Procedures Further Implementing the Annual Limitation on Suspension of Deportation and Cancellation of Removal

The Department of Justice is amending the Executive Office for Immigration Review (``EOIR'') regulations governing the annual limitation on cancellation of removal and suspension of deportation decisions. The amendment eliminates certain procedures created in 1998 that were used to convert 8,000 conditional grants of suspension of deportation and cancellation of removal to outright grants before the end of fiscal year 1998. In addition, it authorizes immigration judges and the Board of Immigration Appeals (``Board'') to issue final decisions denying applications, without restriction, regardless of whether the annual limitation has been reached.