By Katie Tinto, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, Cardozo School of Law On February 2, 2015, an immigration judge in New York City terminated removal proceedings after finding that the government failed to meet its burden of proof that a lawful permanent resident (hereinafter, “Mr. P”) was removable on the grounds of either an aggravated felony theft offense or an aggravated felony fraud offense. Matter of P-F-M- (NYC Immigr. Ct. Feb. 2, 2015). The Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic of Cardozo School of Law (IJC) represented Mr. P for over three years, but for Mr. P, a [...]
Silva-Trevino is dead
Without fanfare and with only the stroke of a pen, Attorney General Eric Holder made an enormous contribution to the rule of law last Friday when he vacated Matter of Silva-Trevino, 24 I&N Dec. 687 (A.G. 2008), a much criticized decision by Attorney General Michael Mukasey about the proper means of analyzing the crimes involving moral turpitude basis of inadmissibility. Matter of Silva-Trevino, A013-014-303 (A.G. April 10, 2015) (read the informal order as originally distributed here; read the formal decision here). Building off multiple Supreme Court decisions and even longer federal [...]
Understanding the categorical approach
Whether dealing with criminal sentencing or potential removability, attorneys must constantly consider the proper scope and interpretation of the statutory construction method we know simply as the “categorical approach.” Last week’s BIA decision about the categorical approach, Matter of Chairez, 26 I&N Dec. 478 (BIA 2015) (which I blogged about here), reminded me that there’s nothing simple when it comes to the standard method of statutory interpretation used in crimmigration law. In its most recent pronouncement on the categorical approach, the Supreme Court laid out its basic [...]
BIA: Categorical approach is circuit-specific
No one has ever said that the categorical approach is straightforward. In a decision issued yesterday, the BIA managed it make it tougher to follow. Matter of Chairez, 26 I&N Dec. 478 (BIA 2015) [hereinafter Matter of Chairez II] (Pauley, Greer, and Malphrus). Board Member Pauley wrote the panel’s decision. Immigration attorneys and judges are required to use the categorical approach to determine whether a crime falls into a category of removable offense listed in the INA. The same analysis applies to possible sentencing enhancements in criminal proceedings, thus categorical approach [...]
BIA: Sexual abuse of a minor based on statutory rape of 16-or 17-year-old must include meaningful age differential
The Board of Immigration Appeals held that a statutory rape offense must include, as an element, a meaningful age difference between the abuser and victim in order to be classified as sexual abuse of a minor, a type of aggravated felony. Matter of Esquivel-Quintana, 26 I&N Dec. 469 (BIA 2015). Board Member Malphrus wrote the panel’s opinion. This case involved an LPR convicted of unlawful intercourse with a minor more than three years younger, a violation of Cal. Penal Code § 261.5(c). An IJ concluded that this offense constituted sexual abuse of a minor under INA § 101(a)(43)(A). On [...]
Mellouli symposium continues: Jimson Weed
The online symposium on Mellouli v. Holder that launched Tuesday continues today with a musical interlude by Andrea Saenz, a Clinical Teaching Fellow at Cardozo Law’s Immigration Justice Clinic. Here’s Andrea’s original Jimson Weed, set to the tune of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” * * * It was more like a awful dream from a horror scene Deport an LPR math teacher based on a sock Now we’re back, seeking help, from the Court Don’t care what’s in the sock….Close enough, said the 8th Circuit Court He told me that he was charged by ICE, they were not so nice Said you had drugs and [...]
Online symposium on crimmigration law: Supreme Court hears Mellouli v. Holder
Can a sock result in removal? That’s the practical question that the Supreme Court will have contend with when it hears oral arguments in Mellouli v. Holder tomorrow. To clarify the case, crImmigration.com is launching an online symposium today featuring several practitioners and scholars with special insight into the key issues Mellouli raises. Today’s contributors—Alina Das, Jennifer Lee Koh, Nancy Morawetz, Maureen Sweeney, and Craig Shagin—represent a cross-section of academics and practitioners who have followed the issues that Mellouli raises for some time. All bring unique [...]
Rethinking Removability for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (aka a Sock)
By Jennifer Lee Koh In Mellouli v. Holder, the Supreme Court will again clarify the reach of the nation’s drug-related immigration provisions, as well as speak to the proper application and scope of the categorical approach in immigration law. In this case, the Court will determine what the government must prove to impose immigration consequences (such as deportation and detention) on noncitizens with convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia. Section 237(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) renders noncitizens who have already been lawfully admitted to the U.S. (such as [...]