# 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 7- 16 53

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Bryan Ale xa nd er Go m ez-R iv era

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

v.

Je ffer so n B . Ses si on s, II I, Att or ne y Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta 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: May 17, 2 01 8
Fi le d: Ju ly 31, 2 01 8

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Befo re SHEPHERD, KELLY, an d GRAS Z, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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SHEPHERD, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

Bryan Alex an de r Gom ez-R iv era, a na ti ve an d ci ti zen of El Sal va do r, pe ti ti on s

fo r rev ie w of an or de r of th e Bo ard of Im m ig rat io n App eal s ( “BIA”) up ho ld in g an

im m ig rat io n judg e’s (“ IJ ”) de ni al of hi s app li cat io ns fo r as y lu m an d with ho ld in g of

rem ov al . W e aff

irm.I. Back gr ou nd

Gom ez-R iv era ent ered th e Uni te d Stat es in Ju ne 20 14

, whe n he was 13 y ears
ol d. In Aug us t 20 14

, t h e Dep art m en t of Hom el an d Secu rit y co m m en ced rem ov al

pr oc eed in gs ag ai ns t hi m

. Gom ez-R iv era co nc ed ed rem ov ab il it y an d de si gn at ed El

Sal va do r as th e co un try of rem ov al

. He was gr an te d vo lu nt ary de pa rtu re, bu t

su bs eq ue nt ly ap pl ie d fo r as y lu m un de r 8 U.S.C. § 11 58 (b )(1 )(A) an d wit hh ol di ng of

rem ov al un de r 8 U.S.C. § 12 31 (b )(3 ) ba se d on hi s as se rte d m em be rs hi p in a pa rti cu la r

so ci al gr ou p— co m

pr is ed of th e nu cl ear fam il y m em be rs of hi s fat he r—a nd im pu te d

an ti -g an g p ol it ic al op in io n.

Gom ez-R iv era te st ifi ed th at in El Sal va do r m em be rs of th e MS- 13 an d MS- 18

ga ng s h aras se d an d at te m pt ed to recr ui t h im

fro m ag es ten to th irt een . Mem be rs of

MS- 13 ap pr oa ch ed hi m two to th ree ti m es a week at th e so ccer fie ld

. The y hi t hi m
du rin g so ccer ga m es an d th rew ro ck s at h i m w h e n h e ro de hi s bi ke to th e st or e. App ro xi m at el y fo ur m on th s be fo re he le ft El Sal va do r, f i v e mem be rs of th e ga ng

ki ck ed an d be at hi m at th e so ccer fie ld

. Mem be rs of th e MS- 18 ga ng ap pr oa ch ed hi m

at sc ho ol

, bu t ne ve r ph y si cal l y h a r med hi m

. Gom ez-R iv era st at ed th at th e ga ng s

ki ll ed th ree b oys an d h e was afra id th ey wou ld ki ll hi m

to o.

Gom ez-R iv era cl ai m s he was ta rg et ed by th e ga ng s be cau se h i s f a t h e r was a

fo rm er po li ce of

fic er in El Sal va do r. His fat he r—wh os e ni ck na m e is “ ga ll o,” whi ch

means ro os te r—f

le d El Sal va do r in 20 06 or 20 07 aft er be in g th reat en e d b y g a n g

m em be rs

. Gom ez-R iv era was arou nd si x y ears ol d at th e ti m e. Alt ho ug h th e ga ng s

ne ve r cl ai m ed to ta rg et Gom ez-R iv era be cau se of hi s fat he r, th ey refe rred to Gom ezRi ve ra as “ so n of th e ga ll o” an d to ld hi m th ey wan te d to us e hi m to at tra ct hi s fat he r.

Gom ez-R iv era te st ifi ed he was ap pr oa ch ed by ga ng s m or e th an ot he rs were, bu t al so

st at ed hi s fri en ds

, who di d no t ha ve po li ce of fic er fat he rs , were ap pr oa ch ed th e sa m e

nu m be r of ti m es pe r week as h e was

.

