# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 6- 15 71

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Lui s Ger ard o Gar ci a-Urb an o,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

,

v.

Je ffer so n B . Ses si on s, II I, Att or ne y Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta te s,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

.

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Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of a n Ord er o f th e Bo ard of I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

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Su bm it te d: Octo be r 18 , 20 17

Fi le d: May 17, 2 01 8

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Befo re COLLOTON, BEAM, and BENTON, Circu it Ju dg es

.

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COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

Lui s Garci a-Urb an o, a ci ti zen of Mex ic o, pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of a de ci si on of

th e Bo ard of Im

m ig rat io n App eal s. The Bo ard up he ld th e de ci si on of an im m ig rat io n jud ge th at de ni ed Garci a-Urb an o’s app li cat io n for asylu m , wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

,

an d pr ot ect io n un de r th e Co nv en ti on Aga in st Tort ur e. Garci a-Urb an o co nt en ds th at

th e Bo ard erre d in tre at i n g h i s c o n v i ct io n fo r cri m in al se xu al co nd uc t in th e th irdde gr ee u nd er Mi nn . Sta t. § 60 9.3 44 , su bd iv . 1(b ) as an ag gr av at ed fel on y un de r th e

Im m ig rat io n an d Nati on al it y Act (INA). W e co nc lu de th at th e Bo ard was co rrec t an d

th eref or e d en y th e p et it io n fo r rev ie w.

I.

Garci a-Urb a n o w a s a d mi tt ed to th e Uni te d St at es in Apr il 20 14 at th e ag e of

se ve nt een as a la wfu l pe rm an en t resi de nt

. At the ag e of ei gh te en , he pl ead ed gu il ty

to cri m in al se xu al co nd uc t in th e th ird de gr ee, in vi ol at io n of Mi nn

. St at

. § 60 9.3 44

,

su bd iv

. 1( b)

, an d to fle ei ng a po li ce of fic er in a m ot or ve hi cl e, in vi ol at io n of Mi nn

. St at . § 6 09 .48 7, s ub di v. 3

.

The Dep art m en t of Hom el an d Secu rit y co m m en ced r e mo v al pr oc eed in gs

ag ai ns t Gar ci a-Urb an o, al le gi ng th at th e two co nv ic ti on s were g ro un ds for rem ov al

fro m th e Uni te d St at es

. The Dep art m en t m ai nt ai ne d th at cri m in al se xu al co nd uc t in

th e th ird de gr ee co ns ti tu te d “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ,” an d th at fle ei ng a po li ce

of fic er in a m ot or ve hi cl e was a “ cri m e of vi ol en ce.” Each co nv ic ti on wou ld th us be

an “ ag gr av at ed fel on y ,” se e 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 43 )(A), (F), an d each wou ld se rv e as

an in de pe nd en t g ro un d fo r rem ov al

. Se e id . § 1 22 7( a)(2 )(A)(i ii ).

Garci a-Urb an o ap pl ie d fo r as y lu m , bu t t h e i mm ig rat io n jud ge de ni ed th e

ap pl ic at io n, an d th e Bo ard di sm is se d Garci a-Urb an o’s ap pe al

. The Bo ard co nc lu de d

th at Garci a-Urb an o was in el ig ib l e f or as y lu m be cau se hi s co nv ic ti on fo r cri m in al

se xu al c o n d u c t w as an ag gr av at ed fel on y un de r th e INA. Se e 8 U.S.C.

§ 11 58 (b )(2 )(A)(i i), (B)( i). Bec au se th at co nv ic ti on su ffi ced to m ak e Garci a-Urb an o

in el ig ib le

, th e Bo ard fo un d it un ne ces sa ry to ad dr es s Garci a-Urb an o’s co nv ic ti on fo r

fle ei ng a po li ce o ffi cer i n a m ot or ve hi cl e. 1

1 Garci a-Urb an o al so ap pl ie d fo r wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al an d pr ot ect io n un de r th e Co nv en ti on A g a i n s t To r tu re. Se e 8 U.S.C. § 12 31 (b )(3 ); 8 C.F.R. §§ 12 08 .16

-

-2

-II.

An al ie n who “ is co n v i c t e d of an ag gr av at ed fel on y at an y ti m e aft er

ad mi s s i o n ” is bo th rem ov ab le an d in el ig ib le fo r as y lu m

. 8 U.S.C.

§§ 12 27 (a)( 2) (A)(i ii ), 11 58 (b )(2 )(A)(i i) & (B)( i). “ Sex ua l ab us e of a m in or ,” un de r

ei th er fed eral or st at e la w, is an ag gr av at ed fel on y

. Id

. § 11 01 (a)( 43 )(A). The refo re,

Garci a-Urb an o’s c o n v i ct io n in Mi nn es ot a fo r cri m in al se xu al co nd uc t in th e th ird

de gr ee is an ag gr av at ed fel on y if it co ns ti tu te s “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” wit hi n t he

m ean in g o f th e INA.

