Ghazi v. Blanche

── Ghazi v. Blanche ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Date: April 29, 2026 Category: Immigration Case: 25-60268 Document: 51-1 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/29/2026 United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit United States Court of Appeals ____________ Fifth Circuit FILED No. 25-60268 April 29, 2026 ____________ Lyle W. Cayce Clerk Said Ghazi, Petitioner, versus Todd Wallace Blanche, Acting U.S. Attorney General, Respondent. ______________________________ Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Agency No. A040 415 393 ______________________________ Before Stewart, Engelhardt, and Douglas, Circuit Judges. Per Curiam: * Petitioner seeks review of a decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) upholding the Immigration Judge’s (IJ) denial of a waiver under 8 U.S.C. §§ 1186a(c)(4)(A) and (B), and cancellation of removal under 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(a). For the following reasons, the petition for review is DISMISSED in part and DENIED in part. _____________________ * This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.  Case: 25-60268 Document: 51-1 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/29/2026 No. 25-60268 I. FACTUAL & PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND In March of 1993, Elaine Ende, a United States citizen, was visiting her friend Fatima Ghazi (Fatima), 1 when she noticed a picture of Fatima’s brother, Said Ghazi (Ghazi), a native and citizen of Morocco. Ende then obtained Ghazi’s number from Fatima, contacted Ghazi over the phone, and the two began having weekly telephone conversations. 2 In June of 1993, Ende flew from the United States to Morocco to meet Ghazi in person. Within a day of their first meeting, Ende proposed marriage and Ghazi accepted. On June 29, 1993, Ghazi and Ende married in Casablanca, Morocco. About a week after the wedding, Ende left Morocco, returned to her home in Houston, Texas, and began making plans for Ghazi to move to the United States. In October of 1994, Ende secured an Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration form for Ghazi. On November 20, 1994, Ghazi was admitted to the United States as a conditional permanent resident and went to Ende’s home in Houston. See 8 U.S.C. § 1186a(a)(1). According to Ende’s written statement dated December 2, 1994, on November 24, 1994, approximately four days after his arrival to the United States, Ghazi moved his belongings out of Ende’s home while she was out running errands and she has not seen or spoken to him since. 3 In January of 1995, Ende filed a petition to annul the marriage. In her petition for annulment, Ende stated that Ghazi fraudulently induced her to _____________________ 1 Fatima is a lawful permanent resident of the United States. 2 Ghazi states that he and Ende spoke over the phone approximately twice a week for fifteen minutes each time. 3 According to Ghazi, he stayed with Ende for about twenty days before leaving her home. He concedes that he has not contacted her since the day he left. 2  Case: 25-60268 Document: 51-1 Page: 3 Date Filed: 04/29/2026