FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC U IT MARCH 14, 2007 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. 06- 13954 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N os . A 96- 085- 205 & A 96- 085- 206 G A M A L I E L R O D R I G U E Z - P A R R A , N A N C Y M O R E N O V I L L A R R A G A , M A N U E L J O S E R O D R I G U E Z M O R E N O , D E N I E S P E R A N Z A R O D R I G U E Z - P A R R A , 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

_________________________ ( M ar c h 14, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , H U L L an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

G a m a l i e l R odr i gue z - P a rr a( “ R odr i gue z - P a rr a ” ) , hi s w i f e , N a nc y M or e no V i l l arra ga (“N ancy ”) , thei r s on , M anuel Jose R od ri gu ez M oreno (“ M anuel Jose ”) , a nd R odr i gue z - P a rr a ’ s s i s t e r , D e ni R odr i gue z - P a rr a( “ D e ni ” ) s e e k r e vi e w of the B I A ’s o r d e rd e n y in g th e irm o tio n to r e o p e n th e irr e m o v a l p r o c e e d in g s . O n ap p e a l, pet i t i on er s argue thatthe B IA erre d b y c on si deri ng thei r new evi dence as cum ul at i ve and b y f

ai l i ng t o fi nd thatthey w er e pri m a f aci e e l i gi bl e f

orr e l i e f f r om r e m o v a l. B AC KG RO UN D O n M a y 6, 1999, R odr i gue z - P a rr a , N a nc y , a nd M a nue l J os e , a l l na t i ve s a nd ci t i zen s o f C o l o m b i a, w ere ad m i tt ed t o th e U n i t ed S t at es as n o n i m m i g ran tv i si t o rs, w ho w e r e nott o r e m a i n i n the c ountry be y ond N ove m be r5, 1999. O n J a nua ry 20, 20 01 , D eni , al so a nat i ve and ci t i ze n o f C ol om bi a, w as adm i tt ed t o the U ni t ed S t a t e s a s anoni m m i gr a ntvi s i t or , w ho w a s nott o r e m a i n i n the c ountry be y ond J a n u a ry 1 9 , 2 0 0 2 . O n S e pt e m be r6, 2002, R odr i gue z - P a rr a , on be ha l f of hi m s e l f , hi s w i f e a nd hi s s on , fi l ed an appl i ca t i on se eki ng as yl um and w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al base d upon hi s pol i t i c a l opi ni on unde rthe I m m i gr a t i on a nd N a t i ona l i ty A c t( “ I N A ” ) , a nd f o rr e lie f u n d e rth e U n ite d N a tio n s C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o r tu r e a n d O th e rC ru e l, I n h u m a n , o rD e g r a d in g T r e a tm e n t o rP u n is h m e n t ( “C A T ” ) . H e r e p o r te d th a t h is f a m i l y ha d be e n a c t i ve i n the L i be r a l P a r ty i n C ol om bi aa nd ha d pa r t i c i pa t e d i n the3

m a y or a l c a m pa i gn f

orS a n J ua n. H e a l s o r e por t e d tha the w a s a n i nde pe nde nt m erch an t , h i s fath er o w n ed a l arg e farm cl o se t o th ei r t o w n , an d h i s b ro th er, al so nam ed M anuel , w orked for the A dm i ni stra t i ve D epartm entof S ec uri ty ( “ D A S ”) w i th the C ol om bi a n gove rnm e nt . H e s t a t e d tha t , i n J une of 1998, m e m be r s of

the R e v o lu tio n a ry A rm e d F o r c e s o f C o lo m b ia( “F A R C ” ) th r e a te n e d h im a n d h is fa m i l y and t ol d them t o p aythe F A R C m on eyt o sup po rti t s “ re vo l ut i on ary c ause . ” H e r e p o r te d th a t, in S e p te m b e ro f 1 9 9 8 , tw o m e m b e r s o f

th e F A R C c a m e to h is s t or e a nd thr e a t e ne d hi m . H e a l s o s t a t e d tha t , i n M a r c h of 1999, m e m be r s of

