### INTHE UNI TED S TATESCOU RT OFAPPEALS FORTHE FIFTH CIRCU IT

N o. 08- 60923
LO N I SE D EU S P et i t i on er v. E R IC H . H O L D E R , J r ., U n ite dS ta te s A tt o r n e yG e n e r a l R esp on d en t

P et i t i on f

or R evi ew of

an O rder of

t h e B oard of

I m m i grati on A pp eal s

B ef ore G A R W O O D , D AV IS, an d D E N N IS, C i rcui tJu dg es . W
. E U G E N E D AV IS, C i rcui tJu dg e: P et i t i on er, L on i se D eu s, app eal s f rom a f i n a l d e cision of

t h e B oard of I m m i gr at i on A ppeal s t hatPeti ti on er i s noteli gibl e f orc ance l l at i on o f

r em oval b a s e do n h e rfa i l u r e t o e s t a b l i s h t h e r e q u i r e dp e r i o do f r e s i d e n c yu n d e rI NA S e c tio n 2 4 0 A (a ), 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 9 (a ). W e a ffir m . I. D eus i s a nat ive and cit i ze n of H ai t iw her e s he w as bo r n on A ugust28, 19 78
. She e nt e r e d t he U ni t e d St at e s o n N o vem be r8 , 1 97 9, i l l e ga l l y w i t ho ut i ns pe c t i o n b uta ppa r e nt l y w i t h he rm o t he r . H e rm o t he rw as g r ant e d p e r m ane nt
r e s i d e nt s t a t us o n t ha t d a t e whe n Deu s was o ne y e a r o l d
. On M a y10, 1996,
w he n Deus w as 1 7, s he a dj us t e d he rs t at us t o t hato f al awf ulpe r m ane nt United States Court of App eals

Fifth Circuit 

### F I L E D December

23, 2009 Cha rl es R. F ulb ru g e II I ClerkN o. 08- 60923

2 resi den t . O n M ay 5, 199 9, D eu s w as convi ct ed i n F l ori da of t w o f el on y of fen ses: f rau du l en tuse of

a cr edi tcard an d gran d t h ef t . B ot h are t h i rd degree fel on i es f orw hi c h a sent enc e o f one ye arorm or e c oul d have bee n i m pos ed. D eus w as s e n te n c e dto s ixm o n th s d e fe r r e da dju d ic a tio n . O n M ar c h 2 5, 2 00 5, D e us a ppli e d f o rna t ur al i z at i o n w i t h t he U
. S. Ci t i z e n s h i p a n dI m m i g r a t i o n s e r v i c e s ( “ CI S ” ) o f t h e De p a r t m e n to f

Ho m e l a nd Se c ur i t y ( “ D H S” )
. O n M ay1 , 2 00 6, t he CI S de ni e d t he a ppli c at i o n b e c aus e D e us di d notes t abl i sh g oo d m or al c harac t er . O n June 19, 2006, r em ovalpr oc ee di ngs w er e c om m enc ed ag ai nstD eus by i ss uance of a N ot i c e t o Appear, al l egi ng t hat she w as subjec tt o rem oval pu rsuan tt o 8 U
. S
. C
. § 1227 ( a) ( 2) (A) ( I), as an al i en convic t ed w i t h i n 5 years of ad m i ssi on of a cri m e invol vi n g m oralt u rpi t u de f or w h ic h as e n te n c e o f o n e y e a rm a yb e im p o s e d
. D e us a t t e m pt e d t o s e e k c anc e l l ati on o f r e m o va lf

o rl awf ulpe r m ane nt r e s i d e n t s u n d e r 8 U. S
. C. § 1 2 2 9 b ( a ) , a l l e g i n g t h a t s h e c o u l d e s t a b l i s h t he
r equi r ed 7 year s of

co n ti n u ous r es i denc e a f t eradm i ss i on i n any s t at us by i m pu t i n g h er m ot h er’ s r esi den ce t o her. Th e st atute s h e rel i es on provi des: ( a) Cancel l at i o n o f