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-The IJ fo un d Gom ez-R iv era cred ib le

, bu t de ni ed hi s cl ai m s. The IJ de te rm in ed

Gom ez-R iv era was no t el ig ib le fo r as yl u m b e c au se he es ta bl is he d ne it he r pa st

pe rs ecu ti on no r a wel l-f

ou nd ed fear of f

ut ur e p ers ecu ti on on acco un t of a p ro te ct ed

gr ou nd

. The IJ fo un d th e ev id en ce was in su ffi ci en t to sh ow an i mp u te d an ti -g an g

po li ti cal op in io n ba se d on hi s fat he r’s fo rme r oc cu pa ti on or to sh ow th e ga ng s

ta rg et ed hi m ba se d on hi s rel at io ns hi p t o hi s fat he r. Rat he r, th e IJ fo un d, th e ha rm

Gom ez-R iv era ex pe rie nc ed was m erel y in ci de nt al or ta ng en ti al to th e ga ng s’ ge ne ral

go al of recr ui tm en t. The IJ di sm is se d Gom ez-R iv era’s ap pl ic at io n fo r wit hh ol di ng

of rem ov al for th e sa m e rea so ns

.

The BIA d is m is se d Go m ez-R iv era’s ap pe al , fin di ng he fai le d t o d em on st rat e

th e pe rs ecu ti on was or wil l be on acco un t of a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd

. Alt ho ug h th e ga ng s

refe ren ced Gom ez-R iv era’s fat he r, th e BIA fo un d th e I J di d no t cl earl y err in

co nc lu di ng th e ga ng s ta rg et ed Gom ez-R iv era fo r ge ne ral re c r u i t men t pu rp os es an d

hi s re la ti on sh ip to hi s fa th er was m erel y in ci de nt al or t an ge nt ia l t o t ha t g oa l.

Gom ez-R iv era ap pe al s, cl ai m in g t he IJ an d BIA ap pl ie d th e in co rrec t le ga l

st an da rd an d erre d in fin di ng he was no t pe rs ecu te d on acco un t of hi s pa rti cu la r so ci al

gr ou p o r po li ti cal op in io n.

II. Dis cu ss io n

“ W e rev ie w th e BIA’s de ci si on as th e fin al ag en cy de ci si on , bu t rev ie w th e IJ ’s

d e c i s i on to th e ex te nt th at th e BIA ad op te d th e IJ ’s fin di ng s or reas on in g. ”

Men do za-S aen z v. Ses si on s, 86 1 F.3 d 72 0, 7 2 2 ( 8 t h C ir. 20 17 ) (p er cu ria m ). “ W e

rev ie w th e BIA’s le ga l de te rm in at io ns de no vo , acco rd in g su bs ta nt ia l de fere nc e to th e

BIA’s in te rp ret at io n of th e st at ut es an d reg u l at io ns it ad m in is te rs .” Id

. (in te rn al

qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d) . “ [F]in di ng s o f fac t ar e co nc lu si ve un le ss an y reas on ab le

ad jud ic a to r wou ld be co m pe ll ed to co nc lu de to th e co nt rary.” 8 U.S.C.
§ 1 25 2( b) (4 )(B)

.

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-To be el ig ib le fo r as y lu m , Gom ez-R iv era m us t sh ow he is a “ re f

u g e e

. ” A

refu ge e is an al ie n “ who is un ab le or un wil li ng to ret ur n to [h is co un try of na ti on al it y ]

. . . be cau se of pe rs ecu ti on or a well -fo un de d fear of pe rs ecu ti on on acco un t of race , rel ig io n, n at io na li ty, m em be rs hi p i n a pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou p, o r po li ti cal op in io n.”

