# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls
For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 4- 14 44

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Jo rg e Bar il la s- Men de z,

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er ,

v.

Lore tt a E. Ly

nc h, At to rn ey

Gene ral of Un it ed Sta te s , *

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

.

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Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of a n Ord er o f th e Bo ard of I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

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Su bm it te d: Octo be r 9, 2 01 4 Fil ed : J un e 4 , 20 15

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Befo re COLLOTON, BRIGHT, and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

Jo rg e Ro be rto Bari ll as -Me nd ez pe t i t i on s fo r rev ie w o f an or de r of th e Bo ard

of Im m ig rat io n App eal s. The Bo ard affi rm ed an im m ig ra t i o n jud ge ’s de ci si on
de nyin g Bari ll as -Me nd ez’s ap pl ic at io ns fo r as y lu m an d wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

, an d

Lore tt a E. Ly nc h is au to m at ic al ly s ub st it ut e d fo r Eric H. Ho ld er pu rs ua nt to *
Fed eral Ru le of Ap pe ll at e Pro ced ur e 4 3( c)(2 ).or de rin g hi m rem ov ed fro m th e Uni te d St at es

. Bari ll as -Me nd ez arg ue s th at th e Bo ard

erre d in ru li ng th at he ha d no t es ta bl is he d pa st pe rs ecu ti on in Gua te m al a, be cau se it

fai le d to co ns i d e r th e cu m ul at iv e im

pa ct of th e ph y si cal an d eco no m ic ab us e he

su ffer ed an d di d no t t a k e in to acco un t hi s y ou ng ag e at th e ti m e of th e ab us e. W e

co nc lu de th at th e Bo ard co ns id ered th e rel ev an t fact or s, an d th at th e reco rd do es no t

co m pe l a f in di ng co nt rary to t he Bo ard ’s. W e th eref or e d en y th e p et it io n.

I.

Th e A t t o r n ey Gen eral ha s di sc ret io n to gr an t as y lu m to an al ie n who

, du e t o

pa st pe rs ecu ti on “ on acco un t of race , rel ig io n, na ti on al it y , m em be rs hi p in a pa rti cu la r

so ci al gr ou p, or po li ti cal op in i o n , ” is un ab le or un wil li ng to ret ur n to hi s ho m e

c o u n t r y , an d th us qu al ifi es as a refu ge e. 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A); se e 8 U.S.C.
§ 11 58 (b ). Bari ll as -Me nd ez, a ci ti zen of Gua te m al a, en te red th e Uni te d St at es in Apr il 20 06 wit ho ut in sp ect io n an d so ug ht as y lu m an d wit hh ol di ng of remo v a l. He

co nt en ds th at in Gua te m al a, he su ffer ed eco no m ic an d ph y si cal ab us e by an au nt
, an d

a b eat in g b y

a co us in , th at am ou nt ed to pe rs ecu ti on

.

Bari ll as -Me nd ez te st ifi ed th at fro m ag e th irt een to se ve nt een , he li ve d wit h hi s

au nt Hil da in Escu in tl a, Gua te m al a, an d th at hi s p a r e n t s w e re in th e Uni te d St at es
du rin g th is ti m e. He sa id th at Hil da be at hi m ev ery se co nd da y wit h ei th er a pi ece of

woo d or an elect ric it y cab le

, le av in g red m ark s an d b ru is es . Hild a al so ke pt m on ey
th at hi s fat he r se nt he r to pr ov id e fo r Bari ll as -Me nd ez. Bari ll as -Me nd ez ex pl ai ne d

th at he was un ab le to te ll hi s pa ren ts ab ou t th e ab us e, be cau se Hil da m on it or ed th ei r ph o n e c on ve rs at io ns

. He sa id th at po li ce ne ve r le arn ed of th e ab us e, as ne ig hb or s

ne ve r kn ew ab ou t it an d wou ld no t h av e rep or te d it an y way

. Bari ll as -Me nd ez

te st ifi ed th at hi s m ot he r arr a ng ed fo r hi m to tra ve l to th e Uni te d St at es aft er sh e
vi si te d Es cu in tl a an d o bs erv ed hi s l iv in g c on di ti on s.

