Corona-Martinez v. Holder

FILED NOT FOR PUBLICATION JUL 01 2010 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U .S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT DESIDERIO CORONA-MARTINEZ, No. 06-70724 Petitioner, Agency No. A092-802-425 v. MEMORANDUM * ERIC H. HOLDER, Jr., Attorney General, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Submitted June 17, 2010 ** San Francisco, California Before: SCHROEDER and BYBEE, Circuit Judges, and STOTLER, Senior District Judge.*** The Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) did not err in affirming the decision of the Immigration Judge denying Corona-Martinez’s application for * This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). *** The Honorable Alicemarie H. Stotler, Senior United States District Judge for the Central District of California, sitting by designation. cancellation of removal. Aliens who commit “[c]ertain firearm offenses” cannot obtain cancellation of removal. 8 U.S.C. §§ 1227(a)(2)(C), 1229b(b)(1)(C). Section 1227 lists the “carrying” of a firearm as one such offense rendering an alien ineligible for relief. 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(C). Corona-Martinez’s conviction of “carrying a loaded firearm” in violation of California Penal Code § 12031(a)(1) therefore precludes him from obtaining cancellation of removal. See Gonzalez- Gonzalez v. Ashcroft, 390 F.3d 649, 652 (9th Cir. 2004). The BIA and Immigration Judge did not deprive Corona-Martinez of his due process and equal protection rights. Because Corona-Martinez is statutorily ineligible for cancellation of removal, he cannot demonstrate that any of the alleged due process violations prejudiced him. See Simeonov v. Ashcroft, 371 F.3d 532, 537-38 (9th Cir. 2004). Corona-Martinez’s equal protection argument fails because there is a rational basis for denying relief to aliens who commit firearms offenses. See Avila-Sanchez v. Mukasey, 509 F.3d 1037, 1041 (9th Cir. 2007). The petition for review is DENIED. 2