On Friday, December 20, 2024, the Board of Immigration Appeals suspended Attorney James Lee Andion from practicing before the Board, the Immigration Courts, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for three years.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of James Lee Andion.”
The decision follows a disciplinary action taken by the Supreme Court of California, which, on September 25, 2024, suspended Andion from the practice of law for five years. However, the execution of this suspension was stayed, and he was placed on probation for five years under certain conditions. Notably, these conditions included a mandatory suspension from practicing law for at least the first three years of his probation, beginning October 25, 2024.
On October 29, 2024, the Disciplinary Counsel for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, along with DHS’s Disciplinary Counsel, filed a joint petition seeking Andion’s immediate suspension from practicing before immigration authorities. The Board granted this petition, resulting in the immediate suspension order issued on November 14, 2024.
Andion was required to respond to the allegations outlined in a Joint Notice of Intent to Discipline but failed to do so within the specified timeframe. According to immigration regulations, this failure constitutes an admission of the allegations, thereby preventing him from requesting a hearing regarding the matter. As such, the Board is obligated to accept the proposed sanction as stipulated in the Joint Notice.
The Board deemed the three-year suspension appropriate, particularly in light of the ongoing suspension imposed by the California Supreme Court. Furthermore, the Board affirmed that compliance with earlier directives remains mandatory for Andion, who is also required to inform the Board of any additional disciplinary actions taken against him.
The Disposition states:
“The Board hereby suspends the respondent from practice before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Immigration Courts, and DHS, for three years, effective November 14, 2024.”
According to avvo.com, Mr. Andion is an administrative law attorney in Rosemead, California.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
