FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT FEB RUARY 7, 2008 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H]

I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 07- 13014 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N os . A 95- 903- 978 & A 97- 194- 337 L I N A M A R I A M O N C A D A - R U B I O , M A R I A A L E Y D A R U B I O - F R A N C O , S I L V I O M O N C A D A - M A R I N , P e titio n e r s , v ersu s U .S . A T T O RN E Y G E N E R A L , R e s p o n d e n t.

________________________ P e t i t i on f orR e vi e w of

aD e c i s i on of

the B o a r d o f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( F e b r u ar y 7, 2008) B efo re B IR C H , D U B IN A an d K R A V IT C H , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: L i naM a r i aM onc a da - R ubi o ( “ R ubi o” ) a rr i ve d i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s on anon-Rubio claimed persecution on acc ount of her political opinion. Franc o alleg ed persecution 1 based on relig ion. Rubio testified that she filed the origin al ap p l i cat i o n in 2002, but that the attorney who 2 as s i s t ed h er stole the money and never filed the a

pplication. The a

pplication submitt ed with the rec ord is dated 2005. In the 2002 application, Rub i o d i d n o t mention the threats and kidna ping attempt. Acc ordingto Rubio, this information was omitted beca use the ap p l i cation was prepa red by the attorney

who later stole her money . 2 i m m i grantstud entvi sai n 1 99 9, and, w hen she di d n otatt end cl as se s, she r ec ei ved an o tic e to ap p e a rc h a r g in g h e rw ith r e m o v ab ilityu n d e rI N A § 2 3 7 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( C ) ( i) ; 8 U . S . C . § 1227( a ) ( 1) ( C ) ( i ) . R ubi o’ s pa r e nt s M a r i aR ubi o- F r a nc o ( “ F r a nc o” ) a nd S i l vo M onc a daM a r i n ( “ M a r i n” ) , a rr i ve d i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s i n 2001 on nonim m ig r a n t v is a s , r e m a in e d b e y o n d th e e x p ir a tio n p e r io d , a n d w e r e c h a r g e d w ith r e m ovabi l i ty unde rI N A § 237( a ) ( 1) ( B ) ; 8 U . S . C . § 1227( a ) ( 1) ( B ) . R ubi o a nd F r a nc o appl i e d f

ora s y l um i n 2005; M a r i n pr oc e e de d a s ade r i va t i ve be ne f i c i a ry on F r a n c o ’s p e titio n . T h e ap p lic a tio n s w e r e c o n s o lid a te d . 1 A tthe r e m ova l he a r i ng, the I J f i r s tque s t i one d the t i m e l i ne s s of the a s y l um ap p lic a tio n s b e c au s e th e p e titio n e r s e n te r e d in 1 9 9 9 a n d 2 0 0 1 , b u t d id n o t f ile u n til 2 0 0 2 . Ru b i o e x p l a i n e d th a ts h e h a d s o u g h ta s s i s t a n c e w i th th e ap p l i c a t i o n f r o m a 2 re l i gi ou s organi za t i on , bu tthatthe att orney helpi ng her s t ol e herm on eyand n ever fi l ed the appl i ca t i on . R ub i o adm i tt ed, ho w ever , thatshe nevercont ac t ed po l i ce ab o u t th e th e f

t, n o rd id s h e f

ile ac o m p la in t w ith th e s ta te b a ra s s o c ia tio n . A dd re ss i ng the m er i t s of the appl i ca t i on , R ub i o t es t i fi ed as fol l ow s: S he had b e e n b o rn in C o lo m b iaa n d a tte n d e d th e u n iv e r s ity th e r e u n til s h e w a s f o r c e d toIn h er a sylum a pp lic atio n Ru

