leocal ashcroft attorney general et argued october decided november counsel record petitioner leocal sedwick sollers iii king spalding llp washington dc respondents ashcroft et al paul clement acting solicitor general washington dc petitioner lawful permanent resident pleaded guilty two counts driving influence alcohol dui causing serious bodily injury accident violation florida law serving prison sentence immigration naturalization service ins initiated removal proceedings pursuant immigration nationality act ina permits deportation alien convicted aggravated felony ina defines aggravated felony include inter alia crime violence defined term imprisonment least one year title turn defines crime violence offense element use physical force person property another defines offense felony nature involves substantial risk physical force person property another may used course committing offense immigration judge board immigration appeals bia ordered petitioner deportation eleventh circuit dismissed petition review relying precedent conviction florida dui statute crime violence held state dui offenses florida either mens rea component require showing negligence operation vehicle crimes violence pp section requires look elements nature offense conviction determining whether petitioner conviction falls within ambit florida dui statute like similar statutes many requires proof causation mental state appear require proof person acted negligently operating vehicle analysis begins language see bailey particularly interpreting statute featuring elastic word use construes language context light terms surrounding see smith section critical aspect crime violence involves use physical force another person property requires active employment see bailey supra one may theory actively employ something accidental manner much less natural say person actively employs physical force another accident interpreting statute words must given ordinary natural meaning smith supra key phrase naturally suggests higher degree intent negligent merely accidental conduct petitioner dui offense therefore crime violence pp crime violence sweeps broadly thereby encompass negligent conduct negligent operation vehicle simply covers offenses naturally involve person acting disregard risk physical force might used another committing offense classic example burglary nature involves substantial risk burglar use force victim completing crime thus contains formulation found determinative use physical force another person property accordingly language must given identical construction requiring higher mens rea merely accidental negligent conduct involved dui offense pp ordinary meaning term crime violence ultimately determining combined emphasis use physical force another risk use force committing crime suggests category violent active crimes said naturally include dui offenses construction reinforced ina includes alternative definitions serious criminal offense crime violence defined offense interpreting include dui offenses leave practically void significance contravention rule effect given every word statute whenever possible see duncan walker pp case present question whether offense requiring proof reckless use force another person property qualifies crime violence reversed remanded rehnquist delivered opinion unanimous josue leocal petitioner john ashcroft attorney general et al writ certiorari appeals eleventh circuit november chief justice rehnquist delivered opinion petitioner josue leocal haitian citizen lawful permanent resident convicted driving influence alcohol dui causing serious bodily injury violation florida law see stat classifying conviction crime violence therefore aggravated felony immigration nationality act ina immigration judge board immigration appeals bia ordered petitioner deported pursuant ina appeals eleventh circuit agreed dismissing petitioner petition review disagree hold petitioner dui conviction crime violence petitioner immigrated became lawful permanent resident january charged two counts dui causing serious bodily injury stat caused accident resulting injury two people pleaded guilty counts sentenced two half years prison november serving sentence immigration naturalization service ins initiated removal proceedings pursuant ina provision ny alien convicted aggravated felony deportable may removed upon order attorney general stat iii section ina defines aggravated felony include inter alia crime violence defined section title including purely political offense term imprisonment least one year omitted title turn defines term crime violence mean offense element use attempted use threatened use physical force person property another offense felony nature involves substantial risk physical force person property another may used course committing offense ins claimed petitioner dui conviction crime violence therefore aggravated felony ina october immigration judge found petitioner removable relying upon eleventh circuit decision le attorney general per curiam held conviction florida dui statute qualified crime violence bia petitioner completed sentence removed haiti november june appeals eleventh circuit dismissed petitioner petition review relying previous ruling le app pet cert granted certiorari resolve conflict among courts appeals question whether state dui offenses similar one florida either mens rea component require showing negligence operation vehicle qualify crime violence compare le supra omar ins dalton ashcroft ins amended per curiam see also ursu ins fed appx following supra ruling violation florida dui statute issue le count crime violence reverse eleventh circuit title enacted part comprehensive crime control act broadly reformed federal criminal code areas sentencing bail drug enforcement added variety new violent nonviolent offenses stat congress employed term crime violence numerous places act defining elements particular offenses see prohibiting threats commit crimes violence aid racketeering activity directing hearing required charged individual released bail see requiring pretrial detention hearing alleged committed crime violence congress therefore provided general definition term crime violence used throughout act see stat section since incorporated variety statutory provisions criminal pursuant ina appeals applied find petitioner dui conviction rendered deportable determining whether petitioner conviction falls within ambit statute directs focus offense conviction see defining crime violence offense element use physical force person property another emphasis added defining term offense felony nature involves substantial risk physical force person property another may used course committing offense emphasis added language requires us look elements nature offense conviction rather particular facts relating petitioner crime florida stat makes felony person operate vehicle influence reason operation caus erious bodily injury another florida statute requires proof causation injury require proof particular mental state see state hubbard holding context dui manslaughter conviction statute contain mens rea requirement many enacted similar statutes criminalizing dui causing serious bodily injury death without requiring proof mental appearing require proof person acted negligently operating question whether interpreted include offenses analysis begins language statute see bailey plain text offense qualify crime violence must element use attempted use threatened use physical force person property another deal attempted threatened use force petitioner contends conviction require use force another person common employment word use connotes intentional availment force required florida dui statute government counters use force incorporate mens rea component petitioner dui conviction necessarily includes use force support position government dissects meaning word use employing dictionaries legislation case law contending