r e m o va lf

o rc e r t ai n pe r m ane ntr e s i de nt s . The A tt o r n e yG e n e r a l m a yca n c e l re m o v a l in th e ca s e o f a n a lie n w h o is in a d m iss ib le o r d e p o rta b le fro m th e U n ited S ta te s if th e a li e n -- ( 1) ha s b e e n a n a l i e n l awf ul l y ad m i t t e d f

o rpe r m ane nt resi den ce f

or not l ess t h an 5 years, ( 2) ha s resi ded in the U n i t ed S t ates conti n u ou sl y f or 7 ye ar s a f t e rha vi ng be e n a dm i t t e d i n a ny s t at us , a nd ( 3) has notbe en c onvi c t ed o f any agg r avat ed f

el ony. 8 U
. S. C
. § 1229b. T h e I m m i grati on Ju dg e ( “ IJ” ) rej ect ed t h i s argu m en tan d the rat i on al e of th e N in th C ir c u it c a s e , C u evas- G a sp ar v. G on zales , 430 F
. 3d 101 3 ( 9th C i r. 2005) , on w hi c h D eus r el i ed, f i ndi ng t hats uch i m put at i on w as n otal l ow ed by t h e l an gu age o f

t h e st atute. A ccor di n gl y, t h e I J den i ed D eu s’app l i cat i on f orN o. 08- 60923

INS v. Agu irre-Aguirre , 5 26 U. S. 415,424 (1 999)(“It i s cle ar thatp rin c ip les of Chevron 1 deference are applicab le to this statutory s c he m e. TheI NA provides that ‘the Attorney General shallbe charged with the admini stration an d enforce ment’ of the statutean d th at the “determinationan d ruling bythe AttorneyGeneral with respect to all que stion s of law sh all b e controllin g .”8U .S .C
. § 110 3(a)(1 ) (19 94 ed., Sup p . I II). . . . The AttorneyGeneral, while retainingultimate authority , ha s vested the BIA w it h p ow erto exercisethe ‘ discretion and authority c o nf

err e d up o n th e Attorn ey Gen er al b y l aw’ in th e c our s e of “c o n s ideringan d det erm ining cas esbefor e it” 8 CFR § 3.1( d) (1) (1998) . Basedon this allo c ati o no f autho rity, we recogniz ed in Cardoza-Fo nseca , supra, that the BIA should b e accorde d Chevrondeferenc e a s it givesa mb iguou s s tatutoryt erms ‘concrete me aningthrou ghap roce ss of c a se -b y -c a se adj udic ation’. 480U.S. at 448 -449 .”) 3 can cel l ati on of

rem oval. D eu s th en app eal ed to t h e B oard of I m m i grati on A pp eal s (“ B IA” ) , w h i ch den i e d h e r a p pea l
. Th e B IAexpl ai n ed that D eu s’ po s i t i o n was fo r e c l o s e d byi t s pr e c e de nt , and hel d t hata pa r e nt ’ s r e s i de nc e i n t he U n i t ed S ta te s cou l d n otbe i m pu t ed to an un em an ci pa t ed m i n or t o est abli sh
e lig ib ilityfo rca n c e lla tio n o f r e m o v a l u n d e rth a t s ta tu te . D e u s a p p e a ls
. II
. T h i s c ou rt revi ew s l egal i ssues l i ke t h e i n t erpret ati on of st atutes de no vo . A ppl yi ng Ch e v r o n , U. S. A. , In c . v . NRDC. , 4 67 U
. S. 8 37 ( 19 84 ) , w e s ubj e c tt he B IA ’ s co n s tr u c tio n o f th e la w it a d m in is te r s t o a d e fe r e n tia l re v ie w . D e Fu ente s v. G on zales , 4 6 2 F .3d 4 9 8 , 5 0 2 (5t h C ir. 2 0 0 6 ). 1 T h i s r evi ew i n volves a t w o- st ep i n qu i ry. F irst , w e ask w h et h er C on gr ess h a s d i rectly sp ok en to t h e p recise q u estion at is s u e . If C ongr es s’ i nt ent i s c l ear , t he agenc y and t he c our t s are b ou n d to give eff ect to i t. If