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-Bari ll as -Me nd ez te st ifi ed ab ou t on e be at in g al le ge dl y ad m in is te red by hi s

se co nd co us in

, a m em

be r of th e MS- 13 ga ng , an d a gr ou p of t he co us in ’s fri en ds

. Bari ll as -Me nd ez sa id th at hi s se co nd co us in in it ia te d th e be at in g be cau se Hil da to ld

hi m ne g a t i v e th in gs ab ou t Bari ll as -Me nd ez, an d be cau se th e co us in be li ev ed th at

Bari ll as -Me nd ez was a m em be r of a riv al ga ng

. As a res ul t of the be at in g, Bari ll as

Men de z su ffer ed bl eed in g fr om hi s m ou th

.

On th e sa m e da y th at Bari ll a s -Me nd ez en te red th e Uni te d St at es , th e Dep art m en t of Hom el an d Secu rit y is su ed hi m a Not ic e to App ear, ch arg in g t h a t he

was su bjec t to rem ov al

. Bari ll as -Me nd ez ad m it te d th at he was rem ov ab le

, bu t fil ed

an ap pl ic at io n fo r as y l u m a n d w i th ho ld in g of rem ov al

. He arg ue d th at he su ffer ed

pe rs ecu ti on by hi s au nt an d co us in in Gua te m al a, an d th at he ha s a well -fo un de d fear

th at he wou ld be pe rs ecu te d i f he were re tu rn ed to Guat em al a.

The IJ de ni ed Bari ll as -Me nd ez’s ap pl ic at io n an d or de red hi s rem ov al

. W hi le

th e IJ fo un d Bari ll as -Me nd ez to be ge ne ral ly cred ib le

, he co nc lu de d fir st th at Bari ll as

Men de z’s al le ga ti on s of ab us e su ffer ed in Gua te m al a di d no t es ta bl is h pe rs ecu ti on or

a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on

. Seco nd

, th e IJ ru le d al t e r n a t i v e ly th at

act io ns by pr iv at e i n d i v i d u a l s su ch as th e au nt an d co us in wou ld no t am ou nt to

p e r s e c ut io n, an d th at Bari ll as -Me nd ez fai le d to sh ow th at th e go ve rn m en t wa s

un wil li ng or un ab le to co nt ro l th em

. Thi rd

, th e IJ reac he d an ot he r a l te rn at iv e

co nc lu si on th at Bari ll as -Me nd ez fa il ed to sh ow th at th e al le ge d p ers ecu ti on was o n

acco un t of th e pr ot ect ed gr ou nd s al le ge d— po li ti cal op in io n or m em be rs hi p in a

pa rti cu la r so ci al gro up —as req ui red for rel ie f.

The Bo ard affi rm ed th e IJ ’s de te rm in at io n th at Bari ll as

- M e n d ez ha d no t

es ta bl is he d pa st pe rs ecu ti on in Gua te m al a be cau se th e ph y si cal ab us e he su ffer ed di d

no t ris e to th e le ve l of ha rm req ui red to co ns ti tu te pe rs ecu ti on

. The Bo ard al so ag reed

wit h th e IJ th at Bari ll as -Me nd e z h a d n ot es ta bl is he d a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re

pe rs ecu ti on ba se d on a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd

, bu t th e Bo ard di d no t ap pe ar to ad dr es s th e

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-IJ ’s co nc lu si on th at ab us e by t h e a u n t an d co us in as pr iv at e in di vi du al s di d no t

co ns ti tu te pe rs ecu ti on

. Bec au se Bari ll as -Me nd ez was no t el ig ib le fo r as y lu m , th e
Bo ard co nc lu de d t h a t he co ul d no t m eet th e m or e rig or ou s st an da rd req ui red fo r
wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

. On rev ie w, we m us t up ho ld ad m in is tra ti ve fin di ng s of fact

un le ss an y reas on ab le ad

jud ic at or wou ld be co m

pe ll e d t o c o n cl ud e to th e co nt rary.
8 U.S.C. § 12 52 (b )(4 )(B) ; INS v. E lias- Za ca ri as , 50 2 U.S. 47 8, 48 1 (1 99 2) ; Ki mumwe
v. Gon za le

z , 43 1 F .3d 31 9, 3 21 (8t h C ir. 2 00 5)

.