bioindic ate d th at sh ehad d riven to the po lic e statio n to avo id 3 FARC. On cross-examination she confirmed that she had driven to her boyfriend’ s home. 3 l e a ve the c ountry . H e rm othe rw orke d a s ac ouns e l or , vi s i t i ng ne i ghborhoods a nd prea chi ng t o d rug add i ct s and coup l es se eki ng di vo rc e. H erfa ther w as a m em ber of the C i vi l P ol i ce , w hi ch w as a vol un t ee r arm of the N at i on al P ol i ce and w hi ch co n d u ct ed su rv ei l l an ce an d i n t el l i g en ce w o rk . In 1 9 9 9 , w h i l e atth e u n i v ersi ty, so m e fri en d s tri ed t o recru i th er t o w o rkw i th F A R C b ecau se o f h er fath er’ s access t o i nt el l i gence i nform at i on . R ub i o w as no ti nt er es t ed, bu tthe fr i end w arned h er thatshe m ustj oi n o r di e. In m i d-O ct ob er , m em bers of F A R C chas ed R ub i o b y c ar i n an att em ptt o k i dn ap her. R ub i o d rove t o h erbo yf ri end’ s hou se and ram m ed her c a rin to th e g a r a g e to g e t a tte n tio n . T h e r e a f te r , R u b io r e c e iv e d p h o n e c a lls 3 s e e ki ng c ode d i nt e l l i ge nc e s uc h a s pl a nne d r oa dbl oc ks a nd i nf orm a t i on on va r i ous peop l e. F ri gh t ened, R ub i o fl ed t o the U ni t ed S t at es . A l tho ug h she i nform ed her f a th e ro f th e th r e a ts , s h e d id n o t f ile ap o lic e r e p o rt. I n D e c e m b e r2 0 0 0 , F A R C a tte m p te d to k id n ap R u b io ’s y o u n g e rs is te rP au la f r om F r a nc o’ s c l othi ng bout i que . A n e m pl oy e e i nt e rrupt e d the ki dnapi ng, sc re am ed for hel p, and the F A R C m em bers ran as s ec uri ty arr i ved. P aul a l ef t C ol om bi a i n January20 01 . S ho rt l y there af t er , F ranco w as shoti n the l eg by a m an on am ot or c y c l e . R ubi o’ s s i s t e rS a ndr a , w ho w a s aphy s i c i a n, tr e a t e d the w ound, a n d Fr a n c o d i d n o tr e p o rtth e a tt a c k . Fr an c o w e n tt o Bo g o t at o h i d e , b u tFA RC4

m e m b e r s f

o u n d h e r , a n d F r a n c o r e c e iv e d ath r e a te n in g p h o n e c a ll w h ile in B o g o ta . R ub i o adm i tt ed thatthe si tuat i on i n C ol om bi a had i m prov ed si nce the new pr e s i de ntc a m e t o pow e r , buts he ne ve rthe l e s s f e a r e d s he w oul d be ki l l e d i f s he r e tu rn e d . I n s upportof

the appl i c a t i ons , the pe t i t i one r s s ubm i tt e d the D e pa rtm e ntof S ta te P r o f

ile o n C o lo m b iaa n d th e 2 0 0 4 C o u n try R e p o rt. A lth o u g h b o th r e p o rts a ddr e s s e d F A R C ’ s pr e s e nc e a nd vi ol e ntt e nde nc i e s , ne i the rr e f e r e nc e d a ny of

the i nci dent s of w hi ch R ub i o o r F ranco al l eged. M oreover, the re po rt s i nd i ca t ed that th e s itu a tio n in C o lo m b iah a d im p r o v e d . T h e I J d e n ie d r e lie f

, f in d in g f ir s t th a t th e a s y lu m ap p lic a tio n w a s u n tim e ly a n d th a t th e r e w e r e n o e x c e p tio n a l c ir c u m s ta n c e s to e x c u s e th e u n tim e ly ap p l i cat i o n . T h e IJ th en co n cl u d ed th atR u b i o w as n o tel i g i b l e fo r rel i ef b ecau se she w as no ta m em ber of aprot ec t ed grou p, and there w er e c hang ed ci rc um st ance s i n C ol om bi a . T he I J not e d tha tthe r e w a s no c orr obor a t i ng e vi de nc e of the s h o o tin g o ro th e ra lle g e d in c id e n ts . R u b io ap p e a le d to th e B I A . W h ile th e ap p e a l w a s p e n d in g , R u b io m o v e d to re m an d to ad d n ew ev id en ce in th e f o rm o f letters fr o m F ra n co an d R u b io ’s church, confi rm i ng thatF A R C m ade threa t eni ng ph on e c al l s a ft erR ub i o l ef t C ol om bi a. T he B IA adop t ed and affi rm ed the IJ ’ s dec i si on w i th add i t i on al c om m e nt s a nd de ni e d the m ot i on t o r e m a nd. R ubi o now pe t i t i ons thi s c ourtf orRub i o d o es not challeng e the determination that she is not elig ible for a sylum or CAT 4 relief . Th ere f o re , s h eh a s a

b an do n e d tho s eis s u e s . Sep ulv e da

v . U . S. Att ’ y

G en . , 4 0 1 F . 3 d

1 226, 1228 (11th Cir. 2005). We do not consider this evidenc e bec aus e i t wa s n o t p re sented to the B IA. Al Najjar v. 5 U.S. Att’y

