In this unpublished decision, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) terminated proceedings upon finding that computer fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1030(a) not to be theft aggravated felony because it does not require the taking of property. The decision was written by Member Lauri Filppu and joined by Member Patricia Cole and Member Roger Pauley.
In this unpublished decision, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) terminated proceedings upon finding that computer fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1030(a) not to be theft aggravated felony because it does not require the taking of property. The decision was written by Member Lauri Filppu and joined by Member Patricia Cole and Member Roger Pauley.
In this unpublished decision, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) terminated proceedings upon finding that computer fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1030(a) not to be theft aggravated felony because it does not require the taking of property. The decision was written by Member Lauri Filppu and joined by Member Patricia Cole and Member Roger Pauley.
2121 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 501 Miami, FL 33129 Name:NUNEZ,LESMANY U.S. Department of Justice Executive Ofce fr Immigration Review Board of Immigration Appeals Ofce of the Clerk 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2000 Fals Church, Vrginia 22041 OHS/ICE Ofice of Chief Counsel - SOC 146 CCA Road Lumpkin, GA 31815 A074-019-561 Date of this notice: 2/9/2011 Enclosed is a copy of the Board's decision and order in the above-referenced case. Enclosure Panel Members: Cole, Patricia A. Filppu, Lauri S. Pauley, Roger Sincerely, Donna Car Chief Clerk I I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t Cite as: Lesmany Nunez, A074 019 651 (BIA Feb. 9, 2011) For more unpublished BIA decisions, visit www.irac.net/unpublished NUNEZ, LESMANY (A074 019 561) STEWART DETENTION CENTER 146 CCA RD LUMPKIN, GA 31815 Name:NUNEZ,LESMANY U.S. Department of Justice Executive Ofce fr Immigration Review Board of Immigration Appeals Ofce of the Clerk 5107 Leesb11rg Pike, S11ite 2000 Falls C11rcl1. Vrinia 22041 OHS/ICE Ofice of Chief Counsel SOC 146 CCA Road Lumpkin, GA 31815 A074019561 Date of this notice: 2/9/2011 Enclosed is a copy of the Board's decision in the above-referenced case. This copy is being provided to you as a courtesy. Your attorney or representative has been sered with this decision pursuant to 8 C.F R 1292.5(a). If the attached decision orders that you be removed from the United States or affirms an Immigration Judge's decision ordering that you be removed, any petition for review of the attached decision must be filed with and received by the appropriate court of appeals within 30 days of the date of the decision. Enclosure Panel Members: Cole, Patricia A. Filppu, Lauri S. Pauley, Roger Sincerelv. Donna Car Chief Clerk I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t Cite as: Lesmany Nunez, A074 019 651 (BIA Feb. 9, 2011) + s U.S. Deparent of Justice Executive Ofce fr Imigation Review Decision of the Board of Imigration Appeals Falls Church, Virginia 2201 File: A074 019 561 - Lumpkin, GA I re: LESMANY NUNEZ I REMOVAL PROCEEDIGS APPEAL Date: ON BEHALF OF RESPONDENT: Steven A. Goldstein, Esquire ON BEHALF OF OHS: CHARGE: Anthony M. Cacavio Assistant Chief Counsel FEB 9 2011 Notice: Sec. 237(a)(2)(A)(iii), I&N Act [8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii)] - Convicted of aggavated felony under section 101(a)(43)(M)(i) (not sustained) Lodged:' Sec. 237(a)(2)(A)(iii), I&N Act [8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii)] - Convicted of aggavated flony under section 101(a)(43)(G) APPLICATION: Termination The respondent appeals an Immigation Judge's October 25, 2010, decision fnding him removable as charged under section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Immigation and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(A)(iii), fr an aggavated flony thef conviction pursuant to section 101 (a)( 4 3 )(G) of the Act. The Department of Homelad Securit moves fr a sumar afrance of the Immigration Judge's decision. The respondent's appeal will be sustained, and the removal proceedings will be terinated. Te respondent contends that his conviction fr violating 18 U.S.C. 1030(a), the statute criminalizing computer faud and related activity, is not a conviction fr an aggravated flony thef ofense as contemplated under section 101(a)(43)(G) of the Act. We concur. The respondent was convicted under 1030(a)(5)(A)(ii), which provides: [Whoever] intentionally accesses a protected computer without authorization, and as a result of such conduct, recklessly causes damage * * * shall be punished as provided in subsection ( c) of this section. 1 The record does not contain a Form I-261, Additional Charges oflnadmissibility/Deportability. However, neither party disputes that the additional chage was lodged. I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t Cite as: Lesmany Nunez, A074 019 651 (BIA Feb. 9, 2011) A04019 561 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(ii) (2008). The statute defnes "damage" as "ay impairent to te integrity or availability of data, a progam, a system, or infration." 