### F I LE D U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T Fe br uar y 16, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L E RK [ 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. 05- 13389 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc y N o. A 96- 169- 965 H E N D R A T H A M S I R ,
P e titio n e r - A p p e lla n t, 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- A p p e lle e .

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

a D 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 16, 2006) B ef ore B A R K E T T , M A R C U S and W IL S O N , C i rc ui tJudg es P E R C U R I A M:Thamsir conc edes on a ppeal that the denial of his asylum claim as untimely was not 1 su bje c t toreview, and

state s th at heis “ only

a pp e alingtheIJ’s a

nd B oa rd ’sdenial of

his withholding of removal claim.” Be causeThamsir does not off er a ny argument challenging the deter mination that his asylum application was untimely, the issue is abandone d. Sepulveda v. U.S. Att'y Gen., 401 F .3d 1226, 1228 n. 2 (11th Cir.2005). Even if theissue was not aba ndoned, we do not havejurisdiction to review the Attorney General' s decision deny

ing a reque st for asylum as untimely

under 8 U .S.C. § 1158(a)(3) . Fa him v. U.S. Atty . Gen., 278 F .3d 1216, 1217 (11th Cir. 2002). Thamsir also does not raise any argument on appeal addre ssing the denial of re lief under the United Nations Convention Against Torture(“CAT relief” ), 8 C.F.R. § 208.16(c ). (SeeBlue Brief). There fore , he has also abandone d that issue. Sepulveda, 401 F .3d at 1228 n.2. 2 H e ndr a T ha m s i r , a na t i ve a nd c i t i z e n of I ndone s i a , pe t i t i ons f

orr e vi e w of the or de rby the B oa r d of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s ( “ B I A ” ) a dopt i ng a nd a f f i r m i ng the i m m i gr a t i on j udge ’ s ( “ I J ” ) f i na l or de rof

r e m ova l a nd de ni a l of

w i thhol di ng of re m ov al . T ham si r, w ho st at es he i s C hri st i an and o f C hi nese ethn i ci ty, al l eges that h e a n d h i s f

a mi l y w e r e a tt a c k e d a n d b e a t e n a tth e i rh o me i n I n d o n e s i a b y M u s l i ms f o rb e in g C h r is tia n . O n appe a l , T ha m s i ra r gue s tha tthe I J ’ s c r e di bi l i ty f i ndi ngs w e r e ba s e d on s pe c ul a t i on a nd c onj e c tur e i ns t e a d of a r a t i ona l f

ounda t i on, a nd tha thi s t e s t i m ony s houl d be de e m e d c r e di bl e . T ha m s i ra r gue s tha the t e s t i f i e d s pe c i f

i c a l l y aboutthe p ro b l em s h e en co u n t ered i n In d o n esi a b ased o n h i s rel i g i o n an d eth n i ci ty. 1 I. T o the e xt e nttha tthe I J ’ s de c i s i on w a s ba s e d on a l e ga l de t e r m i na t i on, our re vi ew i s de nov o. D -M uh um ed v. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 38 8 F . 3d 81 4, 81 7 (11 th C i r.3

20 04 ). T he IJ ’ s f

ac tual det erm i nat i on s a re re vi ew ed un der the subst ant i al evi dence t es t , and w e “ m ustaf

fi rm the B IA ’ s dec i si on i f i ti s s up po rt ed by re as on abl e, s u b s t a n t i a l , a n d p r o b a t i v e e v i d e n c e o n th e r e c o r d c o n s i d e r e d a s a wh o l e . ” Al N a jja rv . A s h c r o f

t, 2 5 7 F .3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 8 3 - 8 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . W e c a nnote nga ge i n f

a c t - f i ndi ng, norm a y w e w e i gh e vi de nc e tha tw a s not pr e vi ous l y c ons i de r e d be l ow . I d. a t1278. T he r e f or e , a f i ndi ng of f a c tw i l l be re vers ed “ on l y w hen the re cord com pel s r ever sa l ; the m er e f ac tthatthe re cord m ay s uppor ta c ontr a ry c onc l us i on i s note nough t o j us t i f y a r e ve r s a l . . . . ” A de f e m i v. A s h c r o f t, 3 8 6 F .3 d 1 0 2 2 , 1 0 2 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) ( e n b a n c ) , c e r t. d e n ie d , 1 2 5 S .C t. 2245 ( 2005) ; s e e a l s o 8 U . S . C . § 1252( b) ( 4) ( B ) ( “ [ T ] he a dm i ni s tr a t i ve f i ndi ngs of f a c t a r e c o n c lu s iv e u n le s s a n y r e a s o n ab le a d ju d ic a to rw o u ld b e c o m p e lle d to concl ud e t o the contra ry . . . . ”) . T he I J ma k e s c r e d i b i l i ty d e t e r mi n a t i o n s f o rw i th h o l d i n g o f