Gen., 257 F .3d 1262, 1283 (11th Cir. 2001). 5 re vi ew , ar gu i ng thatthe B IA erre d b y ( a) concl ud i ng thatthe fa m i l y di d n otsuff er p a s t p e r s e c u tio n s u f

f ic ie n t to s h o w th a t it w a s m o r e lik e ly th a n n o t th a t th e y w o u ld f a c e f utur e pe r s e c ut i on i n C ol om bi aa nd ( b) f a i l i ng t o us e i t s ow n j udgm e nt . S he 4 further a ss ert s thatshe e st abl i shed pastpers ec ut i on , and she no t es thather s i st er S an d ra h as b een g ran t ed asyl u m i n th e U n i t ed S t at es. A s an i n i t i al m att er, F ran co an d M ari n o ffered n o arg u m en to n th ei r cl ai m s, a nd thus the y ha ve aba ndone d the m . S e pul ve dav. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1 2 2 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . T h e r e f o r e , th e o n ly is s u e b e f

o r e u s is w h e th e rR u b io e s t abl i s he d e l i gi bi l i ty f

orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l . I m port a nt l y , w i thhol di ng of

5 re m ov al do es no tprov i de for deri vat i ve benefi t s. T here fore , even i f the re cord c om pe l l e d w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l , onl y R ubi o, a nd nothe rpa r e nt s , w oul d be ent i t l ed t o rel i ef

. S ee D el gado v. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 48 7 F . 3d 85 5, 86 2 (11 th C i r. 20 07 ). W e r e v ie w “o n ly th e d e c is io n o f th e B I A , e x c e p t to th e e x te n t th a t it e xpr e s s l y a dopt s the I J ’ s opi ni on. ” N r e kav. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 408 F . 3d 1361, 1368 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons a nd c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . T o the e xt e nttha tthe6

B I A ’s o rI J ’s d e c is io n w a s b a s e d o n ale g a l d e te rm in a tio n , r e v ie w is d e n o v o . I d . T he IJ ’ s and B IA ’ s f

ac tual det erm i nat i on s are re vi ew ed un der the subst ant i al e vi de nc e t e s t , a nd thi s c ourtw i l l “ a f f i rm the [ I J ’ s ] de c i s i on i f i ti s s upport e d by reaso n ab l e, su b st an t i al , an d p ro b at i v e ev i d en ce o n th e reco rd co n si d ered as a w hol e . ” F or gue v. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1282, 1286 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( a l t e r a t i on i n or i gi na l ) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons a nd c i t a t i ons om i tt e d) ; A l N a jj a rv. A s hc r of t , 257 F . 3d 1262, 1283- 84 ( 11th C i r . 2001) ( quot a t i on a nd i nt e rna l m a rks o m itte d ) . W e w ill n o t r e v e r s e u n le s s th e r e c o r d c o m p e ls ac o n tr a ry c o n c lu s io n . R u iz v . G o n za les, 4 7 9 F .3 d 7 6 2 , 7 6 5 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 7 ) ( citi n g F ah im v . U .S . A tt ’y G en. , 27 8 F . 3d 12 16 , 12 18 (11th C i r. 20 02 )) . T o o bt ai n w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al , an appl i cantm ustes t abl i sh thather “ l i fe orf r e e dom w oul d be thr e a t e ne d i n tha tc ountry be c aus e of hi s r a c e , r e l i gi on, nat i on al i ty, m em bers hi p i n a part i cul arsoci al grou p, or po l i t i ca l op i ni on . ” 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 3 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) ( A ) . “T h e a lie n b e a r s th e b u r d e n o f d e m o n s tr a tin g th a t it is

‘ m ore l i kel y than n ot ’ she w i l l be pers ec ut ed or t ortured up on bei ng re turned t o h er c ountry . ” S e pul ve dav. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1232 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( q u o t i n g F a h i m v . U. S . Att ’ y Ge n . , 2 7 8 F . 3 d 1 2 1 6 , 1 2 1 8 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 2 ) ) . An appl i c a ntf

orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l m a y s a t i s f

y he rbur de n of

pr oof i n e i the rof tw o w a y s . F i r s t , a n a l i e n m a y e s t abl i s h “ pa s tpe r s e c ut i on i n hi s c ountry ba s e d on a prot ec t ed grou nd . ” M endo zav. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 32 7 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r.7

