STATUTORY INTERPRETATION - RULE OF SUPERFLUITIES
Matter of Velazquez-Herrera, 24 I. & N. Dec. 503, ___ (BIA May 20, 2008) (Pauley, Boardmember, concurring) ("Indeed, it appears that crimes of child neglect or abandonment are a subset of "child abuse" and, although technically redundant, were likely inserted by Congress to assure coverage of such crimes, however denominated by the State. See Ali v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, 128 S. Ct.
AGGRAVATED FELONY - CRIME OF VIOLENCE - BATTERY
LaGuerre v. Mukasey, 526 F.3d 1037 (7th Cir. May 20, 2008) (Illinois conviction of domestic battery, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(1) ["intentionally or knowingly without legal justification by any means: (1) Causes bodily harm to any family or household member."], qualifies as a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. 16(a), and therefore under INA 101(a)(43)(F), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(43)(F), because, as 16(a) requires, it has as an element the use of physical force), following United States v. Upton, 512 F.3d 394, 405 (7th Cir.
AGGRAVATED FELONY - CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
United States v. Williams, No. 06-694, 128 S.Ct. 1830 (May 19, 2008) (finding constitutional a statute criminalizing, in certain specified circumstances, the pandering or solicitation of child pornography, rejecting claims the statute was overbroad under the First Amendment and impermissibly vague under the Due Process Clause because the term "simulated sexual intercourse" might include virtual child pornography or sex between youthful-looking adult actors).
AGGRAVATED FELONY - SENTENCE
CD4:20.31;CMT3:4.7
INADMISSIBILITY - CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE - PETTY OFFENSE EXCEPTION
United States v. Rodriquez, 553 U.S. ___ (May 19, 2008) (for purposes of considering whether a state drug-trafficking offense, for which a ten-year recidivism-based sentence was imposed, qualifies as a predicate offense under the Armed Career Criminal Act, 18 U.S.C. 924(e)), the federal sentencing court must consider the recidivist sentence enhancement in determining the sentence imposed), disagreeing with United States v. Corona-Sanchez, 291 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir.
INADMISSIBILITY - CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE - PETTY OFFENSE EXCEPTION
United States v. Rodriquez, 553 U.S. ___ (May 19, 2008) (for purposes of considering whether a state drug-trafficking offense, for which a ten-year recidivism-based sentence was imposed, qualifies as a predicate offense under the Armed Career Criminal Act, 18 U.S.C. 924(e)), the federal sentencing court must consider the recidivist sentence enhancement in determining the sentence imposed), disagreeing with United States v. Corona-Sanchez, 291 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir.
AGGRAVATED FELONY - CRIME OF VIOLENCE
Attorney General Opinion, Opinions from Office of Legal Counsel, Vol. 31, May 17, 2007 ("A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9) is
limited to those offenses of which the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon is an element that is, a factual predicate specified by law and required to support a conviction.
STATUTORY INTERPRETATION - IIRAIRA CRIMINAL DEPORTATION GROUNDS - CONGRESSIONAL INTENT - BROAD INTERPRETATION
Matter of Velazquez-Herrera, 24 I. & N. Dec. 503, ___ (BIA May 20, 2008) ("In seeking to identify the "federal policies" underlying section 237(a)(2)(E)(i), we find it significant that the provision was enacted pursuant to the IIRIRA as part of an aggressive legislative movement to expand the criminal grounds of deportability in general and to create a "comprehensive statutory scheme to cover crimes against children" in particular. Matter of Rodriguez-Rodriguez, supra, at 994.
STATUTORY INTERPRETATION - IIRAIRA CRIMINAL DEPORTATION GROUNDS - CONGRESSIONAL INTENT - BROAD INTERPRETATION
Matter of Velazquez-Herrera, 24 I. & N. Dec.
CONVICTION - NATURE OF CONVICTION - CATEGORICAL ANALYSIS - BIA REAFFIRMS CATEGORICAL DETERMINATION OF THE NATURE OF DEPORTABLE CONVICTIONS UNLESS CONGRESS INVITED EXCEPTION
Matter of Velazquez-Herrera, 24 I. & N. Dec. 503, ___ (BIA May 20, 2008) (BIA rejected DHS argument to go beyond elements of offense, and beyond record of conviction, to determine whether conviction constituted "crime of child abuse" under INA 237(a)(2)(E)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(E)(i), using reasoning applicable to all criminal grounds of deportation except those specifically excluded by earlier decisions), citing Matter of Babaisakov, 24 I. & N. Dec.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - DEPORTATION GROUND - CRIME OF CHILD ABUSE - CONGRESS DID NOT INVITE "EXTRA ELEMENT" EXCEPTION TO CATEGORICAL ANALYSIS LIMITATION TO ELEMENTS OF OFFENSE OR RECORD OF CONVICTION
Matter of Velazquez-Herrera, 24 I. & N. Dec. 503, ___ (BIA May 20, 2008) ("Yet there is nothing in the language of the "crime of child abuse" clause of section 237(a)(2)(E)(i) that invites inquiry into facts unrelated to an alien's "convicted conduct." Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that application of the categorical approach will render section 237(a)(2)(E)(i) so underinclusive as to defeat the purpose of the statute. Most States have criminal statutes that are designed to punish child abuse in its various forms, and many of these statutes protect children exclusively.").