Richard H. Chambers United States Court House, Pasadena, California courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Alex Wathen argued two immigration cases before the Ninth Circuit on May 7, 2010. The Panel hearing both cases consisted of Ninth Circuit Judges Betty Fletcher, Richard Paez, and District Judge Edward R. Korman from the Eastern District of New York. The cases were argued in the Richard H. Chambers United States Court House in Pasadena, California. The Ninth Circuit appointed Alex Wathen and his co-counsel first as amici for the petitioners on these cases but when the retained counsels became unavailable Alex Wathen was designated not just to argue as the amicus but also the entire case for both petitioners.
One case involved an asylum application by a Chaldean Iraqi Christian who is seeking political asylum in the United States based on religious persecution. Attorney General Eric Holder opposed the application claiming that the persecution was based on the sale of beer at the petitioner’s family’s restaurant rather than religion even though the persecutors were motivated by religion. The petition was granted and the case has been remanded. Listen to the oral argument recording and read the opinion.
The other case involved an immigrant couple who presented clear evidence that they qualified to stay in the United States yet the immigration judge still denied relief. Again the Attorney General still opposed this case too. Listen to the oral argument recording and read the opinion.
