Mahamat v. Ashcroft

TYMKOVICH, Circuit Judge.

This petition for review challenges the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA’s) decision rejecting petitioner Abdallah Hassan Mahamat’s ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claim. We deny the petition.

BACKGROUND

In 1998, Mr. Mahamat, a native and citizen of Chad, entered the United States on a non-immigrant tourist visa. He overstayed his visa and married Saña Ibrahim, a Sudanese national, who has since become a U.S. citizen.

In 1999, Mr. Mahamat appeared before an asylum officer and submitted an application- prepared by attorney Steven R. Lawrence for asylum, restriction on…