FIL ED U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S EL EVENTHCI RCUI T MAY 12, 2009 THOMAS K. KAH

N CL ERK [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UN ITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ No. 0 8- 15 79 5 Non -Arg um en t Ca le nd ar

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Age nc y No. A0 98 -7 15 -2 11 ZHOU ZH I LI, Pet it io ne r, ve rs us U.S. ATTO RNEY GENERAL, Res po nd en t.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of aDeci si on of t he Bo ardof I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ (Ma y 12 , 20 09 ) Befo re BI RCH, CARNES an d WILSON, Circu itJu dg es . PER CURI AM:Zho u Zh i Li , a na ti ve an d c it iz enof C hi na , see ks rev ie w of the Bo ardof

Im m ig rat io n Ap pe al s’ (“ BIA”) ord er d en y in g a sylum an d wi th ho ld in g o f rem ov al
un de r th e Imm ig rat io n a ndNati on al it y Act (“ INA”), an d re li ef und er the Uni te d Nati on s C on ve nt io n Ag ai ns t To rtu re an d Othe r Cru el , Inh um an , or Deg rad in g Treat m en t o r Pu ni sh m en t (“ CAT”). Li co nc ed es th athe ne ve r su ffer edan y pa st pe rs ecu ti on by the Ch in es e g ov ern m en t b utco nt en ds th athe ha s a we ll -fo un de d fearof f utur e p ers ecu ti on be cau se he is a Fal un Gon g p ract it io ne r. Aftercare fu l
rev ie w, we AFFIRM th e BIA’s o rd er an d DENY th e p et it io n. I. BACKG ROUND Li was serve d wi th a no ti ce t o app ear c ha rg in g h im with re m ov ab il it y

aft er he en te redth e Uni te d S ta te s o n 1 8 Dec em be r 20 04 witho utbe in g a dm it te d o r pa ro le d b y

animm ig rat io n o ffi cer. Li c on ced edrem ov ab il it y an d app li edfor
as y lu m , withh ol di ng of r em ov al , andCAT pro te ct io n. At the adm in is tra ti ve he ari ng , Li te st ifi edth athi s fa m il y was p ers ecu te d b y th e Ch in es e g ov ern m en t b ecau se hi s p aren ts vi ol at edth e b irt h c on tro l p ol ic y . Sp eci fic al ly, Li cl ai m edth athi s fa th er was for ci bl y st eri li zedaft er h av in g asec on d ch il d. Nev erthe le ss , Li’s fathe r ha d ath irdch il d a ndth e g ov ern m en t i m po se d a fin e. Li’s fathe r th ensu ffer edso m e h eal th pro bl em s wh ic h c au se d h im to st op worki ng . Li qu itsch oo l an d t rie d t o fi ndwork . Unab le to fin d ajob , Li de ci de d t o 2se ekem

pl oym en t i n the Uni te d S ta te s i n o rd er t o s up po rt h is fam il y . A co-wo rk er su gg es te d t ha t Li lea rnFal un Gon g t o i m pr ov e h is ph y si cal he al th . Li tau gh t hi m se lf t he Fal un Gon g e xe rci se s an d p ract ic edalo ne twi ce a wee k i n h is be dr oo m . Li be li ev es th atif h e returns to Ch in a, he wou ldbe de ta in edan d b eat en fo r pr act ic in g F al un Gon g b ecau se itis ba nn edinCh in a. Ina writ te n d eci si on , th e Imm ig rat io n J ud ge (“ IJ ”) fo un d t ha t Li ’s tes ti m on y ge ne ral ly corre sp on de d t o h is asylu m ap pl ic at io n i nf

orm at io n. Th e IJde te rm in ed th athi s fa th er’s treat m en t b y th e Ch in es e g ov ern m en t fo r vi ol at in g t he fam il y pl an ni ng po li cy

di d n otm ot iv at e Li t o c om e to th e Uni te d S ta te s n oren ti tl e Li t o as y lu m . W it h re sp ectto Li’s Fal un Gon g a ffi li at io n, the IJ f ou ndno ev id en ce o f pa stpe rs ecu ti on . The IJ als o c on cl ud edth atLi’s ex pr es se d fe ar o f fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on forpra ct ic in g F al un Gon g was no t s ub jecti ve ly or ob

jecti ve ly
reas on ab le . Li ha d n ev er b eenpe rs ecu te d i n C hi naforpra ct ic in g F al un Gon g, an d hi s s itua ti on di ffer edfro m th os e who ha d b eenpe rs ecu te d. Acco rd in g t o Li ’s do cu m en ta ry

