authority of an immigration judge to conduct proceedings under this part.

(d) Depositions. The procedures specified in §1240.48(e) shall apply.

(e) Record. The hearing before the immigration judge, including the testimony, exhibits, applications, proffers, and requests, the immigration judge's decision, and all written orders, motions, appeals, and other papers filed in the proceeding shall constitute the record in the case. The hearing shall be recorded verbatim except for statements made off the record with the permission of the immigration judge.

§ 1240.33   Applications for asylum or withholding of deportation.

(a) If the alien expresses fear of persecution or harm upon return to his or her country of origin or to a country to which the alien may be deported after a determination of excludability from the United States pursuant to this subpart, and the alien has not been referred to the immigration judge by an asylum officer in accordance with §1208.14(b) of this chapter, the immigration judge shall:

(1) Advise the alien that he or she may apply for asylum in the United States or withholding of deportation to that other country; and

(2) Make available the appropriate application forms.

(b) An application for asylum or withholding of deportation must be filed with the Immigration Court, pursuant to §1208.4(c) of this chapter. Upon receipt of an application that has not been referred by an asylum officer, the Immigration Court shall forward a copy to the Department of State pursuant to §1208.11 of this chapter and shall calendar the case for a hearing. The reply, if any, from the Department of State, unless classified under the applicable Executive Order, shall be given to both the applicant and to the Service counsel representing the government.

(c) Applications for asylum or withholding of deportation so filed will be decided by the immigration judge pursuant to the requirements and standards established in 8 CFR part 1208 after an evidentiary hearing that is necessary to resolve material factual issues in dispute. An evidentiary hearing extending beyond issues related to the basis for a mandatory denial of the application pursuant to §1208.13(c) of this chapter is not necessary once the immigration judge has determined that such denial is required.

(1) Evidentiary hearings on applications for asylum or withholding of deportation will be closed to the public unless the applicant expressly requests that it be open pursuant to §1236.3 of this chapter.

(2) Nothing in this section is intended to limit the authority of the immigration judge properly to control the scope of any evidentiary hearing.

(3) During the exclusion hearing, the applicant shall be examined under oath on his or her application and may present evidence and witnesses on his or her own behalf. The applicant has the burden of establishing that he or she is a refugee as defined in section 101(a)(42) of the Act pursuant to the standard set forth in §1208.13 of this chapter.

(4) The Service counsel for the government may call witnesses and present evidence for the record, including information classified under the applicable Executive Order, provided the immigration judge or the Board has determined that such information is relevant to the hearing. The applicant shall be informed when the immigration judge receives such classified information. The agency that provides the classified information to the immigration judge may provide an unclassified summary of the information for release to the applicant whenever it determines it can do so consistently with safeguarding both the classified nature of the information and its source. The summary should be as detailed as possible, in order that the applicant may have an opportunity to offer opposing evidence. A decision based in whole or in part on such classified information shall state that such information is material to the decision.

(d) The decision of an immigration judge to grant or deny asylum or withholding of deportation shall be communicated to the applicant and to the Service counsel for the government. An adverse decision will state why asylum or withholding of deportation was denied.

§ 1240.34   Renewal of application for adjustment of status under section 245 of the Act.

An adjustment application by an alien paroled under section 212(d)(5) of the Act, which has been denied by the district director, may be renewed in exclusion proceedings under section 236 of the Act (as in effect prior to April 1, 1997) before an immigration judge under the following two conditions: first, the denied application must have been properly filed subsequent to the applicant's earlier inspection and admission to the United States; and second, the applicant's later absence from and return to the United States must have been under the terms of an advance parole authorization on Form I–512 granted to permit the applicant's absence and return to pursue the previously filed adjustment application. In a relevant case, the immigration judge may adjudicate the sufficiency of an Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A (Form I–864), executed on behalf of an applicant for admission or for adjustment of status, in accordance with the provisions of section 213A of the Act and 8 CFR part 213a.

[62 FR 10367, Mar. 6, 1997, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated in part and duplicated in part from part 240 at 68 FR 9838, 9840, Feb. 28, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 35757, June 21, 2006]

§ 1240.35   Decision of the immigration judge; notice to the applicant.

(a) Decision. The immigration judge shall inform the applicant of his or her decision in accordance with §1003.37 of this chapter.

(b) Advice to alien ordered excluded. An alien ordered excluded shall be furnished with Form I–296, Notice to Alien Ordered Excluded by Immigration Judge, at the time of an oral decision by the immigration judge or upon service of a written decision.

(c) Holders of refugee travel documents. Aliens who are the holders of valid unexpired refugee travel documents may be ordered excluded only if they are found to be inadmissible under section 212(a)(2), 212(a)(3), or 212(a)(6)(E) of the Act, and it is determined that on the basis of the acts for which they are inadmissible there are compelling reasons of national security or public order for their exclusion. If the immigration judge finds that the alien is inadmissible but determines that there are no compelling reasons of national security or public order for exclusion, the immigration judge shall remand the case to the district director for parole.

§ 1240.36   Finality of order.

The decision of the immigration judge shall become final in accordance with §1003.37 of this chapter.

§ 1240.37   Appeals.

Except for temporary exclusions under section 235(c) of the Act, an appeal from a decision of an Immigration Judge under this part may be taken by either party pursuant to §1003.38 of this chapter.

§ 1240.38   Fingerprinting of excluded aliens.

Every alien 14 years of age or older who is excluded from admission to the United States by an immigration judge shall be fingerprinted, unless during the preceding year he or she has been fingerprinted at an American consular office.

§ 1240.39   [Reserved]

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