Fernando Tantalean-Bera v. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES On

072525np-pdfCourt of Appeals for the Third CircuitJun 17, 2008

Full text

NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
No. 07-2525
FERNANDO TANTALEAN-BERA,
Petitioner
v.
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES
On Petition for Review of an Order of Removal of the Board of Immigration Appeals
(Agency No. A97-959-834)
Immigration Judge: Henry S. Dogin
Submitted Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a)
June 4, 2008
Before: AMBRO, FISHER and JORDAN, Circuit Judges
(Opinion filed: June 17, 2008)
OPINION
PER CURIAM
Fernando Tantalean-Bera seeks review of a final order of removal. We will
dismiss the petition for review.
Tantalean-Bera is a native and citizen of Peru. He entered the United States

-- 1 of 3 --

An alien seeking cancellation of removal must show that: (1) the alien has been1
physically present in the United States for a continuous period of not less than 10 years
immediately preceding the date of the alien’s application for cancellation of removal; (2)
the alien has been a person of good moral character during such period; (3) the alien has
not been convicted of a criminal offense; and (4) the alien’s removal would result in
exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to the alien’s spouse, parent or child who is a
United States citizen or lawful permanent resident. 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1)(A)-(D).
2
without inspection in April, 1994. The Department of Homeland Security issued a Notice
to Appear on November 28, 2004, stating that Tantalean-Bera was in violation of INA §
212(a)(6)(A)(i). Tantalean-Bera conceded removability and applied for cancellation of
removal under INA § 240A(b)(1) on April 27, 2005. The Immigration Judge (“IJ”) held a
hearing on March 1, 2006, and denied the application for cancellation of removal,
concluding that Tantalean-Bera had failed to meet the statutory criteria. Tantalean-Bera1
appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”), which dismissed his appeal. The
BIA found no error in the IJ’s determination that Tantalean-Bera’s wife would not suffer
exceptional hardship “beyond that which ordinarily would be expected to result from the
[petitioner’s] removal.” BIA op. Determining that failure to satisfy this factor alone
rendered Tantalean-Bera ineligible for cancellation of removal, the BIA declined to reach
any other issue that he had raised.
In his petition for review, Tantalean-Bera raises two arguments: (1) that the IJ
violated his right to due process by engaging in biased questioning; and (2) that the BIA
erred in affirming the IJ’s determination that he was not entitled to cancellation of
removal because he had not demonstrated that his removal would result in exceptional

-- 2 of 3 --

3
and extremely unusual hardship to his spouse.
We cannot consider Tantalean-Bera’s argument that the IJ’s manner of questioning
violated due process because he failed to raise this issue before the BIA. See Bonhometre
v. Gonzales, 414 F.3d 442, 447-48 (3d Cir. 2005).
Denials of discretionary relief are not subject to judicial review. 8 U.S.C. §
1252(a)(2)(B). Whether an alien will suffer “exceptional and extremely unusual
hardship,” as required for cancellation of removal, is precisely such a discretionary
determination. Mendez-Moranchel v. Ashcroft, 338 F.3d 176, 179 (3d Cir. 2003). We
lack jurisdiction to review the discretionary decision that Tantalean-Bera failed to show
exceptional and extremely unusual hardship. 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1)(D).
As Tantalean-Bera has presented no issue that we may review, we will dismiss his
petition for review.

-- 3 of 3 --

Continue your research in ChatGPT or Claude

Connect Omnilex to search the legal corpus from your AI assistant.