the statu te i s si l en t or am b i gu ou s w i th resp ect to t h e s p e c if

ic is s u e , w e a s k th e s e c o n dq u e s t io n , w h e t h e r“t h e a g e n c y ’s a n sw er is ba sed on a p erm i ssible con stru cti on of th e sta tu te. ” I d. (i n t e r n a lc it a t io n s o m it t e d ). W h e n d e t e r m in in gw h e t h e r“t h e a g e n c y ’s
an sw er i s based on a perm i ssibl e const ructi on of t h e st atute” , t h e C ou rt“ n e ed
n o t c o n c lu d e th a t t h e a g e n c yco n s tr u c tio n w a s th e o n lyo n e it p e r m is s ib lyco u ld hav e a do pt e d,
. . . o re ve n the readi ng t he c o ur tw o ul d ha ve r e ac he d if t he q u estion i n i ti a l l y h a darisen i n a jud i ci a lpr oce ed i n g.” Chev r o n, 467 U
. S. at843
n .1 1
.N o. 08- 60923

She achieved legal permanent residencyinMay19 96, more than 5 years before she 2 app liedf

orcitiz en shipinMarch2 0 0 5
. 4 II I. As i ndi c at e d a bo ve , D e us a r gue s t hatt he BI A e r r e d i n c o nc l udi ng t hats he
w as noteli gibl e f

orc ance l l at i on of

rem ovalu nder§ 1229b( a)
. Sec t i on 1229b ( a) h as t h ree r equ i rem en t s f or a perm an en t resi den t t o be el i gibl e f or c an cel l ati on o f r e m o va l : ( 1) l awf

ula dm i s s i o n f

o rpe r m ane ntres i denc e f o rno tl e s s t han 5 years, ( 2) conti n u ou s resi den ce i n t h e U n i t ed Stat es f or 7 years af

t er adm i ssi on i n an y st atus, a n d ( 3) no conv i ct i on of an y agg ravated fel on y. Th e i m m i grati on j udge f ound t hatther e i s no quest i on thatD eus h as be en l aw f ul l y adm i t t ed as
a perm an en t resi den t f or n ot l ess t h an 5 years an d t h at she has n o t b een c o nvi c t e d o f an ag gr av at e d f e l o ny. The o nl y i s s ue i n t hi s c as e i s w he t he rD e us

2
ca n de m o ns t r at e t hat s he r e s i de d i n t he U ni t e d St at e s f o r a c o nt i nuo u s s even ye arpe r i o d a f

t e rb e i ng ad m i t t e d i n a ny s t at us . Thi s r e quir e m e nti s a ti s s ue be c aus e , und e r8 U
. S. C
. § 1229 b( d) ( 1) , ape t i t i o ne r ’ s pe r i o d o f c o nt i nuo us r es i denc e a s r equi r ed under§ 1229b( a) ( 2) is d ee m ed t o e nd w hen, w i t hi n f ive ye ar s a f t e ra dm i s s i o n, t he a l i en com m i t s a n o f fe ns e i nvo lvi ng m o r alt ur pi t ude forw h ich ase n te n ce of o n e y e a r m a yb e im p o se d . 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 7 (a )(2)(A)(i)(I). P e tit io n e rra is e s n o is s u e re la te dto w h e th e rh e rco n v ic tio n s fa ll w ith in th is c a te g o r y . The I m m i gr at i o n J udg e f o und andt he BI A agr e e d t hatb e c aus e D e us e nt e r e d t he U
. S. i l l e ga l l y, s he w as no t“ ad m i t t ed i n a ny s t at us ” unt i ls he adj u st ed h er s t atus t o t h at of a l aw f u lperm an en tres i den ton M ay 10 , 199 6. H er peri od of

conti n u ou s r esi den ce w as t erm i n ated w h en she com m i t t ed a cri m e of
m oralturp i t u de on J u l y 15, 1 998 , res u l t i n g i n a peri od of res i den ce far short er th a n th e re q u ir e ds e v e n y e a r s . D e u s a r g u e s th a ts h e c a n m e e tth e p e r i o d o f r e s id e n c yif

h e rm o t h e r ’s p e r io do f la w fu l re s id e n c e is im p u te dto h e r . T h e N in th C ir c u it a c c e p te dth isN o. 08- 60923