ev id en ce, the Ch in es e g ov ern m en t ab us edFal unGon g fo ll owe rs who : (1 ) act iv el y

de m on st rat edag ai ns t the go ve rn m en t; (2) pra ct ic edpubl ic ly; or (3 ) were t each ers or we ll -kno wn l ead ers of t he m ov em en t. Inco nt ras t, Li’s pr act ic e o f Fal unGon g i n t he pri va cy of h is be dr oo m

di d n otfal l i nt o a ny of th es e cat eg or ie s. Th e IJno te d t ha t the th e 2 00 5 C on gr es si on al Res earc h S erv ic e Rep ort 3fo r Co ng res s s ta te d t ha t the po li ce wo ul d n otin te rfer e wit h p eo pl e who pra ct ic ed

al on e in th ei r ho m es . Add it io na ll y , th e co urt fo un d n o e vi de nc e th atth e pe rs ecu ti on of F al un Gon g m em be rs was c ou nt ry -wid e an d c it eda 20 04 Uni te d Kin gd om rep ort s ug ge st in g t ha t Ho ng Kon g h as be enve ry lax inen fo rci ng th e Fal un Gon g b an . Thu s, the IJ d en ie d Li ’s app li cat io n fo r as y lu m ba se d o n t he ab se nc e o f pa stpe rs ecu ti on or awell -fo un de d fe ar o f fu tu re p ers ecu ti on . The IJ al so co nc lu de d t ha t Li was i ne li gi bl e fo r wit hh ol di ng of r em ov al un de r th e INA or CAT rel ie f. The BIA d et erm in edth atcred ib il ity was n otanis su e o n app eal be cau se th e IJha d n otm ad e anex pl ic itadve rs e cre di bi li ty find in g. Re ga rd le ss of Li ’s cred ib il it y , th ou gh , th e BIA ag reedwith t he IJ’s co nc lu si on th atLi fai le d t o es tabl is h awell -fo un de d fe ar o f fu tu re p ers ecu ti onor t ortu re b as edon hi s Fa lu n Gon g a ss oc ia ti on . The BI A th eref or e ad op te d a ndaffi rm edth e d eci si on of t he IJ
as to th es e is su es . The BI A exp res sl y fou ndth atth e IJco ns id eredLi’s do cu m en ta ry

ev id en ce i n e va lu at in g Li ’s cla im . In ad di ti on , th e BIA n ot edth atLi
was no t en ti tl edto a pr es um pt io n o f a fu tu re fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on gi ve n t ha t h e h ad
ex pe rie nc edno pa stpe rs ecu ti on forpra ct ic in g F al un Gon g. Inhi s p et it io n fo r rev ie w, Li ch al le ng es th e IJan d B IA’s de te rm in at io n t ha t he do es no t h av e a wel l-f ou nd edfearof p ers ecu ti on . Spe ci fic al ly, Li ref ut es th e 4IJ ’s fin di ng th atLi wou ldbe saf e in Ch in a b ecau se he pra ct ic es Fal un Gon g pr iv at el y . Li as se rts th is fin di ng was m ere s pe cu la ti on an d i gn or edth e p os si bi li ty th atLi wou ldpra ct ic e in Ch in a wit h o th er Fa lu n Go ng fol lo wers . Li als o s ub m it s th athe qu al ifi es forpro te ct io n u nd er the CAT bec au se th e Ch in es e g ov ern m en t i s cert ai n t o d is co ve r hi s Fa lun Go ng affi li at io n a ndpe rs ecu te hi m . 1 II . DISCUSSI ON Whe re, as he re, the BIA ex pr es sl y ad op ts an d a ffi rm s the IJ’s d eci si onan d ad ds it s o wn an al y si s, we re vi ew th e IJ ’s dec is io n a s s up pl em en te d b y th e BIA. See S av ou ry

v. U.S. Att ’y

Gen., 4 49 F.3d13 07 , 13 12 (11 th Cir . 20 06 ). All leg al de te rm in at io ns are re vi ewedde no vo . See Zh en g v . U.S. Att’y Gen., 4 51 F.3d 12 87 , 12 89 (11 th Cir . 20 06 ) (p er cu ria m). Factua l fi nd in gs , ho wev er, are rev ie wedun de r a h ig hl y

de fere nt ia l s ub st an ti al ev id en ce t es t. See id . at 1 28 9. Thi s t es t re qu ire s u s t o a ffi rm factua l fi nd in gs whi chare s up po rte d b y “ reas on ab le , subs ta nt ia l, an d p ro ba ti ve ev id en ce o n the reco rdco ns id eredas awho le .” Id
.

