Mercedes DE LEON, Petitioner, v. IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE, Respondent

Petitioner Mercedes De Leon moves for a stay of deportation pending disposition of her petition for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order affirming the denial of her applications for asylum and withholding of deportation under sections 208(a) and 243(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”), 8 U.S.C. §§ 1158(a) & 1253(h), and suspension of deportation under section 244(a) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. § 1254(a).

Prior to the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (“IIRIRA”), Pub.L. No. 104-208, 110 Stat. 3009 (Sept. 30, 1996), in most…