5 ar gum e nti n C u evas- G aspa r v. G on zales , 430 F
. 3d 101 3 ( 9th C i r. 200 5)
. C u evasG as pa r , l i ke D e us , e nt e r e d t he U ni t e d St at e s w i t h hi s par e nt s w he n he w as o ne year ol d. H i s m ot h er l ateratt ai n ed p erm a n e n tres i den tst atus i n 199 0, w h en C u e v a s w a s s e v e n y e a r s o ld
. C u e v a s a tt a in e dp e r m a n e n t r e s id e n t s ta tu s in 1997. I n 2002, he pl ed g ui l t y t o b ei ng an ac c om p l i ce i n a r es i dent i albur gl ar y, w hi c h t he N i nt h Ci r c ui the l d was a c r i m e o f m o r al t ur pi t ude
. As i n t hi s c as e , t he B IAr ej ec t ed t he ar gum entt hatt he pet i ti oners at i sf i ed t he s eve n- year c o n tin u o u s re s id e n c e re q u ir e m e n t fo rca n c e lla tio n o f r e m o v a l b a s e do n h is p rese n ce a s a m i n or ch i l dl ivin g w i th h i s l a w full y-a d m i tted p a ren ts. T h e N i n th C i r c ui tr ec ogni ze d t hatC uevas di d nothave l aw f uls t at us pr i ort o 1 997. H o w e ve r , i the l d t hathe w as e l i gibl e f o rc anc e l l at i o n o f

r e m o valb ased on t he i m put at i on o f

hi s m ot her ’ s per i od o f r es i denc e w hi l e he w as a m i norf r om , 1990
u n til 2 0 0 2
. T h e N i n t h C i rcui td ecl i n ed t o give Ch evron de fe r e nc e t o t he BI A’ s po s i t i o n. The c o ur t s t ar t e d w i t h i t s de c i s i o n i n L e p e - Gu i t r o n v . I

NS , 16 F
. 3d 102 1 ( 9th C i r. 199 4) , w hi c h he l d t hat“be c aus e ac hi l d’ s do m i c i l e f o l l o w s t hato f

hi s o rher pa rents, t h e paren t s’dom i ci l e i n t h e U n i t ed S t ates i s i m pu t ed to t h e paren t s’
une m anc i pa t e d m i no rc hi l d f o rpur po s e s o f

t he s e ve n y e ar s ‘ l awf ul
u n r e l i n q u i s h e d d o mi c i l e ’ r e q u i r e d f o r d i s c r e t i o n a r y wa iv e r u n d e r t h e n o wrep ea l ed IN A§ 21 2 (c)
. ” I d. a t1 02 1. I n L epe- G u i t ron t h e N i n t h C i rcui tobserved t hat“ i m m i gr at i o n s t at ut e s a nd r e gul at i o ns a r e r e pl e t e w i t h pr o vi s i o ns ‘ givi ng a h i gh pr i ority to t h e relationbe tw ee n pe rm a n en t resi d en t pa ren ts an dthe ir ch i l d ren , ’” Id
. a t 1 0 2 4
. Se c t i o n 2 12 (c ) , w hi c h i s the s t at ut e i nt e r pr e t e d i n L epe- G u i t ron , i s t he predecessor t o t h e st atute ati ssue i n t h i s c ase, § 1 2 2 9b(a)
. Sect i on 212 (c) requ i red a peri od of

“ l aw f u lun rel i n qu i shed dom i ci l e” i n order t o qu al i f y f or r el i ef f rom rem oval, w h e re a s c an cel l ati on of rem oval u n der § 1229 b( a) requi res a p eriodof resid en ce “after h a vin g b ee n ad m i tted in a n y statu s. ” Id
. (unde r l i ni ngN o. 08- 60923