use force may negligent even inadvertent whether word use alone supplies mens rea element parties primary focus word narrow particularly interpreting statute features elastic word use construe language context light terms surrounding see smith bailey supra critical aspect crime violence one involving use physical force person property another emphasis added said similar context bailey use requires active employment one may theory actively employ something accidental manner much less natural say person actively employs physical force another person accident thus person use physical force another pushing however ordinarily say person use physical force another stumbling falling interpreting statute must give words ordinary natural meaning smith supra key phrase use physical force person property another naturally suggests higher degree intent negligent merely accidental conduct see ins petitioner dui offense therefore crime violence neither petitioner dui conviction crime violence section sweeps broadly defining crime violence including offense felony nature involves substantial risk physical force person property another may used course committing offense thereby encompass negligent misconduct negligent operation vehicle simply covers offenses naturally involve person acting disregard risk physical force might used another committing offense reckless disregard relates general conduct possibility harm result person conduct risk use physical force another might required committing classic example burglary burglary covered offense committed generally reckless way someone may injured burglary nature involves substantial risk burglar use force victim completing crime thus broader sense physical force need actually applied contains formulation found determinative use physical force person property another accordingly must give language identical construction requiring higher mens rea merely accidental negligent conduct involved dui offense particularly true light requirement substantial risk risk using physical force another person course committing offense ordinary natural sense said person risks use physical force another person course operating vehicle intoxicated causing injury construing parts forget ultimately determining meaning term crime violence ordinary meaning term combined emphasis use physical force another person risk use force committing crime suggests category violent active crimes said naturally include dui offenses cf doe breyer observing term violent felony ed supp ii calls mind tradition crimes involve possibility closely related active violence interpreting encompass accidental negligent conduct blur distinction violent crimes congress sought distinguish heightened punishment crimes see section therefore read include petitioner conviction dui causing serious bodily injury florida construction reinforced congress use term crime violence ina enacted see foreign relations authorization act fiscal years stat hereinafter fraa section ina renders inadmissible alien previously exercised diplomatic immunity criminal jurisdiction committing serious criminal offense section defines term serious criminal offense mean felony crime violence defined section title crime reckless driving driving intoxicated influence alcohol prohibited substances crime involves personal injury another emphasis added congress separate listing offense definition crime violence revealing interpreting include dui offenses government urges leave practically devoid significance must give effect every word statute wherever possible see duncan walker distinct provision offenses bolsters conclusion encompass dui case present us question whether state federal offense requires proof reckless use force person property another qualifies crime violence dui statutes florida require mental state respect use force another person thus reaching individuals negligent less drunk driving nationwide problem evidenced efforts legislatures prohibit conduct impose appropriate penalties fact warrant shoehorning statutory sections fit judgment appeals eleventh circuit therefore reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes congress first made commission aggravated felony grounds alien removal defined term include offenses murder drug trafficking crimes firearm trafficking offenses see abuse act stat since congress frequently amended definition aggravated felony broadening scope offenses render alien deportable see antiterrorism effective death penalty act stat adding number offenses ina illegal immigration reform immigrant responsibility act iirira stat inclusion crime violence aggravated felony came see immigration act stat petitioner first appealed bia position violation dui statutes similar florida counted crime violence see matter bia en banc petitioner received decision appeal due clerical error relevant bia another case reversed position held dui offenses mens rea least recklessness crimes violence within meaning see matter ramos bia en banc however bia held ramos follow law circuit circuits addressed question whether driving influence crime violence found eleventh circuit ruling le controlling affirmed immigration judge removal order see app pet cert pursuant iirira eleventh circuit without jurisdiction review bia removal order case petitioner removable reason committed certain criminal offenses including covered aggravated felony see eleventh circuit held petitioner conviction offense concluded jurisdiction consider removal order instance number statutes criminalize conduct element commission crime violence see prohibiting distribution information relating explosives destructive devices weapons mass destruction relation crime violence statutory provisions make classification offense crime violence consequential purposes inter alia extradition restitution see term crime violence incorporated number noncriminal enactments see iii rendering alien deportable committing crime violence petitioner charged see code west rev stat lexis stat code ann lexis idaho code lexis comp stat ch west ind code iowa code rev stat ann lexis supp rev stat tit west supp comp laws supp neb rev stat cum supp rev stat ann ii west stat ann west supp stat ann cent code lexis ohio rev code ann lexis stat tit west cons stat supp laws lexis tex penal code ann west stat tit lexis supp rev code stat wyo stat lexis see cal veh code west del code tit lexis la stat ann west supp md crim law code lexis miss code ann lexis mo ann stat west mont code ann rev stat code ann codified laws west supp utah code ann ii lexis supp code lexis thus plainly encompass offenses create substantial risk injury result person conduct substantial risk relates use force possible effect person conduct compare requiring substantial risk physical force person property another may used sentencing commission guidelines manual context sentencing enhancement defining crime violence meaning inter alia conduct presents serious potential risk physical injury another risk accident may occur individual drives intoxicated simply thing risk individual may use physical force another committing dui offense see ins even lacked clarity point constrained interpret ambiguity statute petitioner favor although deal deportation context criminal statute criminal noncriminal applications must interpret statute consistently whether encounter application criminal noncriminal context rule lenity applies cf arms plurality opinion applying rule lenity tax statute civil setting statute criminal applications thus interpreted consistently criminal applications point carries significant weight particular context case congress incorporated aggravated felony ina see immigration act stat congress enacted incorporation separate provision covering offenses nine months earlier see fraa stat congress distinguished crime violence offenses included shortly thereafter making crime violence aggravated felony strongly supports construction