Court Opinion

ID: 9499700
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 17:55:43.004463+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:59:40.706160
License: Public Domain

PREGERSON, Circuit Judge,
Dissenting.
I disagree with the majority’s characterization of the facts in this case. The evidence in the record compels a result contrary to the BIA’s holding. Accordingly, I dissent.
Urzua is a citizen of Mexico. He has been residing in the United States since he entered the country illegally in 1989. The INS commenced deportation proceedings against Urzua in 1997. Urzua conceded deportability, but applied for suspension of deportation. To qualify for the discretionary relief of suspension of deportation Ur-zua must (1) have been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of seven years, (2) be a person of good moral character, and (3) demonstrate that deportation would result in extreme hardship to himself or to his U.S. citizen son. 8 U.S.C. § 1254(a)(1).1
There is no dispute that Urzua has met the requirements of continuous presence and extreme hardship to himself and to his son. Urzua has been in the United States for almost eighteen years. During this time, Urzua has worked for the same employer and has paid taxes. He learned English and is active in his church and in his community. He and his brother own a house together. Urzua coaches a children’s soccer team, and he is very close to his extensive family residing in California, including four siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
*750Urzua also plays an important role in the life of his eleven-year-old U.S.-born citizen son whom he supports emotionally and financially. Although his son does not live with him, Urzua spends part of nearly every day with his son, provides him with medical insurance, and pays child support.
Despite Urzua’s upstanding background, the BIA found Urzua ineligible for suspension of deportation on the grounds that Urzua lacks “good moral character.” Under section 101(f)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a person lacks good moral character if that person is described in section 212(a)(6)(E). That section provides, in part, that an alien who “knowingly has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted or aided any other alien to enter or to try to enter the United States in violation of the law is inadmissible.” 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(E)
The BIA held that section 212(a)(6)(E) applied to Urzua. The BIA held that the evidence demonstrated that Urzua “executed a step-by-step plan to help his brother illegally enter ... the United States.” This conclusion is not supported by the evidence.
The BIA relied on Matter of I-M- 7 I & N Dec. 389 (BIA 1957), in determining that Urzua had executed a step-by-step plan to help his brother Louis enter the United States illegally. In Matter of IM-, the BIA found that a person who drove illegal aliens (who were already in the United States) to Los Angeles was not subject to deportation. The transporter did not know the aliens beforehand, and the transportation was not prearranged. Matter ofl-M-, 7 I & N Dec. at 391. The BIA in Matter of I-M- explained,
in all cases where we have ordered deportation [based on alien smuggling,] the record shows that the respondent knew the assisted aliens beforehand, or contacted them while they were still in Mexico, or knew a go-between who was arranging their entry and there was some conversation or prearrangement prior to the assisted alien’s entry.

Id.