6 a d d e d ). The t e r m “ ad m i t t e d” i s a def i ne d t e r m i n t he I N A, de f i ne d a s “ t he l awf

ul ent r y o f t he al i en i n to the U ni t ed St at es af t eri nspec t i on and aut hor i zat i on by
a n i m m i gr a ti on off

i cer.” I d. a t 1 0 2 2 ; 8 U .S .C
. § 1 1 0 1 (a )(1 3 ). T h e N in th C ir c u it
r ej e c t e d t he BI A’ s a rgum en tt hatt he r e quir e m e nto f a dm i s s i o n i nt o a nd resi den ce i n t h e U n i t ed S t ates, un l i ke d om i ci l e, does not depen d on i n t en tor ca p a ci ty m a k i n g im p u tati on i n a p p l i ca b l e to th e n ew statut e. N eit h er th e sta tu te n or t h e l egi sl ative h i st ory reveal s w h y C on gress cha n ged t h e res i den cy r equi r em entf

r om t he “l aw f

ulunre l i nqui she d dom i c i l e o f seven c ons ec ut ive ye ar s ” und e r§ 2 12 (c ) t o t he r e quir em en t s n ow i n § 1 22 9b ( a) (pe r m ane nt resi den ce f

or f ive years or conti n u ou s resi den ce aft er ad m i ssi on in an y st atus f or s e v e n y e a r s ). Id
. T h e N i n t h C ir cui tconcl u ded t h at “t h e chan ge i n res i den cy r e quir e m e ntw as i nt e nde d t o c l e arup a l o ngs t and i ng di s ag r e e m e ntb e t w e e n t he va ri ou s cou rts of a p p ea l s an dthe B IAreg a rd i n g th e typ e of statu s n ece ssa ryto q u a l i fy f

or re l i ef un d er form er 2 1 2 (c)
. ” I d. Ala te rd e c is io n b yth e N in th C ir c u it de s c r ibe s i t s de c i s i o n i n Cuev as - G as para s i m p u t i n gth ep a r e n t ’ s a d m it t e d s t at us to t h e m i n o rch ild
. A ngelWi lf redo B arri os v. E ri c H
. Hol d er , 2 00 9 U
. S. App. L E X IS 1 4 1 4 7 (9 th C ir . J u n e 2 6 , 2 0 0 9 ). A t l ea st on e circ u it cou rt ap p ea rs to ag ree w i th the B IA ’ s p ositi on . In A ugu st i n v. A G of

th e Un itedS t ate s , 520 F
. 3d 264 ( 3d C i r. 200 8) , t h e T h i rd C i rcu i t he l dtha t t h e B IA ’ s d en i a lof ca n cell a ti on of r e m o v a l an di ts refus a lto i m put e t he fat he r ’ s ye ar s o f r e s i de nc e w as pr o pe r be c aus e i tw as a st rai gh t f

orw ard ap pl i cat i on of t h e st atute’ s r equ i rem e nt s . H ow ever i n t h at c ase, t he dec i si on m ay have r es t ed i n parton t he fac t s pre sen ted
. Sec t i on 1229b ( a)
r e q u ir e s s e v e n y e a r s o f c o n tin u o u s re s id e n c e , w h ic h is d e fin e da t 8 U .S .C . § 110 1( a) ( 33) as a person ’ s “pri n ci pa l , a ct u ald w el l i n g pl ace i n fact , w i t h ou tregard t o i n t e n t . ” I n A ug u stin , i tw as “ und i sput ed t hatpet i t i onerdi d not‘ ac t ual [l y] dwel l ’i n t he U ni t e d St at e s f o rs e ve n c o nt i nuo us y e ar s be f o r e he c o m m i t t e d t he c r im e in v o lv in gm o r a l t u r p itu d e t h a t c u t o ff h is p e r io do f c o n tin u o u s re s id e n c e .”N o. 08- 60923

