Of the total number of removal proceedings filed, immigration judges decided 72 removal proceedings in the Saipan immigration court.
“The Executive Office for Immigration Review does not release statistics regarding pending caseloads,” Elaine Komis, the office’s public affairs officer and congressional liaison, told this reporter in an e-mail.
In an e-mail to the Variety, Komis said the immigration judges “may order voluntary departure or may order removal for individuals, but the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over the removal of individuals from the United States.”
On Saipan, Komis said immigration judges have ordered voluntary departure in 13 cases and have ordered removal in 45 others.
She said the average number of removal proceedings filed per month in the Saipan immigration court is 12.6.
The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which is under the U.S. Department of Justice, said once an alien in proceedings is found to be removable, he or she, if eligible, may request one or more types of discretionary relief.
The alien has the burden of proving that he or she is eligible for relief under the law, and that he or she deserves such relief as an exercise of discretion.
This relief includes voluntary departure, cancellation of removal, asylum, or adjustment of status.
There is also administrative and judicial relief that includes motions to reopen or reconsider, stay of removal, administrative appeal before the Board of Immigration Appeals, or judicial review.
An alien already present in or arriving in the CNMI, seeking asylum prior to Jan. 1, 2015, is not eligible to apply for asylum until or after Jan. 1, 2015, according to the interim final rule set by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice.
