United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
April 5, 2007
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 06-60537
Summary Calendar
JORGE ERNESTO SORIANO,
Petitioner,
versus
ALBERTO R. GONZALES, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL,
Respondent.
Petition for Review of an Order of
the Board of Immigration Appeals
_________________________________________________________
Before REAVLEY, GARZA, and BENAVIDES, Circuit Judges.
REAVLEY, Circuit Judge:
Jorge Ernesto Soriano petitions for review of a decision of the Board of
Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) affirming the decision of the Immigration Judge (“IJ”) and
holding Soriano inadmissable to the United States as an alien smuggler under the
Immigration and Nationality Act. Soriano argues that the BIA based its holding on an
erroneous interpretation of the statute and that the holding was not supported by
substantial evidence. We deny the petition.
I. BACKGROUND
Soriano is a native and citizen of Mexico. He was paroled into the United States
from May 6, 2001 until May 2, 2002, to complete an application for adjustment of status.
His application was denied on September 9, 2002. In December 2004, the Department of
Homeland Security (“DHS”) issued charges of removeability against Soriano, alleging
that he had no immigrant visa and that he had knowingly “encouraged, induced, assisted,
abetted, or aided [another] alien to enter or to try to enter the United States. . . .” in
violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(E)(i). At a removal hearing in El Paso, Texas, Soriano
admitted that he had no immigrant visa, but denied the charges of alien smuggling. He
also renewed his application for adjustment of status under 8 U.S.C. § 1255, based on his
wife’s U.S. citizenship.
At the hearing, the DHS introduced Soriano’s I-23 form (the Record of
Deportable/Inadmissible Alien) into evidence. The form, which was signed by a special
agent of the Anti-Smuggling Unit of the DHS, alleged that on August 5, 2002, an
anonymous caller provided a tip that three undocumented aliens were waiting for
transportation at a McDonald’s restaurant in El Paso, Texas. The Anti-Smuggling Unit
(“ASU”) in El Paso established surveillance at the restaurant, and observed three persons
matching the caller’s description. At approximately 1:45 p.m., the aliens made contact
with Soriano, who led them to a waiting pickup truck with Mexican tags. Soriano then
drove to a gas station with the three aliens, where a male, later identified as the owner of
2
the truck, Hector Rodriguez-Olguin (“Rodriguez”), got into the passenger seat and
directed one of the aliens to sit in the back. The ASU stopped the vehicle and took the
subjects into custody. The DHS also introduced the I-23s of the three aliens into
evidence at the hearing. These forms indicated that the aliens had illegally entered the
United States at 11 a.m. that same day.
Soriano did not contest those facts, but testified that Rodriguez was his friend and
had asked Soriano to drive him around El Paso because Rodriguez had multiple traffic
tickets (although Rodriguez had apparently driven to Soriano’s house on the same day).
Soriano further testified that he dropped Rodriguez off to pick up a money order and went
to McDonald’s, where he met the aliens. Soriano explained that he did not know the
aliens, had happened to meet them at the McDonald’s, and that he had agreed to give
them a ride to the border because he was nice.
The IJ found that Soriano’s account was not credible and held that Soriano was
both inadmissible and ineligible for adjustment of status due to his participation in an
alien-smuggling scheme. Soriano appealed to the BIA, which affirmed and adopted the
IJ’s decision.1
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
1
Both the IJ and the BIA erroneously placed the burden of proof on the
government. In a removal proceeding, the applicant for admission has the burden of
showing that he is “clearly and beyond doubt entitled to be admitted and is not
inadmissable under § 1182. . .” 8 U.S.C. 1229a(c)(2)(a).
3
We review the BIA’s legal conclusions de novo and its findings of fact for
substantial evidence.2 Thus, we may not reverse findings of fact “unless we find not only
that the evidence supports a contrary conclusion, but that the evidence compels it.”3
III. DISCUSSION
Soriano argues that 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(E)(i) applies only to those who assist
aliens in the actual physical crossing of the border. The language of the statute states:
“Any alien who at any time knowingly has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or
aided any other alien to enter or to try to enter the United States in violation of law is
inadmissible.” 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(E)(i). Thus, Soriano contends that because the
evidence demonstrates only that he transported three aliens within the United States
rather than assisting those aliens during their actual entry into the United States, the BIA
was mistaken when it held that Soriano was in violation of § 1182.
Soriano’s interpretation of the statute is incorrect. We agree with the other
circuits, which have held that “[a]n individual may knowingly encourage, induce, assist,
abet, or aid with illegal entry, even if he did not personally hire the smuggler and even if
he is not present at the point of illegal entry.”4 Any alien seeking admission to the United
States who participates in a scheme to aid other aliens in an illegal entry is inadmissible
2
Lopez-Gomez v. Ashcroft, 263 F.3d 442, 444 (5th Cir. 2001).
3
Chun v. INS, 40 F.3d 76, 78 (5th Cir. 1994) (emphasis in original).
4
Hernandez-Guadarrama v. Ashcroft, 394 F.3d 674, 679 (9th Cir. 2005).
4
under the language of § 1182, regardless of whether the assisting individual was present
at the border crossing.5
Turning to the question of whether substantial evidence supports the BIA’s
determination, the evidence does not compel a holding that Soriano innocently offered the
aliens a ride. The fact that Soriano shepherded the aliens within a few hours of their
crossing evidenced a plan for the meeting and transportation. Soriano did not meet his
burden to establish that he was clearly admissible, and thus the BIA’s holding was
supported by substantial evidence.
The petition for review is DENIED.
5
See id.; Sanchez Marquez v. INS, 725 F.2d 61, 63 (7th Cir. 1984) (holding that a
promise to transport illegal aliens to the border and meet them on the other side
constituted assistance with entry).
5