the F AR C b e g a n c a l l i n g h i s h o u s e a n d s t o r e , th r e a t e n i n g h i s f a m i l y ’ s l i v e s . On O c to b e r2 2 , 2 0 0 2 , th e D e p a r tm e n t o f H o m e la n d S e c u r ity is s u e d th e m n o tic e s to ap p e a r , s ta tin g th a t th e y w e r e d e p o r tab le . A tar e m ova l he a r i ng, the I J he l d tha tthe pe t i t i one r s w e r e note l i gi bl e f or a s y l um be c aus e the y f

a i l e d t o appl y f

ora s y l um w i thi n one y e a rof a rr i vi ng i n the U n ite d S ta te s a n d h a d n o t s h o w n a n y e x c e p tio n a l c ir c u m s ta n c e s e x c u s in g th e irla te f i l i ng. T hus , pe t i t i one r s ’ c l a i m s w e r e l i m i t e d t o w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l a nd p r o te c tio n u n d e rC A T . R od ri gu ez -P arrat es t i fi ed thathi s brother, M anuel , al so w as i n the U ni t ed S t a t e s a nd s e e ki ng a s y l um . R odr i gue z - P a rr as t a t e d tha the w a s s e e ki ng r e l i e f f r om r e m ova l on the ba s i s tha tM a nue l w orke d f orthe D A S a nd w a s pe r s e c ut e d by the F A R C . T he I J c ont i nue d the he a r i ng s o tha tthe pe t i t i one r s c oul d a tt e m ptt o ha ve4

M a n u e l te s tif

y . A tthe ne xthe a r i ng, M a nue l t e s t i f i e d tha the w a s s e e ki ng pol i t i c a l a s y l um a nd ha d w orke d w i th the C ol om bi aS e c ur i ty D e pa r tm e nt , s e rvi ng “ di gni t a r i e s , hi gh f u n c t i o n a r i e s o f

th e g o v e rn m e n t , l i k e m a g i s tr a t e s , [ j ] u d g e s , [ a n d ] p o l i t i c i a n s . ” He a l s o t e s t i f

i e d th a th e h a d s e i z e d a rms a n d u n i f o rms f r o m th e FA RC a n d b e c a me k n o w n n at i o n al l y fo r h i s w o rk . H e ex p l ai n ed th ath e w as afraid fo r h i s fam i l y, because w hen o ne w orks for the go vernm ent , the F A R C al so threa t ens that pers on ’ s s i bl i ng s. R od ri gu ez -P arrat es t i fi ed thathe w as a m em ber of the L i bera l P a r ty i n C ol om bi a , a nd tha tthe r e w a s now he r e i n C ol om bi aw he r e he w oul d be sa fe . H e a l so re po rt ed thathi s e nt i re fa m i l y w as t og ether on the fa m i l y r anch w hen th e F A R C c a m e a n d o r d e r e d th e m to p a y m o n e y . T he I J i s s ue d a n or de rde ny i ng w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l unde rthe I N A a nd r e l i e f unde rthe C A T . I n hi s de c i s i on, he s t a t e d tha tthe pe t i t i one r s ha d not e s tab lis h e d th a t th e y h a d b e e n s u b je c te d to p a s t p e r s e c u tio n o n a c c o u n t o f th e ir po l i t i ca l op i ni on . R ather, he foun d thatany per se cut i on thathad o cc urre d w as ba s e d on the f

a m i l y ’ s r e f

us a l t o pa y the F A R C e xt or t i on m one y , a nd the r e w a s no e v id e n c e th a t th e e x to r tio n d e m a n d s w e r e b a s e d o n th e f a m ily ’s p o litic a l a c tiv itie s . H e f u r th e rn o te d th a t b e in g th e f a m ily m e m b e ro f

af o rm e rC o lo m b ia n s e c u r ity offi ce r c ou l d n otaf

ford the pet i t i on er s r el i ef . T hu s, the IJfoun d thatthe pet i t i on er s ha d note s t abl i s he d tha tthe y w e r e e l i gi bl e f orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l unde rthe5