r e mo v a l c l a i ms i n the s a m e m a nne ras asyl u m cl a i m s . I N A § 241( c ) , 8 U . S . C . § 1231( c ) . “ T he t e s t i m ony o f

th e ap p l i c a n t , i f

c r e d i b l e , ma y b e s u f

f i c i e n tt o s u s t a i n th e b u r d e n of p r o o f w ith o u t c o r r o b o r a tio n .” 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 6 ( b ) . I n d ic a tio n s o f r e liab le t es t i m on y in clu d e c on si st ency on di re ctexam i nat i on , consi st ency w i th the w ri tt en ap p lic a tio n , a n d th e ab s e n c e o f e m b e llis h m e n t a s t h e ap p lic a n t r e p e a te d ly r e c o u n ts hi s s t ory . S e e I n r e B - , 21 I & N D e c . 66, 70 ( B I A 1995) . T he w e a ke rtheOn May 11, 2005, President B ush signe d into law the Real ID Act of 2005 (“RIA”) , 2 Pub . L . N o. 10 9- 13 , D iv. B , 1 19 Stat 23 1. RIA 1 01 (a)( 3) amend s I NA§ 2 08 (b )( 1) , 8 U. S.C. § 1 15 8(b) (1 ), re g ardingthea sse ssm e nt o f cre dib ili ty . Thisamendment too k e ff e c t on thedate enac tment and applies to applications for asylum and withholding of removal madeon or af ter that date. SeeRIA 101(h)( 2). B eca use Thamsir’ s application for asylum was filed bef

ore Ma y 11, 2005, the credibility

standard of

the RIA does not apply

to his petiti on. 4 appl i ca nt ’ s t es t i m on y, ho w ever , the great erthe ne ed for c orrobo ra t i ve evi dence. In r e Y - B - , 2 1 I & N D e c . 1 1 3 6 , 1 1 3 9 ( B I A 1 9 9 8 ) . L i ke othe rf

a c tua l f i ndi ngs , c r e di bi l i ty de t e r m i na t i ons a r e r e vi e w e d unde rthe subst ant i al evi dence t es t , and the IJ m ustoffe r s peci fi c, cogentre as on s f or an a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty f

i ndi ng. F o rg u e v. U . S . A tt ’ y G e ne r a l , 401 F . 3d 1282, 1286-

2 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 05 ). G en er all y, m i no r i ncon si st enci es and m i no r a dm i ss i on s that

" r e v e a l n o th i n g ab o u t a n a s y lu m ap p lic a n t's f e a rf o rh is s a f

e ty a r e n o t a n a d e q u a te ba s i s f ora n a dve r s e c r e di b i l i ty f i ndi ng. " V i l or i o- L ope z v. I N S , 852 F . 2d 1137, 1142 ( 9th C i r . 1988) . T h e di s c r e pa nc i e s m us ti nvol ve the " he a r tof the a s y l um cl ai m . " C ebal l os-C as t i l l o v. IN S , 90 4 F . 2d 51 9, 52 0 ( 9th C i r. 19 90 ); se e al so G ao v . A sh cro ft , 2 9 9 F . 3 d 2 6 6 , 2 7 2 (3 rd C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) (h o l d i n g th atan IJ' s ad v erse c r e di bi l i ty f

i ndi n g m us tgo t o the he a r tof the appl i c a nt ' s c l a i m s a nd c a nnotbe b a s e d u p o n m in o rin c o n s is te n c ie s , d is c r e p a n c ie s , o ro m is s io n s ) . E v e n a s in g le i ncon si st ency thatgo es t o the hearto f an appl i ca nt ' s a sy l um cl ai m , ho w ever , such a s the ba s i s of hi s f

e a r , m a y be s uf

f i c i e nt t o s uppor t a n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i t y fi ndi ng. S ee C h e b c h o u b v . IN S , 2 5 7 F . 3 d 1 0 3 8 , 1 0 4 3 (9 th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ). O n ce an ad v erse5

c r e d ib ility f

in d in g is m a d e , th e ap p lic a n t b e a r s t h e b u r d e n o f s h o w in g th a t th e I J 's c r e di b i l i ty d e c i s i o n w a s n o ts u p p o r t e d b y " s p e c i f i c , c o g e n tr e a s o n s " o rw a s not b a s e d o n s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e , a n d , lik e a n y f a c t f in d in g , a c r e d ib ility de t e r m i n at i on m a y notbe ove r turne d unl e s s the r e c or d c om pe l s i t . F or gue , 401 F . 3d at12 87 (i nt ernal qu ot at i on om i tt ed). “ If the appl i ca ntprod uces no other e vi de nc e o the rtha n hi s t e s t i m ony , a n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty de t e r m i na t i on i s a l one s uf f i c i e ntt o s uppor tthe de ni a l of a n a s y l um appl i c a t i on. ” I d. II . A n al i en i s en t i t l e d t o w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l unde rthe I N A i f he c a n s how tha thi s l i f