Id

. § 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A). To sh ow th at th e pe rs ecu ti on was “ on acco un t of ” on e of th es e
fiv e pr ot ect ed gr ou nd s, Gom ez-R iv era m us t sh ow th e pr ot e c t e d g r o un d was “ on e

cen tra l reas on ” fo r th e pe rs ecu ti on

. Id

. § 11 58 (b )(1 )(B) (i)

. It ne ed no t be th e so le no r

pr im ary reas on

. Mar ro qu in

- O c ho m a v. Hol de r, 57 4 F.3 d 57 4, 57 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 )
(“ [T]he pe rs ecu ti on ne ed no t be so le ly, or ev en p r ed om in an tl y , on acco un t of th e [p ro te ct ed gr ou nd .] ”). B u t

, t h e pr ot ect ed gr ou nd “ can no t be m erel y in ci de nt al or

ta ng en ti al ” to an ot he r rea so n fo r th e p ers ecu ti on

. In Re J- B-N- & S -M- , 24 I. & N.

Dec. 2 08 , 21 3 (B .I.A. 20 07 ) (i nt ern al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)

.

Gom ez-R iv era fir st cl ai m s th e IJ an d BIA ap pl ie d th e in co rrec t le ga l st an da rd

in req ui rin g hi m to s h o w h i s s o c ia l gr ou p or po li ti cal op in io n was th e pr ed om in an t

reas on fo r th e pe rs ecu ti on

. Howev er, th e IJ an d BIA bo th ex pl ic it ly st at ed th e co rrec t

le ga l s ta nd ard : a p ro te ct ed gro un d m us t be “ on e cen tra l reas on ” fo r th e p ers ecu ti on

an d can no t be m erel y “ in ci de nt al or ta ng en ti al ” to an ot he r reas on

. Afte r en ga gi ng in

“ m ean in gf

ul in qu iry” of “ th e pa rti cu la r ci rcu m st an ces su rro un di ng th e al le ge d

pe rs ecu ti on ,” Mar ro qu in -Och om a, 57 4 F.3 d at 57 7- 78

, th e IJ an d BIA bo th ul ti m at el y

co nc l u de d th e pr ot ect ed gr ou nd s Gom ez-R iv era al le ge d were “ in ci de nt al or

ta ng en ti al ” to th e ga ng s’ go al of recr ui ti ng ne w ga ng m em be rs

. W e th eref

or e fin d th e

IJ an d B IA ap pl ie d t he co rrec t l eg al st an da rd

.

Gom ez-R iv era ne xt arg ue s th e BIA erre d in f in di ng th at m em

be rs hi p in hi s

pa rti cu la r cl ai m ed so ci al gr ou p— nu cl ear fam il y m em be rs o f h i s po li ce of

fic er

fat he r—wa s n ot “ on e cen tra l re as on ” fo r th e p ers ecu ti on . The BI A reco gn iz ed th at

ga ng m em

be rs oc c a s i on al ly refe ren ced Gom ez-R iv era’s fat he r whe n at te m pt in g to

recr ui t hi m : cal li ng hi m by th e sa m e ni ck na m e an d su gg es ti ng th ey co ul d us e hi m to

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-at tra ct hi s fat he r. The BIA al so reco gn iz ed th e ex pe rt wit ne ss t e st im on y th at ga ng

m em be rs of te n ta rg et fam il y m em

be rs of po li ce of

fic ers

. Nev ert he le ss , th e BIA fo un d

G om ez-R iv era’s rel at io ns hi p to hi s fat he r was no t a cen tra l reas on fo r th e pe rs ecu ti on,
bu t ra t he r “ in ci de nt al or ta ng en ti al ” to ge ne ral ga ng recr ui tm en t. Bec au se th e

ev id en ce do es no t “ co m

pe l[] [a reas on ab le fact fin de r] t o co nc lu de to th e co nt rary,”

we affi rm . 8 U.S.C. § 12 52 (b )(4 )(B)

.