I N A . H e a ls o f

o u n d th a t th e y w e r e n o t e n title d f o rr e lie f u n d e rC A T b e c au s e , to the e xt e nttha tthe y f

e a r e d be i ng t or tur e d, s uc h t or tur e w oul d notbe c om m i tt e d by th e C o lo m b ia n g o v e rn m e n t. T he B I A a dopt e d a nd a f f i rm e d the I J ’ s de c i s i on. T he B I A s t a t e d tha tthe pet i t i on er s had no tfi l ed thei r a sy l um appl i ca t i on s w i thi n o ne ye arof thei r arr i val i nt o the U ni t ed S t at es , and b ec ause there w er e no extra ordi naryci rc um st ance s j us t i f y i ng the de l a y , the yw e r e note l i gi bl e f ora s y l um . T he B I A a l s o s t a t e d tha tthe pet i t i on er s’ w er e i nel i gi bl e f or w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al and C A T re l i ef . T he B IA f ound tha tthe F A R C ha d t a r ge t e d the pe t i t i one r s , not“ t o ove r c om e abe l i e f he l d or i m pu t ed” t o them , bu t“ because they app eare d t o h ave the fi nanci al m eans t o p ay the m on eyt o F A R C , ” and , thu s, they w er e nott ar get ed on ac coun tof a prot ec t ed g r o u n d . T he pe t i t i one r s f

i l e d am ot i on t o r e ope n the i rr e m ova l pr oc e e di ngs w i th the B IA . T he m ot i on i ncl ud ed se ven sw orn st at em ent s, w hi ch the pet i t i on er s a ss ert ed cont ai ned rel evantt es t i m on y r egar di ng the dang er s thatthey w ou l d fac e i f they w e r e r e turne d t o C ol om bi a . T he pe t i t i one r s a r gue d tha tthe s e s t a t e m e nt s w e r e not avai l abl e a tthe t i m e of thei r r em ov al hear i ng and ref erre d t o event s thatoccurre d tw o y e a r s a f

te rth e irh e a r in g . T h e B IA d en i ed th e p et i t i o n ers’ m o t i o n t o reo p en th ei r rem o v al p ro ceed i n g s, n o tin g th a t th e n e w s ta te m e n ts a n d a f f id a v its w e r e n o t s u f

f ic ie n t to c u r e th e la te6

f i l i ng of the a s y l um appl i c a t i ons . T he B I A a l s o f ound tha tthe e vi de nc e di d not

“ dem on stra t e pri m a f

aci e el i gi bi l i ty f

or a gra ntof w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al or re l i ef un der the C A T i n that[the evi dence] i s e ss ent i al l y c um ul at i ve” of the evi dence that w a s pr e s e nt e d t o the I J a tthe r e m ova l he a r i ng. T he B I A a l s o not e d tha tthe evi dence di d n otes t abl i sh thati tw as m ore l i kel y than n otthatthe pet i t i on er s w ou l d b e per se cut ed on ac coun tof a prot ec t ed grou nd or t ortured i f they w er e r e tu rn e d to C o lo m b ia . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e vi e w the B I A ’ s de ni a l of am ot i on t o r e ope n f

ora n abus e of

di s c r e t i on. Se e Me j i a R odr i guezv . R e no , 1 7 8 F .3 d 1 1 3 9 , 1 1 4 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) .

DI S CUS S I ON A n al i en se eki ng w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der I N A m ustshow thathi s l i fe o r freed o m w o u l d b e th reat en ed o n acco u n to f h i s race, rel i g i o n , n at i o n al i ty, m e m be r s hi p i n apa r t i c ul a rs oc i a l gr oup, orpol i t i c a l opi ni on. Me ndoz a v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 32 7 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). A n al i en ca n m ee tthi s burden by show i ng ei ther ( 1) “ pastpers ec ut i on i n h i s c ou ntrybase d o n a prot ec t ed g r o u n d ,” o r( 2 ) “af

u tu r e th r e a t to h is lif

e o rf r e e d o m o n ap r o te c te d g r o u n d in h is coun try . ” Id . A m ot i on t o reopen shal l st at e “ new fa ct s” thatw ou l d b e proven ata new hear i ng , bu t“ shal l no tbe grant ed un l es s i tappears t o the B oard thatevi dence7

soug htt o b e off

er ed i s m at er i al and w as no tavai l abl e and coul d n othave been di sc ov er ed or pres ent ed atthe form erhear i ng . ” 8 C . F . R . § 1 00 3. 2(c) (1). “ [T ] here a r e a t le a s t th r e e in d e p e n d e n t g r o u n d s u p o n w h ic h th e [ B I A ] m a y d e n y am o tio n to re op en: (1) f

