Opinion

LEE

  • 11 I. & N. Dec. 710
Court
Board of Immigration Appeals
Filed
Jul 1, 1966
Status
Published
Cited by
0 cases

The opinion

Interim Decision #1615

MATTER OF LEE

In Section 245 Proceedings

A-13553064

Decided by District Director April 6,1966

An alien accorded second preference classification in 1959 under the then ex-

isting statute as the unmarried son of a 'United States citizen, who is still

unmarried and whose U.S. citizen mother is still living, is clearly within

the provisions of section 25(a) of the Act of September 26, 1961, which

statute has not been repealed; therefore, he is classiSable as a "nonquota im-

migrant" and, being otherwise eligible, his application for adjustment of

status pursuant to section 246 . of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as

amended, is granted.

The applicant's only entry into the United States occurred at

Honolulu, Hawaii on December 13, 1963, at which time he was

paroled indefinitely pursuant to the statutory authority contained

in section 212(d) (5) of the. Immigration and Nationality Act (8

U.S.C. 1182). That extraordinary authority was exercised because

of the applicant's status as a "Hong 'Kong parolee", i.e., a refugee

from Communist China.

His application for adjustment of status was filed on January 26,

1966. The required investigation and medical examination have

been completed and the applicant has been found to be admissitle

to the United States and qualified in every respect for the benefit

he seeks. The sole question presented is that of the quota to which

he should be charged.

For reasons set out more fully below, it has been concluded that he

should not be charged to any quota, that he may properly be classi-

fied as a "nonquota immigrant", even though that term is no longer

to be found in the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The subject was born in China on December 25, 1987. On July 23,

1959, his mother, LEE Lau Sam Moi, a citizen of the United States,

filed a petition 'to classify him as a second preference immigrant

under the then existing statute (8 U.S.C. 1153) as the unmarried

710

Interim Decision 401615

son of a. citizen of the United States. This petition was approved

on December 28, 1959.

The pertinent statutory provision reads:

Any alien eligible for a quota immigrant status under the provisions of sec-

tion 203(a7(2) or (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act on the baste of

a petition Sled with the Attorney General prior to J'uly 1, 1981, shall be held

to be a nonquota immigrant and, if otherwise admissible under the provisions

of that Act, shall be issued a nonquota immigrant visa: Provided, That, upon

his application for an immigrant visa, and for admission to the 'United States,

the alien is found to have retained his relationship to the petitioner, and status,

as established in the approved petition. (Sec. 25(a), Act of September 20,

1961, '75 Stat 657)

The statutory interpretation to be given to the words "relation,

ship" and "status" has been decided by the Attorney General. Re-

tention of the parent-child relationship is affected by marriage but

not by the ge ef the child (Matter of Y J---0--, 9 L & N. Dec.

—

471). The applicant is still unmarried and his U.S. citizen mother

is still living. The statute quoted above has not been repealed.

The October 3, 1965 amendment to the Immigration and Nation-

ality Act made no provision for aliens who had achieved nonquota

status by special legislation enacted prior to 'October 8, 1965. How-

ever, since the Act of October 3, 1965 did not repeal, either express-

ly or by implication, the Act of September 26, 1961, it will be con-

chided that this applicant is still a nonquota immigrant.

Additional evidence to support this conclusion is to be foUnd in

Title 22 of the' Code of Federal Regulations, Part 42.20, which

authorizes the issuance of inunig,rant visas to immediate relatives

or special immigrants after they establish their right to such classifi-

cations under the provisions of section 201:(b) or 101(a) (27) or other

proviiion 'of law. (Empllesis added.) Part 42.27 of that Title

pro Ades that an alien shall be classifiable as a nonquota immigrant

if he establishes to the satisfaction_ of the consular officer that he .

qualifies under section. 25(a) of the Act of September 26, 1961:,

The facts recited above clearly bring this applicant within the pro- :

visions of section 25(a) of the Act of September 26, 1961. His

application will be granted, -without deduction .of a number from

the quota of ,China. .

ORDER: It is ordered that the application of Herman Buck-kin

Lee for adjustment of status pursuant to section 245 of the

gration and Nationality Act be and hereby is granted.

711

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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