The ev id en ce in di cat es th at

, rat he r th an si ng li ng Gom ez-R iv era ou t, th e ga ng s

at te m pt ed to recr ui t hi m in m

uc h th e sa m e way as ot he r y ou ng m en hi s ag e who were

no t rel at ed to po li ce of

fic ers

. In fact

, Gom ez-R iv era te st if i ed th at ga ng m em

be rs

ap pr oa ch ed hi s fri en ds as freq ue nt ly as th ey ap pr oa ch ed hi m

. Thi s su gg es ts th e ga ng s

were no t ta rg et in g Gom ez-R iv era b e cau se he was th e so n of a po li ce of fic er, bu t

be cau se he was a y ou ng m an of th e typic al ag e of recr ui tm en t. Cf. Cam ba ra-C am ba ra v. Ly nc h, 8 37 F.3d 82 2, 8 26 (8t h C ir. 2 01 6) (fi nd in g fam il y of we al th y

lan do wne rs

were ta rg et ed du e to th ei r pr os pe rit y , no t th ei r fam il y st at us ). W e do no t su gg es t th at jus t be cau se ot he r y ou ng m en were pe rs ecu te d th at ne ces sa ril y m ean s Gom ez-R iv era

was no t pe rs ecu te d on acco un t of hi s rel at io ns hi p to hi s fat he r. In de ed

, in De Bren ne r

v. Ash cro ft, we fo un d th at al th ou gh weal th y in di vi du al s were ge ne ral ly pe rs ecu te d
by g ue ril la s, th e weal th y pe ti ti on er was si ng le d o ut be cau se of he r po li ti cal be li efs

. 38 8 F.3 d 62 9, 63 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 04 ). In th at cas e, ho wev er, th ere was “ ov erwh el m in g

ev id en ce” th e pe ti ti on er was sp eci fic al ly ta rg et ed on acco un t of a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd

. Id . at 6 37 . Here, th e ev id en ce i s i ns uf fic ie nt to co m

pe l a s im il ar co nc lu si on

.

As th e BIA no te d, Gom ez-R iv era’s fat he r le ft El Sal va do r se ve ral y ears be fo re

th e ga ng s be ga n to ap pr o a c h G om ez-R iv era. Alt ho ug h th e ex pe rt te st ifi ed ga ng

m em be rs ta rg et po li ce of

fic ers ’ fam il ie s in or de r to ga in acce ss t o i n fo rm at io n,

Gom ez-R iv era wou ld no t ha ve acce ss to su ch in fo rm at io n as hi s fat he r was no lo ng er

in th e co un t r y

. In ad di ti on , Gom ez-R iv era’s si st er— who ha s th e sa m e

fat he r—r em ai ns in El Sal va do r w ith out pe rs ec uti on. See Bern al -Ren do n v. Gon zal es , 41 9 F.3d 87 7, 88 1 (8t h Cir. 20 05 ) (“ An ali en ’s fear of pe rs ecu ti on [b as ed on fam il y

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-m em

be rs hi p] is red uc ed whe n he r fam il y rem ai ns un ha rm ed in he r na ti ve co un try.”).

W hi le Gom ez-R iv era is co rrec t th at he ne ed no t pr ov e al l fam il y m em be rs were

pe rs ecu te d, c f

. Teg eg n v. Hol de r, 70 2 F.3 d 11 42

, 11 47 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ), th e la ck of

pe rs ecu ti on face d by hi s si st er bo ls te rs th e co nc lu si on th at th e ga ng s were no t se ek in g

ou t po li ce of

fic ers ’ fam il ie s, bu t rat he r bo y s of a cert ai n ag e

. Th u s , a reas on ab le

fact f i n de r co ul d co nc lu de th at th e ga ng s were ta rg et in g Gom ez-R iv era fo r ge ne ral

recr ui tm en t pu rp os es an d hi s rel at io ns hi p to hi s fat he r was m erel y “i n c id en ta l or

ta ng en ti al ” to th at go al

.