18 U .S.C. 1030( e )(8). To deterine whether the respondent's conviction under that statute constitutes a thef ofense under the Act's aggravated felony defnition, we examine whether the ofense substantially coresponds to the generic fderal defnition of thef. Obasohan v. US. Att ' Gen., 4 79 F.3d 785, 788 (11th Cir. 2007); Matter of Batista-Herandez, 21 I&N Dec. 955, 971 (BIA 1997), citing Talor v. United States, 495 U.S. 575 (1990). A thef ofense is defned as "the taking of property or an exercise of control over property without consent with the criminal intent to deprive the owner of rigts and benefts of ownership, even if such deprivation is less than total or permanent." Gonales v. Duenas-Alvarez, 127 S.Ct. 815, 820 (2007); Maller o/Garcia-Madruga, 24 l&N Dec. 436, 438 (BIA 2008). Section 1030(a)(5)(ii) contains the element of lack of consent, but does not require the ''taking or exercise of control over property." Nor does that statute contain as an element the "intent to deprive the ower of rights or benefts of ownership" fr any duration. When the statute of conviction contains elements that are broader than those included in the generic defnition of a crime, we apply the modifed categorical2, rather than the categorical, approach to deterine whether a respondent was convicted of an aggavated flony. Jaggernauth v. US. Att ' Gen. 432 F .3d 1346, 1353 (1 lt Cir. 2005). In this case, however, 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(ii) contains basically none of the substantive elements of the generic defnition of a thef ofense. The Immigration Judge interpreted 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(ii) to constitute a thef ofense because it required the respondent to take contol of property by accessing a computer without the owner's consent, resulting in a deprivation of the owner's rights and benefts of ownership (l.J. at 3). The Board has described "exercise of control" as "an indirect ' taking' or a situation where the owner originally relinquished the property on a consensual, nonfaudulently induced basis." Maller of Garcia-Madruga, supra, at 440-41 n.6 (providing example of taking as keeping property that was originally lent fr a limited time or purpose). However, 1030(a)(5)(ii) criminalizes impairment to the integity or availabilit, rather than a ''taking," of computer data, progams, systems, or infration. Section (a)(l) of the statute identifes "obtain[ing] infration" without authoriztion as a criminal activity, which aguably may constitute a thef ofense fr "taking," but te respondent was not charged or convicted under that provision. We fnd that the respondent was not convicted under a statute proscrbing ''thef" as contemplated by section 101(a)(43)(G) of the Act ad thus was not convicted of an aggravated flony. Since the sole sustained charge of removability was section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) fr an aggravated flony thef conviction, the proceedings should be terminated. Accordingly, the fllowing orders will be entered. 2 We obsere that even if it were appropriate to apply the modifed categorical approach, the only document of conviction in the record is the Judgment, which supplies no infration about the specifc conduct fr which the respondent was adjudicated guilty, and would not sere to prove that he was removable as charged. 2 I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t Cite as: Lesmany Nunez, A074 019 651 (BIA Feb. 9, 2011) M 4`" : A074019561 ORER: Te appeal is sustained and te Immigation Judge's order is vacated. FUTER ORDER: Te respondent's removal proceedings are terminated. 3 I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t Cite as: Lesmany Nunez, A074 019 651 (BIA Feb. 9, 2011) ' Pozo & Goldstein, LLP Goldstein, Steven UITED STATES DEPATMENT OF JUSTICE EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRTION REVIEW IMIGRTION COURT 146 CCA ROA LUPKIN, GA 31815 2121 SW 3rd Avenue Suite 501 Miami, FL 33129 IN THE MTTER OF NEZ, LESM FILE A 074-019-561 UABLE TO FORWAD - NO ADRESS PROVIDED DATE: Oct 26, 2010 ATTACHED IS A COPY OF THE DECISION OF THE IMIGRATION JUGE. THIS DECISION IS FINAL ULESS A APPEAL IS FILED WITH THE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS WITHIN 30 CALENDAR DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE MILING OF THIS WRITTEN DECISION. SEE THE ENCLOSED FORMS A INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPERLY PREPAING YOUR APPEAL. YOUR NOTICE OF APPEAL, ATTACHED DOCUETS, A FEE OR FEE WAIVER REQUEST MUST BE MILED TO: BOAD OF IMIGRTION APPEALS OFFICE OF THE CLERK P.O. BOX 8530 FALS CHUCH, VA 22041 ATTACHED IS A COPY OF THE DECISION OF THE IMIGRATION JUGE A THE RESULT OF YOU FAILURE TO APPEA AT YOUR SCHEDULED DEPORTATION OR REMOVAL HEAING. THIS DECISION IS FINA ULESS A MOTION TO REOPEN IS FILED IN ACCORDACE WITH SECTION 242B(c) (3) OF THE IMIGRTION A NATIONALITY ACT, 8 U.S.C. SECTION 1252B(c) (3) IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS OR SECTION 240(c) (6) 8 u.s.c. SECTION 1229a(c) (6) IN REMOVA PROCEEDINGS. IF YOU FILE A MOTION TO REOPEN, YOU MOTION MUST BE FILED WITH THIS COURT: IMIGRATION COURT 146 CCA ROA LUPKIN, GA C- CC: OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNSEL-LUPKIN 146 CCA ROA LUPKIN, GA, 31815 IMMIGRTION COURT FF I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t ' , , UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION COURT LUMPKIN, GEORGIA IN THE MATTER OF ) ) ) ) ) IN REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS NUNEZ, Lesmany File No. A#074-019-561 Respondent CHARGES: Section 237(a)(2){A)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA" or "Act"), as amended, in that any time afer admission, Respondent has been convicted of an aggravated felony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(M)(i) of the Act, a crime of faud or deceit in which the loss to the victim(s) exceeds $10,000; Section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act, as amended, in that any time afer admission, Respondent has been convicted of an aggavated felony as defned in section 101(a)(43)(G) of the Act, a thef ofense (including receipt of stolen property) or burglary ofense fr which the ter of imprsonment [is] at least one year. APPLICATION: Respondent's Motion to Terminate Removal Proceedings APPEARANCES ON BEHALF OF THE RESPONDENT: ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT: Steven A. Goldstein, Esq. 2121 SW 3r d Avenue, Suite 501 Miai, Florida 33129 Assistant Chief Counsel Department of Homeland Security 146 CCA Road Lumpkin, Georgia 31815 DECISION OF THE IMMIGRATION JUDGE I. Procedural Histor Respondent is a male native and citizen of Cuba. On or about October 24, 1996, Respondent adjusted his status to that of lawful permanent resident. On July 14, 2009, Respondent was convicted in the United States District Court fr the Souther District of Florida fr the ofense of "Computer faud and related activity with computers," in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(S){A)(ii). For that ofense, Respondent was sentenced to 12 months and one I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t ( 1) day of imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution to his victim in the amount of $31,560.00. Based on this conviction, the Department of Homeland Security ("Department") placed Respondent in removal proceedings through the issuance of a Notice to Appear ("NT A"), dated March 27, 2010. The Department charged Respondent with removability pursuant to section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act fr having been convicted of an aggavated flony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(M) of the Act, which defnes an aggravated felony to include "an ofense that ... involves faud or deceit in which the loss to the victim or victims exceeds $10,000." INA 101 (a)(43)(M)(i). On July 16, 2010, the Department fled a For 1-261, Additional Charges of Inadmissibility/eportability. The Department amended the charge of removability under section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act and alleged that Respondent has been convicted of an aggravated felony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(G) of the Act, which defnes an aggravated flony to include a thef or burglar ofense fr which the ter of imprisonment is at least one year. On August 10, 2010, Respondent fled the instant motion to terminate proceedings. The court has now considered the arguments of both parties and the entire record careflly. All evidence has been considered, even if not specifcally discussed further in this decision. For the fllowing reasons, the Court will deny Respondent's motion to terinate removal proceedings. II. Discussion A motion to terinate may be fled by either party afer jurisdictional authority has been vested in the Immigation Judge with the commencement of the removal proceedings. See Matter of G-N-C, 22 I. & N. Dec. 281 (BIA 1988). A motion to terinate will not be granted by the Immigation Judge if it is deterined that the Respondent is properly in removal proceedings. A Immigration Judge may terinate removal proceedings to perit the alien to proceed to a fnal hearing on a pending application or petition fr naturalization when the alien has established prima fcie eligibility fr naturalization and the matter involves exceptionally appealing or humanitarian fctors; in every other case, the removal hearing shall be completed as promptly as possible notwithstanding the pendency of an application fr naturalization during any state of the proceedings. 8 C.F.R. I239.2(t. A. Respondent's conviction for "Computer fraud and related activity with computers," in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A)(ii), is an aggravated felony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(G) of the Act. The Department has charged Respondent with removability fr a conviction of an aggravated felony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(G) of the Act, which defnes an aggavated flony to include '"a thef ofense (including receipt of stolen property) or burglary ofense fr which the ter of imprisonment is at least one year." INA 101(a)(43)(G). The Board of Immigration Appeals ("BIA" or "Board") has held that a "thef ofense: under section 2 I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t I01(a)(43)(G) requires the taking of, or exercise of control over, property without consent and with the criminal intent to deprive the owner of the rights and benefts of ownership, even if such deprivation is less than total or peranent. Matter of Garcia-Madruga, 24 I. & N. Dec. 436, 440 (BIA 2008). To deterine whether Respondent's conviction constitutes an aggravated felony, the court must frst look to the language of the statute of conviction. See Obasoha v. U.S. Att'y Gen., 479 F.3d 785, 788 (11th Cir. 2007); see also Matter
