Dada v. Mukasey was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that dealt with deportation procedures. The case involved Samson T. Dada, a Nigerian citizen who had entered the United States in 1998 and overstayed his temporary visa. Dada married a US citizen, which made him eligible for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act. However, his wife failed to provide the required documentation, and in 2004, the government found Dada removable.
The case raised the question of whether a motion to reopen suspends the period of voluntary departure, and the Supreme Court's decision resolved a circuit split on this issue. The Court held that a motion to reopen does not automatically toll the period of voluntary departure, and that the Board of Immigration Appeals has discretion to grant a motion to reopen and extend the period of voluntary departure. This decision had a significant impact on the US immigration system, as it clarified the rules regarding voluntary departure and motions to reopen, and gave the Board of Immigration Appeals more discretion in deciding these cases. The case also influenced aliens' decisions to request voluntary departure and file motions to reopen, as they now had a better understanding of the rules and procedures involved.