Gom ez-R iv era li ke wis e ch al le ng es th e BIA’s fin di ng th at hi s im pu te d po li ti cal

op in io n was no t “ on e cen tra l reas on ” fo r th e pe rs ecu ti on

. In de te rm in in g whe th er an

ap pl ic an t fo r as y lu m

was p ers ecu te d o n a cco un t o f hi s p ol it ic al be li efs , “ it do es no t

m a t t e r i f th e ap pl ic an t act ua ll y ho ld s th e po li ti cal op in io n th at th e pe rs ecu to r

at tri bu te s to [h im ]. Rat he r, we co ns id er the po li ti cal vi ews th e pe rs ecu to r rig ht ly or

in erro r at tri bu te s to [a] vi ct im [].” De Bren ne r, 38 8 F.3 d at 63 5 (s eco nd an d th ird

al te rn at io n i n o rig in al ) (i nt ern al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)

.

G om ez -R ive ra cl ai m s ga ng m em be rs wou ld as su m e hi s op po sition to ga ngs due

to hi s ti es to th e p o l i c e

. Th e ex pe rt al so te st ifi ed th at ga ng s in El Sal va do r ha ve joi ne d fo rces un de r th e na m e of “ Mar a 50 3” an d ha ve m ad e effo rts to be co m e

po li ti cal act or s. Howev er, we ha ve he ld th e m ere fact th at a ga ng “ op erat e[s ] in a

po li ti cal fram ewo rk ” is no t en ou gh to es ta bl is h th at op po si ti on to th e ga ng co ns ti tu te s

a po li ti cal op in io n. Mar ro qu in -Och om a, 57 4 F .3d at 5 78 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s

om it te d)

. “ At m os t, ev id en ce th at th e ga ng is po li ti cal ly m in de d co ul d be co ns id ered

ev id en ce th at th e ga ng m em be rs wou ld be so m ewh at m or e li ke ly to at tri bu te po li ti cal

op in io ns to res is te rs .” Id

. Here, Go m ez-R iv era su gg es ts on ly th at th e ga ng s wou ld

as su m e he was a res is te r. The ev id en ce is in su ffi ci en t to es ta bl is h an im pu te d

po li ti cal op in io n. Cf. De Bren ne r, 38 8 F.3 d at 63 8 (fi nd in g im pu te d po li ti cal op in io n
whe re gu eri ll as “ la be le d [th e ap pl ic an t ] a p o li ti cal en em y ” ba se d on he r ti es to an

op po si ng po li ti cal pa rty). Thu s , th e ev id en ce do es no t co m pe l a fin di ng th at th e

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-ga ng s were “ co nc ern ed wit h [Go m ez-R iv era’s] po li ti cal be li efs ,” rat he r th an “ si m pl y tryin g to fil l th ei r ran ks .” Dom in gu ez v. Ash cro ft, 33 6 F.3 d 67 8, 68 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ).

Bec au se th e ev id en ce do es no t co m pe l a fin di ng th at Gome z

- R i ve ra was

pe rs ecu te d on acco un t of hi s so ci al gr ou p or po li ti cal op in io n, hi s as y lu m cl ai m fai ls

. And

, fo r th e sa m e rea so ns , Gom ez-R iv era’s app li cat io n for with ho ld in g of rem ov al

al so fai ls

. Mar ro qu in -Och om a, 57 4 F.3 d at 57 9 (“ To qu al ify fo r wit hh ol di n g of

rem ov al

, an ap pl ic an t ha s th e bu rd en of sh owi ng a cl ear pr ob ab il it y th at [h is ] li fe or

free do m wou ld be th reat en ed in th e pr op os ed co un try of rem ov al on acco un t of race , rel ig io n, na ti on al it y , m em be rs hi p i n a pa rti cu la r so ci al gro up , or po li ti cal op in io n.”
(in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d) ).

III. Co nc lu si on

Acco rd in gl y , we den y

Gom ez-R iv era’s p et it io n fo r rev ie w.

KELLY, Cir cu it Ju dg e, di ss en ti ng

.