“ [T]he IJ ’s dec is io n c anbe rev ers edon ly if th e ev id en ce ‘com pe ls ’ a rea so nabl e factfin de r to fin d o th erwi se .” Id . at 1 29 0 (quo ta ti on m ark s an d c it at io n o mit te d)
.
L i makes no argument to us that the BIA er red in de nying w ithholding of re moval under 1 the I NA, apa rt from a g ener al re fer ence to the BIA’s dec ision at the conclusion of his brief . L i has there fore abandone d this claim. See Sepulveda v. U .S. Att’y Gen., 401 F .3d 1226, 1228 n.2 (11th Cir. 2005) (pe r curiam) (“ When an appe llant fails to offer argument on an issue, that issue is abandone d.”). 5The Att orne y Gene ral or the Secr et ary of Hom el an d S ecu rit y

m ay gra nt as y lu m to anali enwho m eet s the INA’ s d efi ni ti on of a“ refu ge e”: [A]ny pe rs onwho is ou ts id e an y co un try of s uc h p ers on ’s nat io na li ty or , inth e cas e o f a p ers on ha vi ng no na ti on al it y , is ou ts id e an y co un try in wh ic h s uc h p ers on las t h ab itua ll y res id ed , andwho is un ab le or u nwi ll in g t o re tu rnto , andis un ab le or unwi ll in g t o a va il hi m se lf o r he rs el f of

th e p ro te ct io n o f, th atco un try becaus e o f pe rs ecu ti on or awell -fo un de d fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on onacco un t o f rac e, rel ig io n, n at io na li ty, m em be rs hi p i n apa rti cu la r so ci al gro up , or po li ti cal op in io n. 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A). The ali enm us t p res en t s pe ci fic , cred ib le ev id en ce sh owi ng : (1 ) pa stpe rs ecu ti onba se d o n ast atut or il y pro te ct edgro un d, o r (2 ) a well -fo un de d fe ar o f fu tu re p ers ecu ti on du e to a st atut or il y li st edfact or . Zhen g, 45 1 F .3dat 1 29 0. Inord er t o e st ab li sha well -fo un de d fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on , th e al ie n b ears th e bu rd enof s ho win g t he fol lo win g: “ (1 ) he fear s p ers ecu ti on ba se d o n h is
m em be rs hi p i n apa rti cu la r so ci al gro up , po li ti cal op in io n, o r ot he r st atut or il y li st edfact or ; (2 ) th ere i s a r eas on ab le po ss ib il it y th athe wil l s uf

fer p ers ecu ti on if
rem ov edto hi s n at iv e co un try; an d (3 ) he is un ab le or u nwi ll in g t o re tu rnto hi s na ti ve co un try becaus e h e fea rs pe rs ecu ti on .” Id . at 1 29 1. Th is fearm us t b e “bo th
subjec ti ve ly genui ne an d o bjec ti ve ly reaso nabl e.” Id . An al ie n’s cr ed ib le te st im on y th athe ge nu in el y

fear s p ers ecu ti on m ay

sat is fy th e subjec ti ve
6co m

po ne nt , whi le ev id en ce o f pa stpe rs ecu ti on or ava li d re as on to fearfutur e pe rs ecu ti on canful fil l the ob jecti ve co m

po ne nt . See Ru iz v. U.S. Att ’y Gen., 4 40 F.3 d 1 24 7, 1 25 7 (1 1t h C ir. 2 00 6) (pe r cu ria m). As analt ern at iv e to de m on st rat in g th athe wou ldbe si ng le d o utforpe rs ecu ti on , an a li enm ay sh ow a p at te rnor pr act ic e inth e subjec t co un try of p ers ecu ti ng m em be rs of ast atut or il y

de fin ed gr oup o f whi chth e al ie n i s a p art . See 8 C.F.R. § 20 8.1 3( b) (2 )(i ii ). Neit he r th e INA no r th e reg ul at io ns de fin e p ers ecu ti on . Our p rece de nt
m an da te s tha t p ers ecu ti onis an“ ex tre m e co nc ep t, re qu iri ng m or e th ana few is ol at edin ci de nt s o f ve rb al ha ras sm en t o r in ti m id at io n, an d t ha t m ere h aras sm en t do es no t am ou ntto pe rs ecu ti on .” Zhen g, 4 51 F.3dat 1 29 0 (quo ta ti on m ark s an d ci ta ti on om it te d) . W e co nc lu de d i n Zh en g t ha t o ne ’s st atus as aFal un Gon g pr act it io ne r do es no t re qu ire a fi nd in g o f pe rs ecu ti on . See i d. at12 91 -9 2. Zh en g, a Fal un Gon g fo ll owe r, was d et ai ne d fo r fi ve da y s, dur in g wh ic h h e was for cedto watc h a nt i-F al un Gon g re educ at io n v id eo s, s tandinth e su n fo r two ho ur s, an d si gna pl ed ge to st op pra ct ic in g F al un Gon g. Se e id . at 1 29 0- 91 . Zhen g was als o fir edfro m