II.

Bari ll as -Me nd ez arg ue s th at he su ffer ed pe rs ecu ti on at t h e h a n d s of hi s au nt

an d co us in

, an d th at no reas on ab le fact fin de r co ul d h a ve fo un d ot he rwis e.
Pers ecu ti on is ge ne ral ly de fin ed as “ th e in fli ct io n or th reat of de at h, to rtu re, or in jury

to on e’s pe rs on or free do m .” Reg al ad o- Gar ci a v. I N S , 3 05 F.3 d 78 4, 78 7 (8 th Ci r.
20 02 )

. It is “ an ex tre m e co nc ep t th at ex cl ud es lo w-le ve l in ti m id at io n an d

ha ras sm en t.” Ala vez -Her n a n d e z v. Hol de r , 71 4 F.3 d 10 63

, 10 67 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark om it te d)

. As su ch

, n e it he r is ol at ed vi ol en ce no r m in or
be at in gs req ui re a fin di ng of pe rs ecu ti on

. Gar ci a- Co li nd r es v. Hol de r , 70 0 F.3 d

11 53

, 11 57 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ). Pers ecu ti on al so m ay in cl ud e “ th e de li be rat e im po si ti on
of se ve re eco no m ic di sa dv an ta ge or th e de pr iv at io n of li be rty, fo od

. . . or ot he r

es se nt ia ls of li fe.” Ng en gw e v. M u ka se y , 54 3 F.3 d 10 29

, 10 36 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark om it te d)

. W he th er ha rm am ou nt s to pe rs ecu ti on de pe nd s on
th e “ cu m ul at iv e si gn ifi can ce” o f al l i ns ta nc es of a bu se

. Se e id

. at 1 03 6- 37

.

W e co nc lu de th at th e Bo ard was no t co m pe ll ed to fin d th at th e ph y si cal ab us e
in fli ct ed by Hil da

, th e pe ti ti on er’s co us in

, an d th e co us in ’s fri en ds am ou nt e d to

pe rs ecu ti on , eit he r in is ol at io n o r cu m ul at iv el y . There is no ev id en ce th at Bari ll as

Men de z su ffer ed la st in g ph y si cal in jury, an d “ [t]he m ere pre se nc e of so m e ph y si cal

ha rm do es no t req ui re a fin di ng of pa st pe rs ecu ti on .” Al Ta wm v. Ash cr of t
, 36 3 F.3 d

74 0, 74 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 04 ); se e Ng ur e v. Ash cr of t , 36 7 F .3d 97 5, 9 90 (8t h Ci r. 20 04 ).

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-The red m ark s an d br ui se s in fli ct ed by th e au nt
, an d th e bl oo dy m ou th cau se d by th e

co us in

, do no t co m

pe l a fin di ng of pe rs ecu ti on

. Se e Ala vez -Her na nd ez , 71 4 F.3 d at

10 67 (u ph ol di ng Bo ard ’s de te rm in at io n th at ph y si cal at ta ck s th at ha d no t “ th reat en ed

th e vi ct im s’ li ve s” an d res ul te d in “ br ui se s an d sc r a t c h e s ” di d no t am ou nt to

pe rs ecu ti on ); Mal on ga v. Hol de r , 62 1 F.3 d 75 7, 76 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (“ Alt ho ug h th e
be at in gs an d in

juri es

. . . su ffer ed are no t in si gn ifi can t, th e pr es en ce of ph y si cal ha rm
do es no t re qu ire a fi nd in g o f pa st pe rs ecu ti on .”); Al Ta wm , 36 3 F .3d at 7 43

.

