(D)  Sentence Considerations and Felony/Misdemeanor classification.  A conviction meeting this definition will trigger deportation regardless of sentence.  Courts and the BIA have held that a misdemeanor conviction can be an aggravated felony as sexual abuse of a minor. [768]

[768]  But compare this with the Texas statute at issue in Matter of Rodriguez-Rodriguez, supra at p. 8. (“The severity of the penalty for a conviction under the statute demonstrates that Texas considers the crime to be serious.  This respondent received the maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.”) 

BIA

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - MINOR - MINOR IS ANYONE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE
Matter of VFD, 23 I. & N. Dec. 859 (BIA 2006) (victim of sexual abuse who is under the age of 18 is a "minor" for purposes of determining whether a noncitizen has been convicted of sexual abuse of a minor within the meaning of INA 101(a)(43)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(43)(A)).
http://www.usdoj.gov/eoir/vll/intdec/vol23/3523.pdf

Lower Courts of Second Circuit

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Gonzalez v. Ashcroft, ___ F.Supp.2d ___ (S.D.N.Y. April 29, 2005) (New York conviction for "use of a child in a sexual performance" under New York Penal Law ("N.Y.P.L.") 263.05, did not constitute an offense relating to child pornography, and was therefore not an aggravated felony under INA 101(a)(43)(I), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(43)(I), because the statute of conviction permits convictions for a lesser degree of scienter when parents or guardians are charged with violating the statute than the federal statutes encompassed by the aggravated felony provisions require, i.e., to act intentionally or knowingly: "Unless the scienter element is read so as not to attach to the parent's knowledge of the nature of the performance, the clause regarding parents is rendered superfluous.").

Third Circuit

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - DEFINITION
Stubbs v. Attorney General, ___ F.3d ___, 2006 WL 1776462 (3d Cir. Jun. 29, 2006) (finding New Jersey conviction for "endangering welfare of children" under N.J. Stat. Ann. 2C:24-4(a), is not a aggravated felony sexual abuse of a minor, the Third Circuit [incorrectly] stated that the BIA, in Matter of Rodriguez-Rodriguez, 22 I. & N. Dec. 991 Z(BIA 1999) specifically adopted 18 U.S.C. 3509(8) as the definition of sexual abuse of a minor). http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/3rd/044316p.pdf

Fifth Circuit

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - DEFINITION OF MINOR
United States v. Munoz-Ortenza, 563 F.3d 112 (5th Cir. Mar. 18, 2009) ("We need not decide here whether "minor" as used in the enumerated category of "sexual abuse of a minor" means those under sixteen versus those under seventeen. We can say that "minor" in this context does not include all persons under eighteennamely, seventeen-year-olds. We are mindful that in many contexts a minor is defined as a person under eighteen. See Blacks Law Dictionary 997 (6th ed. 1990) ("In most states, a person is no longer a minor after reaching the age of 18 . . . ."). However, in the unique crime-of-violence context, we must follow the Taylor common-sense approach.").

AGGRAVATED FELONY - STATUTORY INTERPRETATION - STATUTE DEFINING "SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR" HAS SAME MEANING IN IMMIGRATION AS CRIMINAL SENTENCE CONTEXT
United States v. Najera-Najera, 519 F.3d 509, 512 n.2 (5th Cir. Mar. 7, 2008) (the term "sexual abuse of a minor" has the same meaning in the aggravated felony context as in the illegal re-entry sentencing context).

Seventh Circuit

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - INDECENT SOLICITATION OF A CHILD
Hernandez-Alvarez v. Gonzales, ___ F.3d ___, 2005 WL 3534204 (7th Cir. Dec. 28, 2005) (Illinois conviction of indecent solicitation of a child, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/11-6(a)(2000), constituted sexual abuse of a minor aggravated felony, under INA 101(a)(43)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(43)(A), for deportation purposes even though the person solicited was an adult police officer rather than a minor), following Gattem v. Gonzales, 412 F.3d 758 (7th Cir. 2005).

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - SOLICITATION OF A SEXUAL ACT RECORD OF CONVICTION - FACT OF VICTIMS AGE IN CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRED TO CONVICT, IS SUFFICIENT TO PROVE SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR
Gattem v. Gonzalez, __ F.3d __, 2005 WL 1422373 (7th Cir. June 20, 2005) (misdemeanor solicitation to engage in a sexual act, in violation of Illinois law, 720 ILCS 5/11-14.1(a), is an aggravated felony, sexual abuse of a minor, offense for immigration purposes where the criminal complaint [and no other document] shows that the victim was under the age of 18)

Ninth Circuit

AGGRAVATED FELONY " CRIME OF VIOLENCE " SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR
United States v. Gomez, __ F.3d __, 2014 WL 1623725 (9th Cir. Apr. 24, 2014) (Arizona conviction for violation of ARS 13-405, sexual conduct with a minor under the age of fifteen, is not necessarily a crime of violence, as sexual abuse of a minor, for illegal re-entry sentencing purposes, under current law), applying tests of Estrada"Espinoza v. Mukasey, 546 F.3d 1147 (9th Cir. 2008).

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR
Pelayo-Garcia v. Holder, 589 F.3d 1010 (9th Cir. Dec. 14, 2009) (California conviction of "unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor" under Penal Code 261.5(d) is not categorically a sexual abuse of a minor as defined in INA 101(a)(43)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(43)(A), for immigration purposes: "Because section 261.5(d) does not include the relevant scienter requirement of 2243, and criminalizes sexual conduct that is not necessarily abusive, we conclude that section 261.5(d) does not qualify as the generic federal crime of "sexual abuse of a minor," and therefore is not categorically an aggravated felony under 1101(a)(43)(A).").

NOTE: The Ninth Circuit applied two separate definitions of "sexual abuse of a minor." Where the offense involves what is known as "statutory rape," the relevant test is whether the statute of conviction falls within 18 U.S.C. 2243 ("Whoever ... knowingly engages in a sexual act with another person who-(1) has attained the age of 12 years but has not attained the age of 16 years; and (2) is at least four years younger than the person so engaging; or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both."). The mens rea of "knowingly" in 2243(a) requires only that the act was "knowingly" committed, not that the defendant knew the age of the victim or the age difference.

In non-statutory rape case, the definition of "sexual abuse of a minor" means: "(1) the conduct prohibited by the criminal statute is sexual, (2) the statute protects a minor, and (3) the statute requires abuse. Id. at 513 (internal quotation omitted). A criminal statute includes the element of "abuse" if it expressly prohibits conduct that causes "physical or psychological harm in light of the age of the victim in question." Id. at 513. Sexual conduct involving younger children is per se abusive. Id." Citing United States v. Medina-Villa, 567 F.3d 507 (9th Cir. 2009).

The court looked to both definitions, and found that California Penal Code 261.5(d) did not meet either. The California offense did not meet the first definition since it could be committed without "knowledge" (i.e. through intoxication of the defendant), and did not meet the second definition since the state statute does not require "abuse," as an element, and sex with a minor 1 day short of 16 is not per se abusive.

AGGRAVATED FELONY - SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR - ELEMENTS
United States v. Medina-Villa, 570 F.3d 213 (9th Cir. June 23, 2009) (sexual abuse of a minor has the same meaning in the immigration and sentencing contexts - except as it concerns statutory rape in the immigration context; as generically defined, the term requires three elements - sexual conduct, against a minor, that constitutes abuse [physical or psychological harm]), distinguishing Estrada- Espinosa,546 F.3d 1147 (9th Cir. 2008), which applied 18 U.S.C. 2243 to define "sexual abuse of a minor" in the context of a statutory rape conviction.