To de te rm in e whe th er an of f e n s e of co nv ic ti on is an ag gr av at ed fel on y , we

lo ok on ly to t he ele m en ts of th e cri m in al st at ut e an d a pp ly the so -cal le d c at eg or ic al

ap pr oa ch

. Esq ui vel -Qu in ta na v. Se ss io ns , 1 3 7 S. Ct

. 15 62

, 15 67 -6 8 (2 01 7)

. The

Mi nn es ot a st at ut e at is su e m ak es it a cri m e fo r an act or to en ga ge in “ se xu al

pe ne tra ti on ” wit h a no th er wh en th e o th er p art y is “ at lea st 13 bu t l es s t ha n 16 y ears

of ag e an d th e act or is m or e th an 24 m on th s ol de r.” Min n. St at . § 6 09 .34 4, s ub di v. 1( b)

. W e m

us t co ns id er whe th er “ th e le as t of th e act s cri m in al iz ed by th e st at e st at ut e

fal ls wit hi n th e ge ne ric fed eral de fin it io n of se xu al ab us e of a m i n o r

. ” Esq ui vel

Qui nt an a, 13 7 S. Ct

. at 15 68

. If so , th en Garci a-Urb an o w a s c o n v i c te d of an

ag gr av at ed fel on y

.

Co ng r e s s d i d no t de fin e “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ,” an d th e Bo ard ha s

int er pr e te d th e ph ras e th ro ug h cas e-b y -cas e ad jud ic at io n. In th is cas e, Garci a-Urb an o

arg ue d th at hi s of

fen se di d no t qu al ify be cau se th ere was no t en ou gh di ffer en ce in ag e

be twee n hi m an d th e vi ct im : he was ei gh te en , an d sh e was fif te en

. He fu rth er ur ge d

th at hi s of

fen se was no t su ffi ci en tl y se rio us , be cau se “[h e ] an d hi s gi rlf rie nd

es se nt ia ll y ha d co ns en su al se x (ex cep t th at st at ut or y pr ov is io n pr e v e n t s us e of

12 08 .18

. The im

m ig rat io n judg e an d th e Bo ard reject ed th es e cl ai m s for reli ef, and

Garci a-Urb an o d oe s n ot see k re vi ew of th e Bo ard ’s dec is io n o n t ho se po in ts

.

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-co ns en t as a de fen se ).” The Bo ard reject ed th es e co nt en ti on s, co nc lu di ng th at “ se xu al

a b u s e o f a m in or ” do es no t req ui re a “ m ean in gf ul ag e di ffer en ce” be twee n a

pe rp et rat or an d a vi ct im un de r th e ag e of si xt een , an d th at th e st at e cri m in al of fen se

was su ffi ci en tl y se rio us to qu al ify as an ag gr av at ed fel on y

. The Bo ard reas on ed th at

be cau se th e Mi nn es ot a st at ut e “ in vo lv es a y ou ng er ad ol es cen t vi ct im who is be twee n

th e ag es of 13 an d 15 y ears ol d (a m in or ), an d it req ui res s e x u a l ab us e (e.g

.,
pe ne tra ti on ), it co ns ti tu te s ‘sex ua l ab us e o f a m in or ,’ un de r ou r de fin it io n.”

W hi le Garci a- U r b an o’s pe ti ti on fo r rev ie w was pe nd in g wit h th is co ur t, th e

Su pr e me C o u rt de ci de d Esq ui vel -Qu in ta na

. In de te rm in in g whe th er st at ut or y rap e

un de r Cal ifo rn ia la w co ns ti tu te d “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” un de r th e INA, th e Co ur t

he ld “ th at in th e co nt ex t of st at ut or y rap e o f f e n s e s fo cu se d so le ly on th e ag e of th e

pa rti ci p a n t s , ” th e INA un am bi gu ou sl y req ui res th e vi ct im of se xu al ab us e to be

y ou ng er th an si xt een y ears ol d. 13 7 S. Ct

. at 15 72 -7 3. Bec au se th e Cal ifo rn ia st at ut e

en co m pa ss ed vi ct im s who ha d tu rn ed si xt een , a co nv ic ti on un de r th at l a w d i d n ot

qu al ify as an ag gr av at ed fel on y

. Id

. The M in ne so ta st at ut e at is su e he re, ho wev er,

req ui res a vi ct im who is y ou ng er th an si xt een , so th e Bo ard ’s de ci si on in th is cas e is

no t i nc on si st en t wi th Esq ui vel -Qu in ta na

.