Guided by the above statement from Matter of I-M- the BIA held Urzua to be an alien smuggler. The BIA explained that Urzua (1) knew his brother Louis beforehand, (2) knew Louis wished to cross illegally, (3) discussed illegal crossing with Louis, (4) arranged payment to the smuggler, (5) agreed to a meeting place with the smuggler, and (6) presented the money to the smuggler.
The BIA’s characterization of the facts is not supported by the evidence. “Absent an explicit adverse credibility finding, a witness’s testimony must be accepted as true.” Lopez-Alvarado v. Ashcroft, 381 F.3d 847, 851 (9th Cir.2004).2 Although Urzua, of course, knew his brother beforehand and knew that his brother wished to cross illegally, Urzua vehemently discouraged his brother from crossing. Urzua did not offer assistance with the illegal crossing; in fact, Urzua told Louis not to do it. Urzua did not know that Louis was going to go against his advice and enter illegally until Louis was already on his way to Los Angeles. Urzua’s upset mother called him from Jalisco, Mexico stating that Louis had decided to travel to the United States illegally and was on his way to Urzua. She expressed her worry over Louis.
Louis later called Urzua from “Nogales” stating he was on his way to Urzua and asking to borrow $1,200. Urzua did not ask Louis what the money was for or how Louis was coming to Los Angeles. Additionally, Urzua did not determine whether Louis was in Nogales, Mexico or Nogales, *751Arizona. Urzua was worried for his brother’s safety and agreed to lend him the money he requested. Urzua pooled some of his money with money from another sibling. Although Urzua suspected that some of the money might go to a smuggler, this was not “arranging” payment.
As for the meeting place and presentation of money, the circumstances do not demonstrate that Urzua planned or coordinated a step-by-step program to help his brother enter the United States illegally. When Louis reached Los Angeles, he called Urzua and announced “I’m Here.” Urzua asked Louis where he was. At that point, a stranger took the phone and told Urzua that his brother was in the parking lot at a nearby Wal-Mart. That stranger also told Urzua that he should bring the money for his brother to the Wal-Mart and he should go alone. Urzua went to the Wal-Mart. He parked his car and then looked around for his brother, whom he did not see. A stranger approached Urzua and asked if he was Louis’s brother. Urzua asked to see his brother. Louis then got out of a car. After ensuring that Louis was unharmed, Urzua gave the money to Louis who then used the money to pay the stranger. Urzua and Louis then left. Urzua never confirmed that the stranger was a smuggler. Urzua had not seen him before, and he never saw him again. Urzua did not know the man, and he never even learned the stranger’s name. He did not make any arrangements with the smuggler. Urzua’s only interaction with the smuggler was to learn his brother’s location in Los Angeles.
Urzua did not plan or execute the smuggling of his brother. Urzua testified that at all times, he was solely concerned for Louis’s safety. This is not evidence of Urzua executing a “step-by-step plan” to smuggle Louis into the United States. This is an older brother protecting a younger brother whom the family believed to be in danger.
Urzua’s actions further do not constitute aiding and abetting alien smuggling because the actions occurred after Louis had entered the country. By the time Urzua loaned Louis money, Louis was in Los Angeles. It is not even clear whether Louis was in the United States or Mexico when Urzua agreed over the telephone to loan Louis money.
In United States v. Lopez, 484 F.3d 1186 (9th Cir.2007) (en banc), we recently held that the offense of smuggling an alien “to” the United States terminates when the person transporting the alien brings the alien to a destination within the United States. From the record, we can not determine when the crime was complete. If Louis called Urzua from Nogales, Arizona, the crime of alien smuggling was already completed at the time Urzua agreed to lend his brother money. In such a situation, Urzua would, at most, be guilty of accessory after the fact to alien transportation. If a smuggler transported Louis from Nogales, Mexico to the Wal-Mart parking lot in Los Angeles, the crime was completed upon reaching the parking lot— before Louis called his brother to come meet him.
Urzua’s agreement to lend his brother money is insufficient to demonstrate that Urzua aided and abetted alien smuggling. Regardless of which side of the border Louis was standing on when asking his brother to lend him $1200, there is no substantial evidence that Urzua “willingly associated himself with the venture and participated therein as something he wished to bring about.” United States v. Zemek, 634 F.2d 1159, 1174 (9th Cir.1980) (interpreting the federal aiding and abetting statute). The Ninth Circuit Model Criminal Jury Instructions explain that to be found guilty of aiding and abetting, a *752defendant must have “knowingly and intentionally” assisted in committing each element of the principal’s offense. Ninth Circuit Model Criminal Jury Instructions § 5.1 (2005); see also Lopez, 484 F.3d at 1198-99. The evidence here does not indicate that Urzua assisted in the formation of the underlying plan or in the commission of the act.
Urzua reluctantly agreed to lend his brother money out of concern for his brother’s safety. He did so despite the fact that he suspected the money would be used to pay an alien smuggler. Lending someone money, even where you suspect it will be used to pay for illegal activities, does not (without more) rise to the level of aiding and abetting the principal’s crime. This is especially true where the money is lent after completion of the crime to pay off a debt. Would we consider loaning a brother money to pay off an illegal gambling debt to be aiding and abetting in the crime of illegal gambling? At most, such circumstances describe actions akin to accessory after the fact.
As Urzua testified, there was nothing he was able to say or do to prevent his brother’s illegal entry. Urzua did not arrange for Louis to enter the country illegally. He did not coordinate with a smuggler or with Louis. He did not execute a step-by-step plan. Indeed, there is no evidence that Urzua knew anything of his brother’s plans before Louis called begging for money. For the foregoing reasons, I dissent. I would grant Urzua’s petition.

. Under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), Congress eliminated suspension of deportation, INA § 212(c). Congress replaced it with "cancellation of removal,” INA § 240A; 8 U.S.C. § 1229b, which retained similar standards for relief. See Pablo v. INS, 72 F.3d 110, 113 (9th Cir.1995).

. Not only did the IJ find Urzua credible, but she praised him for his honesty.