I ag ree th at su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce su pp o r t s th e ag en cy ’s fin di ng th at Gom ezRi ve ra was no t p e r s e c u t e d ba se d on an im pu te d an ti -g an g po li ti cal op in io n. I

resp ect fu ll y di ss en t, ho wev er, be cau se I be li ev e th e cour t— lik e the im

m igr at ion j udge

an d B IA be fo re it —h as ov erl oo ke d ev id en ce th at wou ld co m pe l a reas on ab le

ad ju d i c a to r to co nc lu de th at Gom ez-R iv era’s m em be rs hi p in hi s fat he r’s nu cl ear

fam il y was “ on e cen tra l reas on ” th e ga ng s pe rs ecu te d hi m

. S e e 8 U.S.C.
§ 12 52 (b )(4 )(B) (s ta nd ard of rev ie w); Mar ro qu in -Och om a v. Hol de r, 57 4 F.3 d 57 4,

57 7 (8 th Cir . 20 09 ) (“ on e cen tra l re as on ” st an da rd ) (q uo ta ti on om it te d)

.

“ To qu al ify fo r as y lu m , an al ie n m us t sh ow th at a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd ‘w as or wil l

be at le as t on e cen tr al re as on fo r pe rs ecu ti ng ’” hi m

. Garci a-M oc te zu m a v. Ses si on s,

-7

-87 9 F.3 d 86 3, 86 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 18 ) (q uo ti ng 8 U.S.C. § 11 58 (b )(1 )(B) (I)). “ Und er th e

‘one cen tra l re as on ’ ne xu s s ta nd ard , a pr ot ect ed gro un d n eed no t b e th e so le reas on

fo r pe rs ecu ti on , b ut th e pr ot ect ed g r o u n d can no t be ‘inc id en ta l or ta ng en ti al to th e

pe rs ecu to r’s m ot iv at io n.’” Id

. at 86 8 (ci ti ng In re J- B-N & S-M -, 24 I & N Dec. 20 8,

2 1 3 (BIA 20 07 )). W he n an as y lu m -s eek er cl ai m s th at a pe rs ecu to r ha d mu l t i p l e

m ot iv at io ns , on ly so m e of whi ch a r e ba se d on pr ot ect ed gr ou nd s, th e im m ig rat io n jud ge can no t m erel y at tri bu te th e pe rs ecu ti on to a no n- pr ot ect ed gr ou nd

. Mar ro qu in

Och om a, 57 4 F.3 d at 57 7. “Ra t h e r , i t rem ai ns ne ces sa ry to care fu ll y ex am in e th e

reco rd to de te rm in e whe th er th e ev id en ce sh ows th at th e pe rs ecu ti on al so oc cu rred

on acco un t of a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd .” De Bren ne r v. Ashc ro ft, 38 8 F.3d 62 9, 63 6 (8 th

Ci r. 20 04 ).

Here, Gom ez -R ive ra of

fe re d cr edib le

, un reb ut te d ev id en ce th at hi s rel at io ns hi p

to hi s f a th er was on e cen tra l reas on he was pe rs ecu te d by m em be rs of MS- 13

. Gom ez-R iv era’s fath er was a po li ce offi cer ass ig ne d to gu ard ga ng m em be rs an d to

tra ns po rt th em to pr is on

. He wor e hi s po li ce un ifo rm an d dr ov e hi s sq ua d car w he n
he vi si te d Gom ez-R iv era each week

. Gom ez- Ri ve ra’s fat he r fle d El Sal va do r in

20 06 , aft er a gan g m em

be r ap pr oa ch ed hi m on th e st reet an d t hr eat en ed to ki ll hi m

.

