Opinion ID: 765829
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 7 To establish a case of attempted illegal reentry after deportation, the government must prove that the Attorney General had not consented to the alien's application for reentry. Blanco-Gallegos argues that there was insufficient evidence to support this element of the crime. There is sufficient evidence to support a conviction if, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Nelson, 137 F.3d 1094, 1103 (9th Cir. 1998). 8 At trial, the government offered a certificate of nonexistence, which stated that Blanco-Gallegos's INS A-File, 2 which contains the records of Blanco-Gallegos's contacts with the United States, did not include a request for permission to reapply. The government also offered testimony from an INS agent who stated that it was the INS's duty to keep complete records on all aliens having contact with the United States, and that the A-File contained the records of BlancoGallegos's contacts with the United States. Viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to the government, a reasonable jury could have concluded that the Attorney General had not consented to Blanco-Gallegos's reentry into the United States. See Scantleberry-Frank, 158 F.3d at 617; United States v. Oris, 598 F.2d 428, 430 (5th Cir. 1979). 9 Blanco-Gallegos argues that this evidence only proves that the INS did not have a record of an application for reentry, not that the Attorney General had not consented to reentry. Blanco-Gallegos's argument ignores the fact that the INS is the Attorney General's agency for dealing with immigration issues. See 8 C.F.R. SS 2.1, 103.1(f)(3)(iii)(E), 103.1(g)(3) (iii)(B). The Attorney General has specifically delegated her authority to adjudicate applications for permission to reapply for admission into the United States to the INS. See 8 C.F.R. SS 103.1(f)(3)(iii)(E), 103.1(g)(3)(iii)(B). Additionally, aliens seeking permission to reapply for admission into the United States are required to submit an application to an INS consular officer. See 8 C.F.R. S 212.2(b). Because the INS is the Attorney General's agent for immigration matters and specifically for processing applications for permission to reapply for admission into the United States, the jury could reasonably infer from the lack of an application in the INS's A-File that no such application existed. As the Fifth Circuit said in Oris, [b]ecause the INS is the branch of the Justice Department to which the Attorney General has delegated his responsibilities over immigration matters, the jury could reasonably conclude that any expression of the Attorney General's consent would appear in the INS files. Evidence regarding other Justice Department records was unnecessary. 598 F.2d at 430. 3