Judge Margo Brodie
After an investigation into alien smuggling from Guyana, Ali was arrested on May, 15, 1997, and charged in a criminal complaint for allegedly violating 18 USC §1324(a)(1)(A)(iv). The complaint against her was dismissed, with prejudice, on Aug. 26, 1997. Appearing pro se, Ali moved on April 23, 2013, to seal or expunge her criminal record pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15. She asserted that she had "come a long way from this alleged accusation" and that looking at her fingerprints "makes [her] sick" and lowers [her] self[-]esteem." District court denied Ali's motion. Balancing Ali's interest in avoiding the harm her criminal record may cause against the government's interest in maintaining criminal identification records for effective law enforcement, the court concluded that Ali's claimed emotional distress did not outweigh the government's interest in keeping records such that expungement of her criminal record was warranted. Ali's claims that her fingerprints make her sick and lower her self-esteem do not amount to an extreme or harsh circumstance. Nor did Ali argue that her arrest record had any impact on her job prospects or caused her any financial or economic injury.