Pacheco Fregozo v. Holder

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

ERNESTO PACHECO FREGOZO, 

Petitioner, No. 05-71268 v.  Agency No.

A079-587-885

ERIC H. HOLDER Jr., Attorney General, OPINION Respondent.  On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals

Argued and Submitted February 12, 2009—San Francisco, California

Filed August 12, 2009

Before: David R. Thompson, Marsha S. Berzon and N. Randy Smith, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Berzon

10889 PACHECO FREGOZO v. HOLDER 10891

COUNSEL

Samuel Uchenna Ogbu (argued), Dozie Ike Ezeife (on briefs), Emeziem & Ogbu, APC, Emeryville, California, for the peti- tioner.

Jem C. Sponzo (argued), Peter D. Keisler, Michelle G. Latour, Keith I. Bernstein (on briefs), U.S. Department of Jus- tice, Washington, D.C., for the respondent. 10892 PACHECO FREGOZO v. HOLDER

OPINION

BERZON, Circuit Judge:

We consider whether a California conviction for misde- meanor child endangerment is a “crime of child abuse” for purposes of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”).

I.

In October 2000, petitioner Ernesto…