2 0 0 3 ) . I f

th e ap p lic a n t c a n s h o w th a t th e p e r s e c u tio n w a s , a t le a s t in p a rt, m ot i va t e d by apr ot e c t e d gr ound, the n the appl i c a ntc a n e s t abl i s h e l i gi bi l i ty f or w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . T an v. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 44 6 F . 3d 13 69 , 13 75 (11th C i r. 20 06 ). If

an al i en es t abl i shes “ pastpers ec ut i on , ” are bu tt abl e pre sum pt i on ar i se s th a t s h e h a s a“w e ll- f

o u n d e d f e a ro f f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n ,” a n d th e b u r d e n th e n s h if ts t o the D epartm entof H om el and S ec uri ty t o sho w thatthe cond i t i on s i n the coun try have changed o r the al i en coul d avo i d a future threa tthrou gh re l ocat i on . M endo za , 327 F . 3d a t1287. S e c ond, a n a l i e n i s e nt i t l e d t o w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l i f

s he e s t abl i s he s “ tha ti ti s m or e l i ke l y tha n nottha ts he w oul d be pe r s e c ut e d on a c c ount of ra ce , re l i gi on , nat i on al i ty, m em bers hi p i n a part i cul arsoci al grou p, or po l i t i ca l op i ni on up on re m ov al t o thatcoun try . ” 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 16 (b)( 2). In co n si d eri n g a p et i t i o n er’ s cl ai m fo r w i th h o l d i n g o f rem o v al , th e IJ m u st d e t e rmi n e c r e d i b i l i ty i n th e s a me ma n n e ra s i n a s y l u m c a s e s . Se e 8 U . S. C. § 1231( b) ( 3) ( C ) ; 8 U . S . C . § 1158( b) ( 1) ( B ) ( i i ) - ( i i i ) . T hus , t o e s t abl i s h e nt i t l e m e nt to r e lie f , th e ap p lic a n t m u s t e s tab lis h p a s t p e r s e c u tio n w ith “s p e c if ic a n d c r e d ib le ev i d en ce. ” Y an g v . U . S . A tt ’ y G en . , 4 1 8 F . 3 d 1 1 9 8 , 1 2 0 2 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ). IJs m us tm a ke “ c l e an de t e rm i na t i ons of c r e di bi l i ty . ” M e

j i av. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 498 F .3 d 1 2 5 3 , 1 2 5 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 7 ) . H e r e , b e c au s e th e I J d id n o t m a k e a n e x p lic it a d v e r s e c r e d ib ilityd e te rm in a tio n , w e c o n s id e rR u b io ’s te s tim o n y to b e c r e d ib le . A s thi s c ourtha s e xpl a i ne d, “ ‘ pe r s e c ut i on’ i s a n e xtr e m e c onc e pt , r e qui r i ng8

m o r e th a n af

e w is o la te d in c id e n ts o f v e rb a l h a r a s s m e n t o rin tim id a tio n , a n d . . . m e r e ha r a s s m e ntdoe s nota m ountt o pe r s e c ut i on. ” S e pul ve dav. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n, 401 F . 3d 1226, 1231 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons om i tt e d) ; s e e a l s o S i l va v. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 44 8 F . 3d 12 29 , 12 37 (11th C i r. 20 06 ) ( concl ud i ng thata w ri tt en d e a th th r e a t a lo n e d id n o t c o m p e l af in d in g o f p a s t p e r s e c u tio n ) . I n s e ve r a l r e c e ntc a s e s , thi s c ourtha s e xpl or e d the i s s ue of pe r s e c ut i on, a n a ly z in g th e typ e s o f

a c ts th a t, c o n s id e r e d c u m u la tiv e ly a m o u n t to p e r s e c u tio n . S ee M ej i a, 49 8 F . 3d at12 55 (f i nd i ng pastpers ec ut i on w here pet i t i on erexperi ence d