7 Id
. at 269- 70 . R a th er A u gu st i n ’ s paren tha d p receded h i m i n t o t h e U n i t ed St at e s . The Thi r d Ci rc ui tf o und t hatt he g o alo f m ai nt ai ni ng r e l at i o ns hi ps betw een l egal perm an en tres i den tparen t s and t h ei r m i n or c h i l dre n c o u ld not al one f or m t he bas i s t o f

i nd t he B IA ’ s unw i l l i ngness t o r ead i nt o t he s t at ut e a n excepti on t o t h e requi rem en t s f or c an cel l ati on of

rem oval f

or m i n ors w h ose p a r e n ts p r e c e d e th e m in im m ig r a tin gto th e U n ite dS ta te s . Id
. a t 2 7 0
. Al t ho ugh D e us ’ fac t s a r e di s t i ngu i s hab l e f r o m t ho s e i n A ug u stin , i n t hat i tappear s t hats he di d ac t ual l y r es i de i n t he U ni t ed St at es w i t h herl egal perm an en tres i den tparen tw h i l e a m i n or, the T h i rd C i rcui tal so r ej ect ed other argu m en ts th a tf

orm t h e basi s of

t h e Cuev as - G as

parde c i s i o n o n whi c h Deus
r e li e s . I tfo u n dn o in c o n s is t e n c yb e t w e e n th e B IA ’s r e fu s a l t o im p u t e ap a r e n t ’s p e r m a n e n tr e s id e n ts t a t u s a n dit s c o n s is t e n tw il li n g n e s s to im p u t e ap a r e n t ’s i n t en t , st ate of m i n d, an d s t atus t o a chi l d, becau se t h e rel evan ti n qu i ry un der § 1 2 2 9 b ( a ) , r e s i d e n c e , p r e s e n t s n o q u e s t i o n r e g a r d i n gami n o r ’ s i n t e n t i o n. S i m i l arl y, i tf

ou n d n o cor rel ati on to cases i n t erpret i n g f orm er § 212 (c) , becau se § 212 ( c ) c o n t a i n e dt h e t e r m “ d o m i c i l e ” wh i c h i n c o r p o r a t e s i n t e n t , wh e r e a s t he
c u r r e n t c a n c e lla tio n o f r e m o v a lp r o v is io n re s ts o n “r e s id e n c e ” w h ic h is d e te r m in e dw ith o u t r e g a r dto in te n t. The N i nt h Ci r c ui t ’ s a ppr o ac h woul d t ak e i nt o a c c o unt t he fac tt hatD e us has b een i n t he U ni t e d St at e s s i nc e s he w as o ne y e aro l d, f o rape r i o d d ur i ng w hi c h s he di d no tha ve c o nt r o lo ve rhe ri m m i gr at i o n s t at us . H o w e ve rg ive n t he a b s e n c e o f

s u p p o r ti n t h e s t a t u t o r yl a n g u a g e o rl e g i s l a t iv e h i s t o r yt h a ts u c h t i me w a s in t e n d e dto b e c o u n t e dto w a r d s th e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f § 1 2 2 9 b (a ), th e B IA ’s in te r p r e ta tio n is n o t in c o n s is te n t w ith th e s ta tu te a n dth e r e fo r e p e r m is s ib le
u n der Ch evron’

s de fe r e nt i alr e vi e w . I n s ho r t , § 1 229 b( a) ( 2) o nl y c o unt s t he peri od of

conti n u ou s r e s i den ce i n t h e U n i t ed S t ates af t er t h e peti t i on er has “been adm i t t ed i n any st at us. ” B ec ause D eus f i r stent er ed t he U
. S. i l l egall y, s he w as n o t“ ad m i t t e d” a s t hatt e r m i s s t at ut o r i l y de f i ne d a s r e quir i ng “ i ns pe c t i o n a ndN o. 08- 60923

8 aut ho r i z a t i o n b y a n i m m i g r a t i o n o f f i c e r” un t i l s he was a d m i t t e d a s a l egal perm an en tres i den ti n 199 6. H er c on vi ct i on i n 199 9 cut of f h e r peri od of resi den cy, w h i ch w as then too sh ortto q u al i f y f or c an cel l ati on of

rem oval u n der § 1 2 2 9 b (a ). In a d d itio n , w e fin dp e r s u a s iv e th e ra tio n a le o f th e T h ir dC ir c u it in Augus t i n r eje c tin g th e a r g u m e n ts r e lie d u p o n b yD e u s a n dth e N in th C ir c u it in t ak i ng t he o ppo s i t e po s i t i o n. IV
. F o rt h e f

o r e g o i n gr e a s o n s , t h e o r d e ro f t h e B IA i s A F F I RMED.