e orf r e e d o m w o ul d be thr e a t e ne d on a c c ountof 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 arso cial grou p, or po l i t i ca l op i ni on . M endo za v . U. S . Att ’ y Ge n e r a l , 3 2 7 F. 3 d 1 2 8 3 , 1 2 8 7 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 3 ) ; s e e a l s o I NA § 241( b) ( 3) , 8 U . S . C . § 1231( b) ( 3) . T he a l i e n b e a r s the bur de n of de m ons tr a t i ng th a t it is “m o r e l i k e l y th a n n o t” th a t h e w ill b e p e r s e c u te d o rto r tu r e d u p o n h is re turn t o the coun try i n q uest i on . F ahi m , 27 8 F .3 d at 12 18 . T hi s i s am ore stri ng entbu rden th an fo r asyl um . S epul veda, 40 1 F . 3d at12 32 . If the al i en e s tab lis h e s p a s t p e r s e c u tio n b a s e d o n a p r o te c te d g r o u n d , th e r e is a r e b u ttab le p r e s u m p tio n th a t h i s l i f e o rf r e e d o m w o u ld b e th r e a te n e d u p o n r e tu rn to h is c o u n try . S e e Me n d o z a , 3 2 7 F . 3 d a t1 2 8 7 ; s e e a l s o 8 C . F . R . . § 2 0 8 . 1 6 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( i ) . An6

a lie n w h o h a s n o t s h o w n p a s t p e r s e c u tio n , h o w e v e r , m a y s till b e e n title d to w i t h h ol di ng of

r e m ova l i f

he c a n de m ons tr a t e a f utur e thr e a tt o hi s l i f

e orf r e e dom o n a p r o te c te d g r o u n d . S e e 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 6 ( b ) ( 2 ) . A l though the I N A doe s note xpr e s s l y de f i ne “ pe r s e c ut i on” f

orpurpos e s of qu al i fy i ng as a “refug ee , ” s ee 8 U . S . C . § 1 10 1(a) (42), w e have s t at ed that

“ 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 ng m or e tha n a f e w i s ol a t e d i nc i den t s of ve rba l ha r a s s m e ntori nt i m i da t i on. ” S e pul ve da , 401 F . 3d a t1231 ( quot a t i ons om i tt e d) . M e na c i ng t e l e phone c a l l s an d thr e a t s do notr i s e t o the l e ve l of pe r s e c ut i on. S e e i d. II I. Up o n r e v i e w o f t h e r e c o r d a n d u p o n c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th e p a r t i e s ’ b r i e f

s , we f i nd n o r e v e r s i b l e e rr o rw i th r e s p e c tt o th e I J ’ s c r e d i b i l i ty f i n d i n g s o rd e t e r mi na t i on th a t T h a m s ird id n o t s u f f e rp a s t p e r s e c u tio n o rf

a c e a t h r e a t o f f

u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n if r e tu rn e d t o I n d o n e s ia . A lth o u g h th e I J d id n o t f in d th a t T h a m s irla c k e d c r e d ib ility p e rs e , th e I J a s s e s s e d th a t s e v e r a l p a r ts o f h i s te s tim o n y , in c lu d in g th e a tta c k a t h is ho m e i n Ind on es i a, w er e notcr edi bl e. T h i s f i nd i ng i s s up po rt ed by subst ant i al evi dence. A l tho ug h the att ac k al l egedl y occ urre d sho rt l y bef ore T ham si r obt ai ned hi s vi s a , T ha m s i rdi d nott e s t i f y tha the m en t i one d the a tt a c k orr e que s t e d a s y l um o r r e f u g e e s ta tu s w h en ap p l yi n g fo r a v i sa o r aft er h e arri v ed i n th e U n i t ed S t at es.7

T ham si r di d n otm ent i on the at tack i n h i s i nt ervi ew w i th i m m i grat i on A gentT ra cy T o w n s e n d e ith e r . A g e n t T o w n s e n d ’s r e p o r t d id r e v e a l, h o w e v e r , th a t T h a m s ir s t a t e d tha the onl y d esi r e d t o r e m a i n i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s f ore c onom i c r e a s ons a nd d r o v e to W a s h in g to n to f ile a p o litic a l a s y lu m ap p lic a tio n a t t h e u r g in g o f h is pa s t or M e s a c h A gung W i j oy o. W hi l e T ha m s i rdi s put e d pa r t s of A ge nt T ow ns e nd’ s r e por ta tthe as y l um he a r i ng, he di d notc ha l l e nge the a dm i s s i bi l i ty of th e r e p o r t th e n o ro n ap p e a l. T he re cord al so re veal s that T ham si r’ s m other vi si t ed hi m i n th e U ni t ed S tates a t l ea st o n ce an d re tu rn ed v o lu n tarily to In d o n es ia . A g en t’ s T o w n se n d ’s rep o rtst at es th atT h am si r’ s p aren t s w ere al i v e an d w el l i n In d o n esi a. B ecau se T ham si r di d n otcl ai m thatthe M usl i m att ac kers on l y t ar get ed hi m , i tw as r e a s o n ab le f

