 PRESIDENTIAL PARDON MAY HELP IRANIAN AVOID DEPORTATION
An Iranian native who has been fighting deportation for 17 years received a pardon from President Clinton on his last day in office, a pardon that may allow him to avoid deportation. Monsour Talkoochen Azizkhani, convicted of conspiracy and making false statements in 1984, had a deportation order against him outstanding.
Azizkhani came to the US as a student in 1978. While he was here, the government of Iran was overthrown, and he lost contact with his family as well as the source of money he was using to go to school. He dropped out of college and worked at a number of jobs, including a used car business that drew the attention of federal authorities. He was forced to declare bankruptcy and lenders claimed that he had defrauded them. He was convicted.
He served 11 months in prison and made restitution of more than $ 75,000. He went back to school after his release, but he claimed he could not get a job in his field of engineering because he did not have a green card. By 1991, the deportation order against him was final, but Azizkhani did not leave the US. He also maintained contact with the INS.
He married a naturalized US citizen who petitioned for a green card on his behalf, but the application was denied. On appeal, however, it was approved, and Azizkhani became eligible to seek permanent residency. However, his criminal conviction and the still pending order of deportation made this nearly impossible.
Because of the pardon, Azizkhani’s lawyer will now ask the INS to end deportation proceedings and grant his client permanent residency. The pardon is not a guarantee that Azizkhani will be given a green card. However, it does greatly increase the chance that he will be allowed to remain in the US with his family.
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