Bari ll as -Me nd e z co m

pl ai ns th at th e Bo ard di d no t co ns id er th e cu m ul at iv e
im pa ct of th e ab us e in fli ct ed by hi s au nt an d hi s co us in

. W h i l e t h e B o a r d di d no t

ex pr es sl y sp eak of cu m

ul at iv e effe ct
, th e Bo ard “ ha s no du ty to writ e an ex eg es is on

ev ery co nt en ti on ,” Mal on ga , 62 1 F.3 d at 76 4 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark om it te d)

, an d

it is ap pa ren t th at th e Bo ard th ou gh t co m bi ni ng th e “ si ng le al te rcat io n” in vo lv in g th e

co us in wit h th e be at in gs in fli ct ed by th e au nt di d no t am ou nt to pe rs ecu ti on

. The

Bo ard ’s co nc lu di ng st at em en t th at Bari ll as -Me nd ez ha d “ no t i d e n t ifi ed an y fu rth er
ha rm th at wou ld co ns ti tu te pa st pe rs ecu ti on ” im pl ie s th at th e Bo ard ha d c on si de red

th e to ta li ty of th e ev en ts alr ead y di sc us se d.

B a r i l l a s- Men de z al so as se rts th at th e Bo ard fai le d to co ns id er hi s ag e at th e
ti m e th at he su ffer ed th e ab us e in Gua te m al a, bu t t h e reco rd do es no t su pp or t th is

co nt en ti on

. The Bo ard reco un te d Bari ll as -Me nd ez’s al le ga t i o n t h a t he was

“ ph y si cal ly m is tre at ed as a ch il d,” so it is ap pa ren t t ha t t he Bo ard was aware of th e

co nt ex t. Und er th e ci rcu m st an ces he re, th at Bari ll as -Me nd ez was a m in or du rin g th e

ev en ts in qu es ti on do es no t co m pe l a di ffer en t co nc lu si on ab ou t whe th er he su ffer ed

pa st pe rs ecu ti on

.

Bari ll as -Me nd ez co nt en ds th at eco no m ic ha rm in fli ct ed on hi m by Hil da al so
sh ou ld be pa rt of th e pe rs ecu ti on an al y si s, bu t he fai le d to p r e s e n t t h i s arg um en t to

th e Bo ard

. In hi s ad m in is tra ti ve ap pe al

, Bari ll as -Me nd ez m en ti on ed twi ce in pa ss in g
th at Hil da to ok m on ey hi s pa ren ts se nt to pr ov id e fo r hi m , bu t ne ve r arg ue d th at

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-Hil da ’s act io ns co ns ti tu te d ec o n o mi c de pr iv at io n th at am ou nt ed to pe rs ecu ti on by

it se lf or in co m

bi na ti on wit h ph y si cal ab us e. W e th eref or e co nc lu de t h at Bari ll as

Men de z fai le d to ex ha us t th is is su e be fo re th e Bo ard

, an d it is no t pr op erl y be fo re us

. Se e Agh a v . Hol de r , 74 3 F .3d 60 9, 6 16 (8t h C ir. 2 01 4)

.

Apa rt fro m hi s arg um en t th at th e Bo ard was co m pe ll ed to fin d pa st pe rs ecu ti on , Bari ll as -Me nd ez do es no t ch al le ng e th e Bo ard ’s de te rm in at io n th at he fai le d to sh ow

a well -fo un d e d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on ba se d on a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd

. Hav in g

co nc lu de d th at th e Bo ard pe rm is si bl y fo un d no pa st pe rs ecu ti o n , we up ho ld th e
Bo ard ’s co nc lu si on th at Bari ll as -Me nd ez fai le d to qu al ify fo r as y lu m or wit hh ol di ng
of rem ov al

.

* * *

The pe ti ti on for rev ie w is de ni ed

.

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