ai l ure t o est abl i sh a pri m a f aci e ca se ; (2) f

ai l ure t o i ntrodu ce evi dence th a t w a s m a te r ia l a n d p r e v io u s ly u n a v a ilab le ; a n d ( 3 ) ad e te rm in a tio n th a t d e s p ite th e a lie n ’s s ta tu to ry e lig ib ility f o rr e lie f , h e o rs h e is n o t e n title d to af a v o r ab le exer ci se of di sc re t i on . ” A l N aj j arv . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 2 5 7 F .3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 3 0 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . H e r e , the B I A di d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on by de ny i ng the pe t i t i one r s ’ m ot i on t o reopen. T he new evi dence di d n otes t abl i sh thatthey w er e pri m a f aci e e lig ib le f orr e l i e f f r om r e m ova l , a nd the e vi de nc e w a s e s s e nt i a l l y c um ul a t i ve of the e v id e n c e th a t w a s p r e s e n te d b e f o r e th e I J . Se e A l

N aj j ar , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 3 0 2 . T he f a c ttha tthe e ve nt s r e c ount e d i n the s w orn s t a t e m e nt s oc c urr e d a f t e rthe pe t i t i one r s ’ r e m ova l he a r i ng doe s notm e a n tha tthe s ubm i tt e d e vi de nc e c a nnotbe deem ed cum ul at i ve of the evi dence thatw as pres ent ed atthe pet i t i on er s’ re m ov al h e a r in g . F o u ro f

th e s e v e n s w o rn s ta te m e n ts s u b m itte d b y th e p e titio n e r s m e r e ly s t a t e tha tthe F A R C i s s t i l l l ooki ng f orR odr i gue z - P a rr aa nd hi s f a m i l y . T w o of

the s t a t e m e nt s s t a t e tha tthe F A R C i s l ooki ng f orR odr i gue z - P a rr abe c aus e of the de bt thathe ow es the F A R C . O nl y one sw orn st at em entm ent i on s thatR od ri gu ez -P arra h a d to le a v e C o lu m b iab e c au s e o f h is m e m b e r s h ip w ith th e L ib e r a l P a r ty , a n d it8

appears thatthe cont ent s of thi s s t at em entcoul d h ave been pres ent ed atthe i ni t i al re m ov al hear i ng . T hi s e vi dence i s e ss ent i al l y c um ul at i ve of the evi dence pres ent ed before the IJatthe re m ov al hear i ng . T he pet i t i on er s had al re ady s ub m i tt ed e v id e n c e to th e I J th a t R o d r ig u e z - P a rr aw a s am e m b e ro f th e L ib e r a l P a r ty , th a t h is f a m ily h a d b e e n th r e a te n e d b y th e F A R C , a n d th a t th e y o w e d th e F A R C a“d e b t,” w h ic h w a s ta n ta m o u n t to e x to r tio n m o n e y . W e h a v e m a d e c le a rth a t r e f u s in g to pa y e xt or t i on m one y t o the F A R C doe s notm a ke one e l i gi bl e f orr e l i e f f r om r e m o v a l a n d d o e s n o t c o n s titu te ap o litic a l o p in io n . See Sanc hezv . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 3 9 2 F .3 d 4 3 4 , 4 3 8 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 4 ) ( p ercu riam ) ( statin g th at th e p etit io n er ’s r e f us a l t o pa y the F A R C 20 m i l l i on pe s os i n e xt or t i on m one y di d note s t abl i s h the pe t i t i one r ’ s “ a c tua l ori m put e d pol i t i c a l opi ni on, m uc h l e s s a ny ne xus be tw e e n [ the p e titio n e r ’s ] p o litic a l o p in io n a n d th e F A R C ’s a lle g e d p e r s e c u tio n ” ) . A cc ordi ng l y, w e f

i nd thatthe B IA di d n otabuse i t s di sc re t i on i n fi nd i ng that the ne w e vi de nc e w a s e s s e nt i a l l y c um ul a t i ve of the e vi de nc e pr e s e nt e d be f or e the IJand d i d n otes t abl i sh thatthe pet i t i on er s w er e pri m a f aci e e l i gi bl e f

orr e l i e f f r om w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l orr e l i e f

unde rC A T . T he r e f

or e , w e de ny the pe t i t i on f or r e v ie w . P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.