Opinion ID: 3048075
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Transporting (Counts 44-48)

Text: Dominguez contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for transporting aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii). That statute punishes: Any person who . . . knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law . . . . Id. 14 Dominguez argues that the evidence failed to prove that he transported the Cuban players within the United States to further the players’ unlawful presence.8 We agree. The evidence at trial showed that Dominguez sent Ramon Batista to pick up the five players in Miami and take them to Los Angeles. They arrived in Los Angeles on August 26, 2004. Shortly after the players arrived, they were taken to Humberto Gray, an experienced immigration attorney–who has done immigration work for TSI players since the late 1990s–to process the players through immigration. By October, Gray had interviewed the players and was doing whatever was necessary, including having them undergo examinations by physicians approved by USCIS, to process them. Gray told Dominguez that he had set up an “initial appointment” for the players at the USCIS Los Angeles office sometime toward the end of October. Gray had the appointment changed to November because Dominguez had a conflict and 8 Dominguez also argues that the evidence failed to prove that the Cuban players entered or remained in the United States “in violation of law.” According to Dominguez, under the CAA and the Wet-Foot / Dry-Foot policy, the Cuban players were legally present as soon as they touched dry land. The Government’s position, which the district court accepted, is that a Cuban who reaches United States soil remains “in violation of law” until they are inspected and admitted or paroled under 8 U.S.C. § 1255. In this case, the players arrived in Miami on August 23, 2004 and were not paroled until November 19, 2004. So, under the Government’s theory, the players were present in violation of law from August 23, 2004 to November 19, 2004. We need not address whether the Government’s legal interpretation is correct because the transporting convictions must be reversed for reasons independent of whether the Cubans were present “in violation of law” from August 23, 2004 to November 19, 2004. 15 would be unable to accompany the players to the USCIS office in October. On November 19, 2004, Gray and Dominguez accompanied the five Cubans to the USCIS to apply for asylum and parole. They were paroled. The evidence further showed that, from the time the players arrived on August 23, 2004 to the time they were paroled on November 19, 2004, the players lived freely and openly. They played baseball, went out with friends, ate at restaurants, and watched professional baseball games. On November 12, 2004, the players were “showcased” in front of scouts from almost every Major League team. Based on this evidence, a reasonable jury could not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Dominguez transported the Cuban players from Miami to Los Angeles in order to further their illegal status. To the contrary, the players were taken to an experienced immigration attorney shortly after arriving in Los Angeles for the purpose of processing the players through immigration, and the players were paroled three months later. During that three month period, the players lived freely, openly, and in no way acted in a manner suggesting they were avoiding immigration officials. We therefore conclude that the evidence was insufficient to support Dominguez’s conviction for transporting under § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and the district court erred in denying Dominguez’s motion for judgment of acquittal on these counts. 16 In arguing that the evidence is sufficient to prove that Dominguez acted to further the illegal status of the Cuban players, the Government relies on the fact that Dominguez waited about three months before taking the players to immigration officials. The Government does not, however, point to any statute or regulation with a specific time requirement for presenting Cubans to immigration officials. Considering that the immigration process started shortly after the players arrived, as well as the circumstances surrounding the purpose of the trip to Los Angeles, we cannot say that the three-month delay in reporting to immigration authorities supports the conclusion that Dominguez intended to transport the players in order to further their illegal immigration status.9