Supreme Court of the United States
Jorge Luna Torres, Petitioner v. Loretta E. Lynch
May 19, 2016578 U.S. 452
Summary
The Court held that a state offense qualifies as an 'aggravated felony' under the Immigration and Nationality Act even if it lacks an interstate commerce jurisdictional element required in the corresponding federal statute. The Court reasoned that Congress intended the aggravated felony definition to apply regardless of whether the offense violates federal, state, or foreign law, and established background principles distinguish between substantive and jurisdictional elements. Justice Sotomayor dissented, arguing that the plain text requires every element to match.
Holding
- Whether a state crime lacking an interstate commerce jurisdictional element counts as an aggravated felony under 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(43) when it matches the substantive elements of a federal listed offense.. The absence of such a jurisdictional element is immaterial; a state crime of that kind is an aggravated felony.
Docket 14-1096
Cited authorities
- N.Y. Penal Law Ann. § 150.10
- 26 U.S.C. § 5861
- 108 Stat. 4322
- 8 U.S.C. § 1101
- 18 U.S.C. § 2251
- 8 U.S.C. §§ 1101
- 18 U.S.C. § 844
- N.Y. Penal Law Ann. §§ 110