hi s jo b, u nabl e to fin d a no th er job , andwatc he d b y lo cal off ic ia ls , who
oc cas io na ll y

sea rch edhi s p aren ts ’ ho us e. See i d. at12 91 . Non e o f th es e ci rcu m st an ces ros e to th e le ve l o f pe rs ecu ti on . See i d. Ad di ti on al ly, Zhe ng co ul d
no t s ho w a well -fo un de d fe ar o f fu tu re p ers ecu ti on ba se d o n h is Fal un Gon g 7pa rti ci pa ti on . See i d. at12 91 -9 2. Acco rd in g t o t he Sta te Depa rtment’s 2 00 2

Co un try Repo rt, the go ve rn m en t fo cu se d o n p un is hi ng th e m ov em en t’s co re le ad ers . See i d. Zh en g was no t a l ead er an d h e h adli ve d fo r th ree years wi th ou t ha rm or d et en ti on aft er re lo cat in g t o h is pa ren ts ’ rural vi ll ag e. See i d. at12 92
. W e co nc lu de d tha t “ [i]nv ol ve m en t wi th Fal un Gon g i n C hi naby its el f do es no t en ti tl e a p ers onto asylum inth e Uni te d S ta te s.” Id
. As i n Zh en g, Li ha s fa il edto de m on strat e a rea so nabl e p os si bi li ty tha t h e wil l b e subjec t t o p ers ecu ti on if re tu rn edto Ch in a. Li d oe s n otdi sp ut e th e IJ ’s fin di ng th atth e Ch in es e g ov ern m en t p rimaril y tar ge ts Fal unGon g l ead ers an d te ach ers , publ ic pra ct it io ne rs , or a ct iv e d em on st rat or s ag ai ns t the go ve rn m en t. Nordo es Li ch al le ng e th e IJ ’s fin di ng th atHon g Ko ng ha s n otstric tl y en fo rced th e Fal un Gon g b an . Rath er, Li s ub m it s tha t the IJ e rro ne ou sl y ass um edth atLi
wou ldco nt in ue to pra ct ic e ex cl us iv el y at h om e upo n h is return t o C hi na . Li
co nt en ds th at“ [i]f g iv enth e o pp ortu ni ty, [h e] woul d b e expe ct edto be welc om ed by a prac ti ti on er g ro up inCh in a, an d t hu s d es pi te th e d an ge rs , to be gi n t o p ract ic e with agro up .” Pet it io ne r’s App eal Bri ef at12 . Howev er, Li n ev er t es ti fie d a t the he ari ng th athe wou ldpra ct ic e wit h agro up or o ut si de hi s h om e if he returne d t o Ch in a. W e are pro hi bi te d fr om fin di ng or c on si de rin g fa ct s n otrai se d i n t he adm in is tra ti ve forum . See Ad efem i v . Ash cro ft, 3 86 F.3d10 22 , 10 27 (11 th Cir
. 820 04 ) (en ba nc ). Sim il arl y , Li ci te s n o e vi de nc e inth e rec or d t o s up po rt h is

su gg es ti on th athe wou ldbe m or e h ars hl y puni sh edbe cau se he lea rn edFal un Gon g i n t he Uni te d S ta te s. Li’s at te m pt s t o d is ti ng ui sh hi s s itua ti on fro m Zhen g th eref or e fai l. Acco rd in gl y , we fin d tha t s ub st an ti al ev id en ce s up po rts th e IJan d B IA’s de te rm in at io n t ha t Li do es no t h av e a wel l-f ou nd edfearof f

utur e p ers ecu ti on . Li’s pr iv at e in vo lv em en t wi th Fal un Gon g i s i ns uf fic ie ntto est ab li sh hi s el ig ib il it y for
as y lu m . See Zh en g, 4 51 F.3dat 1 29 2. Be cau se Li fai le d t o m eetth e le ss strin ge nt st an da rdforasylum , hi s cl ai m for CAT rel ie f ne ces sa ril y

fai ls . See i d. II I. CONCLUSI ON Bas edon th e fo reg oi ng , we AFFIRM th e BIA’s jud gm en t an d DENY th e pe ti ti on forrev ie w. PETI TI ON DENI ED.

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