“ threa t s and att em pt ed att ac ks ov eran ei gh t ee n-m on th p er i od , w hi ch cul m i nat ed w he n [ the pe t i t i one rw a s ] s t oppe d on ar oa dw a y by thr e e a rm e d m e m be r s of the F A R C , w ho threa t ened [hi m ] atgu np oi nt , threw hi m t o the grou nd , and sm as hed hi m i n the f

a c e w i th the buttof

ar i f l e , br e a ki ng hi s nos e . ” ) ; R ui z , 479 F . 3d a t766 & n .2 ( f in d in g p a s t p e r s e c u tio n w h e r e th e p e titio n e rs u f f e r e d r e p e a te d d e a th th r e a ts , w a s tw ic e p h y s ic a lly a s s au lte d , a n d w a s k id n ap e d a n d h e ld a g a in s t h is w ill by F A R C f

ore i ght e e n da y s ) ; s e e a l s o N i f t a l i e v v. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 504 F . 3d 1211 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 7 ) (fi n d i n g th e cu m u l at i v e effect of n u m ero u s b eat i n g s, arrest s, s e a r c he s , a nd i nt e rr oga t i ons , c ul m i na t i ng i n af i f t e e n- da y , f

ood- de pr i ve d de t e nt i on c om pe l l e d af

i ndi ng of pa s tpe r s e c ut i on) ; D e l ga do, 487 F . 3d a t862 ( c onc l udi ng thatw hen con si dere d cum ul at i vel y, the death threa t s, threa t s w i th u nl oaded w eapo ns, and a beat i ng com pel l ed a f i nd i ng of pastpers ec ut i on ).9

M or e ove r , thi s c ourtr e c e nt l y e xpl a i ne d tha ti tc oul d c ons i de rathr e a t e ni ng ac tagai nstanother a s e vi dence thatthe pet i t i on ersuff er ed pers ec ut i on w here that a c tc onc om i t a nt l y thr e a t e ns the pe t i t i one r . S a nt a m a r i av. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , s l i p op. a t827 n. 7 ( 11th C i r . J a n. 11, 2008) ; s e e a l s o R ui z , 479 F . 3d a t762 ( c ons i de r i ng a rape of the pet i t i on er ’ s f ri end’ s w i fe du ri ng the ki dn api ng of pet i t i on eras evi dence of pers ec ut i on ); N i ft al i ev, 50 4 F . 3d at12 11 (not i ng sa m e) ; D el gado 48 7 F . 3d at 86 1-62 (c on si deri ng se vere beat i ng of pet i t i on er ’ s s on as evi dence thatpet i t i on er suff er ed pers ec ut i on ). W e c on cl ud e thatthe re cord i n thi s c as e does notcom pel the concl usi on that R ubi o s uf

f e r e d pa s tpe r s e c ut i on ortha ti ti s m or e l i ke l y tha n nottha ts he w oul d be p e r s e c u t e d o n a c c o u n to f ap r o t e c t e d g r o u n d . A c c o r d i n g t o th e t e s t i mo n y , FA RC soug htt o rec rui tR ub i o b ec ause of her a cc es s t o i nform at i on . Itdi d n otsi ng l e her outf orpe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof he rpol i t i c a l opi ni on. I n f a c t , R ubi o di d not id e n tif y a n y p o litic a l o p in io n a ttr ib u te d to h e r . T h e r e f u s a l to c o o p e r a te w ith gue r i l l a s doe s notqua l i f y a s pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof apol i t i c a l opi ni on. R o d r ig u e z M o r a le s v . U .S . A tt’y G e n ., 4 8 8 F .3 d 8 8 4 , 8 9 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 7 ) . M oreover, no ne of the i nci dent s des cr i bed ri se t o the l evel of pers ec ut i on . C f. S ant am ar i a, sl i p o p. at82 7 n . 7; N i ft al i ev, 50 4 F . 3d at12 11 ; D el gado 48 7 F . 3d at 8 6 1 - 6 2 ; R u iz , 4 7 9 F .3 d a t 7 6 2 . E ve n i f w e w e r e t o c ons i de rthe s hoot i ng a ga i ns tF r a nc o a s e vi de nc e of10

p e r s e c u tio n a g a in s t R u b io , th is in c id e n t d o e s n o t c o m p e l u s to c o n c lu d e th a t R u b io s uf f e r e d pe r s e c ut i on. F r a nc o a l l e ge d tha ts he w a s s i ngl e d outdue t o he rr e l i gi ous ac t i on s, and n otdu e t o p ol i t i ca l m ot i vat i on s. F ranco cou l d n oti dent i fythe shoo t er , the r e w e r e no c orr obor a t i ng r e port s , a nd the onl y e vi de nc e t o c onne c tthe i nc i de nt to F A R C w a s ap h o n e c a ll a f te rth e in c id e n t. B ecau se th e reco rd d o es n o tco m p el th e co n cl u si o n th atR u b i o su ffered p ast pe r s e c ut i on ortha ti tw a s m or e l i ke l y tha n nottha ts he w oul d f a c e pe r s e c ut i on shou l d she re turn t o C ol om bi a, w e DE NY the pe t i t i on.