Opinion ID: 791351
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claim of Prima Facie Eligibility for Citizenship

Text: 24 Marquez-Almanzar asks, in the alternative, that we remand his case for consideration of whether he has established prima facie eligibility for U.S. citizenship. While his brief does not explain why such a showing would entitle him to relief, we assume his claim is that the IJ erred in refusing to terminate removal proceedings under former 8 C.F.R. § 239.2(f). As we have noted, see supra, during his removal proceedings Marquez-Almanzar had an application pending for naturalization under INA § 329, 8 U.S.C. § 1440, which relaxes naturalization requirements for those who have served in the U.S. military on active-duty status during wartime. Marquez-Almanzar argues that the IJ erred when it found that because he had been convicted of an aggravated felony, as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(43), he was barred by 8 U.S.C. § 1101(f)(8) from demonstrating the good moral character requisite to naturalization under § 1440. 25 We recently rejected the same argument in Boatswain v. Gonzales, 414 F.3d 413, 2005 WL 1532319 (2d Cir.2005), in which we held that the aggravated felony bar in § 1101(f) (8) applies to applicants for naturalization under § 1440 based on prior wartime military service. Applying Boatswain to this case, we conclude that the IJ's ruling was correct.