Opinion ID: 3022392
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Engaging in Terrorist Activity

Text: 7 For purposes of jurisdiction and standard of review, motions to remand and motions to reopen are treated the same. See Korytnyuk v. Ashcroft, 396 F.3d 272, 282 & n.15 (3d Cir. 2005). -11-
Malachy asserts that the definition of “terrorist activity” in 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)(iii)(V)(b) is unconstitutionally overbroad. We note that Malachy’s argument also raises issues of vagueness, which is similar to the doctrine of overbreadth. Waterman v. Farmer, 183 F.3d 208, 212 n.4 (3d Cir. 1999). As such, we will examine both doctrines. A statute is unconstitutionally vague if “men of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application.” Id. (quoting Connally v. Gen. Constr. Co., 269 U.S. 385, 391 (1926)). A statute is unconstitutionally overbroad if it “does not aim specifically at the evils within the allowable area of control [by the government] but . . . sweeps within its ambit other [constitutionally protected] activities.” Id. at 212 n.5 (quoting Thornhill v. Alabama, 310 U.S. 88, 97 (1940)). Clause (iii) of 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B) states, in relevant part, that “terrorist activity” is: any activity which is unlawful . . . which involves . . . [using an] explosive, firearm, or other weapon or dangerous device (other than for mere personal monetary gain), with intent to endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more individuals or to cause substantial damage to property. 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)(iii)(V)(b). While this definition is certainly broad, we conclude that it is neither vague nor overbroad in that it does not infringe on constitutionally protected behavior. The definition includes a great deal of conduct, but all of this conduct could reasonably constitute -12- terrorist activities. First, the parenthetical phrase “other than for mere personal monetary gain” removes common crimes from the definition by requiring that the offending activity be conducted for reasons other than money. For that reason, offenses like robbery and burglary are not included in the definition. Second, the mens rea element of the provision requires the actor to have the specific intent to endanger the safety of individuals or to cause substantial damage to property. Thus, the definition of terrorist activity does not include situations in which an alien has acted in self-defense 8 or in which the alien lacks the capacity9 to meet the requisite intent. More importantly, none of the aforementioned activities constitute a protected activity outside of the permissible bounds of Congressional regulation. In support of his position, Malachy provided three hypothetical examples of conduct that he claims would unconstitutionally fall under the statutory definition of “terrorist activity.” The examples are “an 8-year-old child who brings a baseball bat to school to protect himself from bullies; an individual institutionalized for a mental health disorder who attacks a doctor; [and] a woman who protects herself, in the course of a domestic violence attack, with standard kitchen cooking utensils.” Our examination of the conduct involved in these three hypotheticals convinces us, however, that none of them would constitute “terrorist activity” under the definition because none of them satisfies the elements of the definition nor are the characters engaging in protected activity. For example, both the little boy and the battered wife have acted in selfdefense, which negates the “unlawful” element. The institutionalized individual in all likelihood does not have the 8 See 2 W AYNE R. L AF AVE, S UBSTANTIVE C RIMINAL L AW § 10.4(a) (2d ed. 2003 & Supp. 2005). 9 See 1 L AF AVE supra § 7.1. -13- legal capacity to satisfy the intent requirement under the common law. See 1 L AF AVE supra § 7.1. Although we concede that the INA’s definition of “terrorist activity”certainly encompasses more conduct than our society, and perhaps even Congress, has come to associate with traditional acts of terrorism, e.g., car bombs and assassinations, nevertheless, we conclude that the INA’s definition of “terrorist activity” found in 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)(iii)(V)(b), is neither unconstitutionally overbroad nor vague.
Organization” Malachy next contends that the BIA erred when it found that he had engaged in terrorist activities because the BIA did not at the same time find that he was a member of a terrorist organization. To be engaged in a terrorist activity, the INA requires an alien to act either “in an individual capacity or as a member of an organization.” 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)(iv) (emphasis added). The statute does not qualify the term “organization.” Terms and provisions may not be added to a statute where Congress has omitted them. See Sale v. Haitian Centers Council, Inc., 509 U.S. 155, 168 n.16 (1993). Therefore, the BIA must find that an alien acted on his own or as a member of an organization – not just a terrorist organization – before it determines that the alien engaged in “terrorist activity.” In this case, it is undisputed that Malachy acted as a member of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and not as an individual. The INLA is not a terrorist organization as the INA defines that term. See 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi). Because the INA does not expressly require the organization, with which the alien was acting, to be a terrorist organization, we accept as reasonable the BIA’s construction of 8 U.S.C.§ 1182(a)(3)(B)(iv): an alien must be acting either individually or as a member of an organization – but not necessarily as a -14- member of a terrorist organization.10
Article 3 Conflict Malachy claims that the BIA erred in finding that he engaged in terrorist activities because, at the time he engaged in the conduct, he did not target non-combatants and the situation in Northern Ireland had risen to the level of an Article 3 conflict under the Geneva Convention. The issue we must now consider is whether the BIA must weigh such factors in making the determination that an alien has engaged in terrorist activities. The BIA did not consider whether Malachy had targeted non-combatants and did not consider whether the situation in Northern Ireland had risen to the level of a Geneva Convention Article 3 conflict. The INA’s definition of engaging in terrorist activity does not address either the targeting of non-combatants or the levels of conflict under the Geneva Convention. Consequently, Malachy’s proffered distinctions between combatant and non-combatant and Article 3 verses non-Article 3 conflict are not sustainable, and the BIA did not err.11 10 We also note that even if 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)(iv) were not clear on its face, for us to interpret the provision to mean that the offending conduct must have been committed in one’s individual capacity or as a member of a terrorist organization would leave a gaping hole in the statute that Congress could not have intended. The result of such an interpretation would be that conduct identical to that which the statute calls “engaging in terrorist activity” would not be such if the alien chose to act as a member of an organization that the INA does not define as a “terrorist organization.” To interpret the statute in this manner would be unreasonable. 11 Even if the INA were ambiguous on this point, we are reluctant to find that the BIA’s interpretation of “terrorist -15-