o rth e I J a s s u m e th a t T h a m s irc o u ld a ls o liv e s a f e l y in I n d o n e s ia if

h is pa r e nt s c oul d. T he r e c or d a l s o i ndi c a t e d tha tT ha m s i rr e gi s t e r e d a tthe i m m i gr a t i on of f i c e w i th ove r30 othe rI ndone s i a n m a l e s w ho w e r e a s s oc i at ed w i th pa s t or W i j oyo. T he IJ no t ed throu gh ou tthe proceedi ng s thatT ham si r’ s a l l egat i on s w er e si m i l art o tho se ra i se d i n the as yl um pet i t i on s by tho se Indo nesi ans, w arned T ham si rabo utf

i l i ng a f r i vo l ou s app l i c a t i on , a nda s ke d f ordo c ume nt a ry e vi de nce t o s uppor thi s c l a i m s . T ha m s i r , how e ve r , c oul d notr e habi l i t a t e hi s t e s t i m ony by8

pr ovi di ng doc um e nt a t i on of hi s hos pi t a l vi s i tt o p ro ve the i nj ur i e s he r e c e i ve d f r om th e a lle g e d b e a tin g . T h e t o t al i ty o f th e ev i d en ce d i scu ssed ab o v e p ro v i d es su b st an t i al ev i d en ce to s u p p o r t th e I J ’s f

in d in g th a t T h a m s ir ’s te s tim o n y r e g a r d in g th e 2 0 0 0 a tta c k –h is p r im a ry e v id e n c e o f

p a s t p e r s e c u tio n –w a s n o t c r e d ib le . T he onl y r e m a i ni ng e vi d en ce of pa s tpe r s e c ut i on w a s T ha m s i r ’ s t e s t i m ony th a t h e w a s r e q u ir e d to p a y m o r e f o rg o v e rn m e n t d o c u m e n ts b e c a u s e h e w a s n o t a M u sl i m , an d th ati tt ak es C h ri st i an s l o n g er t o o b t ai n p erm i t s t o b u i l d ch u rch es. T ham si r a dm i tt ed thathe had n o d ocum ent ary e vi den ce t o sup po rtthe form er cl ai m . F urtherm ore, neith er o f these i nci dent s, even i f true, w ou l d ri se t o the l evel o f p e r s e c u tio n . S e p u lv e d a , 4 0 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 3 1 . B e c a u s e n e ith e ro f th e s e in c id e n ts c o n s t i tu t e p e r s e c u t i o n a n d th e I J d i s c r e d i t e d Th a ms i r ’ s t e s t i mo n y r e g a r di ng t he 20 00 att ac k, the fin d i ng thatT ham si r di d n otsuff erpastpers ec ut i on i s s up po rt ed by subst ant i al evi dence. I V. T he I J ’ s f

i ndi ng tha tT ha m s i rdi d not est ab l i sh tha ti ti s m or e l i ke l y tha n not that he w i l l be pers ec ut ed up on re turn t o I nd on es i a i s supp ort ed by su b stan t i al e v id e n c e . A lth o u g h T h a m s irte s tif ie d th a t h e a n d h is p a r e n ts w e r e a tta c k e d a t h is ho m e once i n 2 00 0, he adm i tt ed thathi s m other has vi sited h im in the U ni t ed9

S t at es and v ol un t ar i l y r eturned t o Ind on es i a. A gentT ow nsend’ s r eportst at es that T ham si r’ s par ent s w er e “ al i ve and w el l ” i n Ind on es i a. If hi s f am i l y i s C hri st i an a n d C h in e s e , it is u n c le a rw h y h is p a r e n ts w o u ld b e s a f e in I n d o n e s ia b u t h e w o u ld not . T ha m s i rdi d nott e s t i f y tha the orhi s f

a m i l y ha d r e c ei ve d a ny thr e a t s or e xpe r i e nc e d a ny di s c r i m i na t i on ba s e d on the i rr a c e orr e l i g i o n si nc e he c a m e t o the U ni t ed S t at es . T hu s, the IJ ’ s f i nd i ng thatT ham si r w ou l d n o t b e p er se cut ed base d on hi s r ac e or r el i gi on i f r eturned t o Ind on es i a i s s up po rt ed by subst ant i al evi dence. AF F I RME D.