Garci a-Urb an o rai se s di ffer en t ob j ec tio ns to co unt ing his Mi nne sot a co nvi ct io n

as an ag gr av at ed f

e l o ny. He co nt en ds th at th e Mi nn es ot a st at ut e en co m pa ss es

co nd uc t th at is no t su ffi ci en tl y se rio us to co ns ti tu te “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or .” The

INA li st s “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” in th e sa m e su bp ara g rap h as “ m ur de r” an d

“ rap e,” 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 43 )(A), an d th e Co ur t in Esq ui vel -Qu in ta na ob se rv ed th at

th is st ru ct ur e “ su gg es ts th at se xu al ab us e of a m in or en co m pa ss es o n l y e s p eci al ly

eg reg io us fel on ie s.” 13 5 S. Ct

. at 15 70

. Garci a-Urb an o arg ue s t h a t be cau se th e

Mi nn es ot a st at ut e cri m in al iz es wha t he de sc rib es as “ co ns en su al ” se x be twee n t w o

te en ag ers , th e st at ut e fo rb id s co nd uc t th at is n o t p a rti cu la rly se rio us , an d is th us

cat eg or ic al ly ove rb ro ad

.

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-Garci a-Urb an o’s pr op os ed in te rp ret a ti on is co nt rary t o th e or di na ry m ean in g

of “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or .” His th eo ry th at “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” req ui res an

el em en t of se rio us ne ss be y on d se xu al pe ne tra ti on wit h a pe rs on to o y ou ng to co ns en t

wou ld effe ct iv el y rem ov e fro m th e INA’s pu rv ie w al l st at ut or y rap e of fen se s th at are

ba se d so le ly on th e ag e of th e pa rti ci pa nt s. Yet whe n Co ng res s ad de d “ se xu al ab us e

of a m in or ” to th e INA in 19 96

, “ th e or di na ry m ean in g of ‘sex ua l ab us e’ in cl ud ed ‘the

en ga gi ng in se xu al co nt act wit h a pe rs on who i s be lo w a sp eci fie d ag e or who is

in cap ab le of gi vi ng co ns en t be cau se of ag e or m en ta l or ph y si cal in cap aci ty.’ ” Id

. at

15 69 (q uo ti ng Mer r i a m

- W eb st er ’s Dict io na ry of La w 45 4 (1 99 6) ). By in cl ud in g

“ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” as an ag gr av at ed fel on y, C o n g r es s ne ces sa ril y in cl ud ed

cert ai n se xu al co nd uc t th at is fo rb id de n ba se d so le ly on th e ag e of th e pa rti es

in vo lv ed

. Garci a-Urb an o’s de fin it io n of eg reg io us m is co nd uc t th eref or e do es no t

al ig n wi th th e st at ut e.

Alt e r n a ti ve ly, Garci a-Urb an o arg ue s th at ge ne ric “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ”

req ui res an ag e di ffer en ti al of m or e th an two y ears an d a da y be twee n th e pe rp et rat or

an d th e vi ct im

. He ur ge s th at th e de fin it io n of “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” in th e INA,

at le as t as it ap pl ie s to st at ut or y rap e, sh ou ld be de riv ed fro m a p r o v i s io n of th e

fed eral cri m in al co de th at req ui res a fo ur -y ear ag e di ffer en ti al

. S e e 1 8 U

. S.C.

§ 22 43 (a)( 2)

. Bec au se Mi nn

. St at

. § 60 9.3 44

, su bd iv

. 1( b) req ui res an ag e di ffer en ti al

of jus t two -y ears an d a da y , Ga r c i a

- Urb an o co nt en ds th at th e Mi nn es ot a st at ut e is

cat eg or ic al ly ove rb ro ad

.

W e co nc lu de th at th e INA cl earl y refu te s Garci a-Urb an o’s po si t i o n

. In

Esq ui vel -Qu in ta na , th e Co ur t de cl in ed to de ci de whe th er “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ”

req ui res an y ag e di ffer en ce be twee n th e pe rp et rat or an d th e vi ct im

. Id

. at 15 72

. Bu t

th e Co ur t di d pr ov id e so m e in si gh t: an y ag e di ffer en ti al in th e ge ne ric fed eral of fen se

can no t “ cat eg or ic al ly ex cl ud e th e st at ut or y ra p e l a w s o f m os t St at es .” Id

. at 15 71

. Tha t res ul t wou ld “ co m e cl os e to nu ll ifyin g” th e effe ct of th e te rm “ se xu al ab us e of

a m in or ” in th e INA. Id

. (in te rn al qu ot at i o n o m it te d)

. Fo r th at reas on , th e Co ur t

-5

-de cl in ed to a d o pt th e ve ry de fin it io n fro m 18 U.S.C. § 22 43 (a) th at Garci a-Urb an o

ad va nc es

.