of Ajami, 22 I. & N. Dec. 949, 950
(BIA 1999). If a statute is divisible, meaning that the statutory language contains some ofenses that would qualif as aggravated flonies and others that would not, then the court must look to "the record of conviction, meaning the indictment, plea, verdict, and sentence, to determine the ofense of which the respondent was convicted." Obasohan, 479 F.3d at 788 (citing Ajami, 22 I. & N. Dec at 950); Jagmauth v. U.S. Att'y Gen., 432 F.3d 1346, 1349 n.1 (I Ith Cir. 2005); Matter of Sweetser, 22 I. & N. Dec. 709, 713-14 (BIA 1999). The cour's fnding that a prior conviction constitutes an "aggravated flony" must be supported by "clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence." Obasohan, 479 F.3d at 788; see also Woodby v. INS, 385 U.S. 276, 286 (1966); INA 240(c)(3)(A). Here, Respondent was convicted of "Computer faud and related activity with computers," in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A){ii). This section prohibits, in pertinent part, "intentionally access[ing] a protected computer without authoriztion, ad as a result of such conduct, recklessly caus[ing] damage." 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A)(ii). Based upon the fce of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A)(ii), a violation of this subsection requires a person to intentionally access a computer without authorization and to recklessly cause damage. Stated another way, the statute requires the intentional and non-consensual taking of property, by accessing a computer without authorization. Thus, Respondent's ofense is a thef ofense because it required Respondent to intentionally take control of the property of another by accessing that person's computer without his or her consent. Although the deprvation was arguably tempora, the duration of the dispossession is of no import where Respondent's actions resulted in depriving the owner of all the rights and benefts of ownership. Therefre, the cour fnds that Respondent has been convicted of an aggravated felony as defned in section 10l (a)(43)(G) of the Act ad the Department has sustained the charge of removability under section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) by "clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence." Obasohan, 479 F.3d at 788; see also Woodby, 385 U.S. at 286; INA 240(c)(3)(A). B. Respondent's conviction for "Computer fraud and related activity with computers," in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A)(ii), is not an aggravated felony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(M) of the Act. The Depament has also charged Respondent with removability fr a conviction of an aggravated flony as defned in section 101 (a)( 43 )(M) of the Act, which defnes an aggrvated flony to include "an ofense that ... involves faud or deceit in which the loss to the victim or victims exceeds $10,000." INA 10l (a)(43)(M)(i). An "ofense that involves fraud or deceit" under section 10l (a)(43)(M)(i) involves the taking or acquisition of property with consent that has been faudulently obtained. See Matter of Garcia-Madruga, 24 I. & N. Dec. at 439 (citing 3 I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t . aa;m . + Soliman v. Gonzales, 419 F.3d 276, 282 (4th Cir. 2005) (deterining that the key and controlling distinction between thef crimes and faud crimes is the consent element-thef occurs without consent and faud occurs with consent that has been unlawflly obtained)). As the court ariculated above, in order to deterine whether Respondent's conviction constitutes an aggavated flony, the court must frst look to the language of the statute of conviction. See Obasohan, 479 F.3d at 788. Although Respondent was convicted of "Computer faud and related activity with computers," in violation of 18 U.S.C. l 030(a)(5)(A)(ii), a conviction under this statute requires that a person act without authorization not with authorzation that has been unlawflly obtained. Compare 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(5)(A)(ii) with 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(4). As such, Respondent's ofense would not qualify as an aggravated flony "ofense involving faud or deceit" under section l 01(a)(43)(M)(i) as it does not require a person to access a computer by faud. Therefre, the cour fnds that Respondent has not been convicted of an aggavated felony as defned in section IOl (a)(43)(M)(i) of the Act and the Deparment ha not sustaine the charge ofremovability under section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act. III. Conclusion The Deparment has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that Respondent is removable as charged under section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act, in that he has been convicted of an aggavated flony as defned in section 10l(a)(43)(G) of the Act. Respondent has made no claim that he fas persecution or tortre if retured to Cuba, and there are no frther claims fr relief befre the cour. Accordingly, the court enters the fllowing order: V VVV .. . . s.o.: ... WP.e l ht.% .t ,,,,C I m m i g r a n t
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w w w . i r a c . n e t It is ordered that: It is frher orered that: 2$ ORDER Respondent's motion to terinate be DENIED. William A. Cassidy United States Immigation Judge c_ Atlanta, Georga 5 I m m i g r a n t