Mem be rs of th e MS- 13 ga ng st art ed ap pr oa ch in g Gom ez-R iv era two to th ree

ti m es pe r week whe n he was jus t te n y ears ol d. The y at te m pt ed to recr ui t hi m an d

al so su bjec te d hi m to vi ol en t ha ras sm en t. On ei gh t d i f f e r e nt oc cas io ns , th ey

th reat en ed to ki ll hi m if he di d no t joi n th e ga ng

. And

, jus t a few mo n t h s be fo re

Gom ez-R iv era fle d to th e Uni te d St at es , a gr ou p of fiv e ga ng m em be rs at ta ck ed hi m , hi tt in g an d ki ck in g hi m

. As th e co ur t ob se rv es , Gom ez-R iv era te st if i e d t ha t ga ng

m em be rs al so ap pr oa ch ed hi s fri en ds two to th ree ti m es p e r week

. Bu t, th e ga ng

m em be rs bo th ered hi m m or e th an th ey di d hi s fri en ds

, fo cu si ng th ei r at te nt io n on hi m
be cau se hi s fat he r was a po li ce of fic er. W he n th ey ha ras se d Gom ez-R iv era, th e ga ng

m em be rs freq ue nt ly c a l le d hi m “ Gall o,” a ni ck na m e he sh ares wit h hi s fat he r, bu t

th ey al so refe rred to hi m as “ t h e s o n of Gall o.” The ga ng m em be rs kn ew Gom ez-

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-R i v e r a ’s fat he r ha d de ta in ed th em , an d ta lk ed ab ou t hi s fat he r whe n th ey were

recr ui ti ng an d th reat en in g to ki ll Gom ez-R iv era. The y to ld hi m th at “ if [h e] joi ne d

th em , th en [ h i s ] fat he r wou ld su ffer be cau se of th at .” The ga ng m em be rs al so to ld

Gom ez-R iv era th at “s in ce [h is fat he r] was a po li ce of fic er, th ey were go in g to us e [Go m ez-R iv era]

. . . to at tra ct hi m , be cau se th ey kn ew th at [h is fat he r] ha d cap tu red

th ei r fri en ds .” In ot he r wor ds

, “ th ey kn ew th at if th ey go t [Go m ez-R iv era, hi s] fat he r

wou ld go ba ck for [hi m ]. ”

And Uni ve rs it y of Mi nn es ot a Pro fes so r Pat ric k McNa m ara te st ifi ed th at th e

ga ng s ta rg et ed Gom ez-R iv era be cau se of hi s fat he r’s ga ng -rel at ed du ti es as a po li ce

of fic er. In hi s vi ew, w h i l e S a l va do ran ga ng s ha ve un de rta ke n a br oa de r effo rt to

recr ui t y ou ng pe op le , t he ga ng s al so sp eci fic al ly t arg et m em be rs of po li ce of

fic ers ’

fam il ie s, m ak in g it “ ex tre m el y da ng ero us fo r rel at iv es of pe op le

. . . in th e po li ce
de pa rtment.” In s um , as Pr of es so r McNa m ara o pi ne d i n h is writ te n re po rt:

W hi le m an y ot he r y ou ng bo y s in El Sal va do r ha ve ha d to ab an do n th ei r ho m es be cau se of ga ng recr ui tm en t effo rts

, th reat s of vi ol en ce, be at in gs ,
an d at te m pt ed ho m ic id es , [Go m ez-R iv era’s] si tu at io n is si gn ifi can tl y di ffer en t an d si gn ifi can tl y m or e da n g e r ou s. Po li ce of fic ers an d th ei r fam il ie s, pa rti cu la rly so ns , are pr im ary ta rg et s of a ll cri m in al

or ga ni zat io ns in El Sal va do r.

I be li ev e th at th is ev id en ce, al l of whi ch th e im m ig rat io n jud ge fo un d cred ib le

,

w oul d co m

pe l a re as onab le ad

jud ic at or to co nc lu de th at Gom ez-R iv era’s m em be rs hip

in h is fat he r’s nu cl ear fam il y was “ on e cen tra l reas on ” fo r th e pe rs ecu ti on he face d

fro m th e g an gs . There fo re, I wo ul d g ran t t he pe ti ti on

.

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