Fo r si m il ar reas on s, we co nc lu de th at th e ge ne ric of fen se can no t req ui re an ag e

di ffer en ti al of m or e th an two y ears an d on e da y

. Th e o r d i n a r y m ean in g of “ se xu al

ab us e” in 19 96 in cl ud ed en ga gi n g i n s e x u a l co nt act wit h a pe rs on who is be lo w a

sp eci fie d ag e. Add in g an ag e-d iff eren ti al req ui rem en t th at is gr eat er th an two y ears

an d a da y to th e INA’s un am bi gu ou s ru le th at a vi ct im m us t be y ou ng er th an si xt een

y ears wou ld el im in at e fro m th e ge ne ric of fen se th e m ajor it y of ag e-b as ed st at e

st at u to ry rap e of

fen se s in effe ct whe n th e fed eral pr ov is io n was en act ed

. W he n

“ se xu al ab us e o f a m in or ” was ad de d t o t he INA in 19 96

, th e st at ut or y rap e laws of

si xt een St at es co ve red vi ct im s who were si xt een y ears of ag e or ol de r. Se e Esq ui vel

Qui nt an a , 13 7 S. Ct

. at 15 76

. At le as t an ot he r el ev en st at ut es , in cl ud in g Mi nn es ot a’s,

di d no t requ ire an ag e di ffer en ti al of g reat er t ha n t wo years a nd a da y

. 2 Thu s, if th e

ge ne ric of

fen se ha s an ag e di ffer en ti al of gr eat er th an two y ears an d a da y , st at ut or y

rap e ba se d so le ly on th e ag e of th e pa rti ci pa nt s in at le as t twen ty-sev en St at es wou ld

no t ha ve co ns ti tu te d “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” un de r th e INA. An in te rp ret at io n th at

cat e g o ric al ly ex cl ud es th e ag e-b as ed st at ut or y rap e la ws of m os t St at es can no t be

co rrec t, s o we r eject Garci a-Urb an o’s p os it io n a s i nc on si st en t wi th th e INA.

2 Se e Ala. Co de §§ 13 A-6 -6 2( a)(1 ), 13 A-6 -7 0( c)(1 ) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Co nn

. Gen

. St at

. § 53 a

- 7 1 (a)( 1) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Del. Co de Ann

. ti t. 11

, § 77 3( 2) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Kan

. St at

. Ann

. § 21 -3 50 4( a)(1 ) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Mas s. Ann

. Laws ch

. 26 5, § 23 (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Mi ch

. Co m p. Laws Ser v

. § 75 0.5 20 d( 1) (a) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Mi nn

. St at

. § 60 9.3 44

, su bd iv

. 1( b) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); N.H. Rev

. St at

. Ann

. § 63 2- A:3 (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Okl a. St at

. ti t. 21

, § 11 11 (A)(1 ) (Lex is Nex is

19 96 ); S

. C

. C o d e A nn

. § 16 -3 -6 55 (2 ) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ); Vt. St at

. Ann

. ti t. 13

, § 32 52 (a)( 3) (Lex is Nex is 19 96 ). Rh od e Is la nd ’s st at ut e wou ld be twel fth if “ ov er th e

ag e of ei gh te en ” in cl ud es an of fen de r on hi s or he r ei gh te en th bi rth da y

. Se e R.I. Gen

. Laws § 11 -3 7- 6 (Le xi sNe xi s 1 99 6)

.

-6

-Mi nn es ot a cri m in al se xu al co nd u c t i n t h e th ird de gr ee ha s th e fo ll owi ng

el em e n t s : ( 1 ) se xu al pe ne tra ti on , (2 ) wit h pe rs on un de r si xt een an d ov er th irt een

y ears of ag e, (3 ) by a pe rs on who is m or e th an twen ty-fou r m on th s ol de r. Mi nn

. St at

. § 60 9.3 44

, su bd iv

. 1( b)

. W e co nc lu de th at a pe rs on co nv ic te d un de r th at st at ut e

ne ces sa ril y ha s co m

m it te d “ se xu al ab us e of a m in or ” wit hi n th e m ean in g of th e INA.

Acco rd in gl y , th e Bo ard pr op erl y co nc lud ed tha t G ar ci a- U rb an o is bo th rem ov ab le an d

in el ig ib le for asylu m

.

* * *

Fo r th e fo reg oi ng reas on s, t he pe ti ti on for rev ie w is de ni ed

.

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