IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 18-60409

RICARDO ALMEDA-GUZMAN, also known as Guadalupe Federico 

Gutierrez-Villarreal, also known as Armando Contreras-Beltran, 

 Petitioner

v.

WILLIAM P. BARR, U. S. ATTORNEY GENERAL, 

 Respondent

Petition for Review of an Order of the

Board of Immigration Appeals

BIA No. A205 197 448

Before ELROD, WILLETT, and OLDHAM, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Ricardo Almeda-Guzman, a native and citizen of Mexico, petitions for 

review of the decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) denying his 

motion to remand and dismissing his appeal from the Immigration Judge’s (IJ) 

denial of his applications for cancellation of removal, asylum, withholding of 

removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), and relief under 

 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not 

be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH 

CIR. R. 47.5.4.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

November 14, 2019

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 1 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

2

the Convention Against Torture (CAT). He also moves for a remand for 

consideration of additional evidence. We deny the petition and the motion.

I.

Almeda-Guzman entered the United States without permission in 2007. 

About five years later, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began 

removal proceedings against him. Almeda-Guzman conceded removability. 

However, he applied for relief from removal on four primary grounds: 

cancellation of removal, asylum, withholding of removal under the INA, and 

relief under the CAT.1 As to cancellation of removal, Almeda-Guzman argued 

that removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to his 

children. As to the other grounds for relief, he argued that his removal would 

result in his persecution at the hands of a drug-trafficking organization. He 

and several of his family members testified and submitted written statements 

in support of his applications for relief, and he also provided evidence of the 

conditions in Mexico.

The IJ denied Almeda-Guzman’s applications and ordered him removed 

to Mexico. The IJ began by finding that Almeda-Guzman was not a credible 

witness. As bases for this finding, the IJ wrote that Almeda-Guzman’s 

demeanor was “confrontational” and “evasive,” and that he “avoided 

answering” some questions. The IJ listed examples of this behavior, such as 

Almeda-Guzman’s “evasive” answers to questions about his association with 

another individual, his criminal history, his finances, and his family life. The 

IJ found the testimony of Almeda-Guzman’s family members to be credible.

 

1 Failing in these, Almeda-Guzman alternatively applied for voluntary departure. The

IJ denied that application because of Almeda-Guzman’s “prior history of voluntary 

departures . . . and the use of aliases when encountered.” This denial was affirmed by the 

BIA, and Almeda-Guzman does not contest it in his petition for review.

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 2 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

3

On the merits, the IJ concluded that Almeda-Guzman’s application for 

cancellation of removal should fail because he did not meet his burden of 

establishing ten years of continuous physical presence in the United States, 

good moral character, or exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to his 

children. See 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)(1). As to asylum, the IJ concluded that 

Almeda-Guzman had missed the one-year statutory filing deadline. See

8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(2)(B). As to withholding of removal under the INA, the IJ

concluded that the evidence did not show Almeda-Guzman had been 

persecuted in the past, and that his “subjective fear of returning to Mexico 

lack[ed] credibility.” The IJ also found Almeda-Guzman’s evidence as to the 

conditions in Mexico to establish only that cartels “terrorize the general 

populace,” not that Almeda-Guzman would personally be harmed “on account 

of any protected ground.” As to the alleged protected ground itself, the IJ 

concluded that Almeda-Guzman failed to show “membership in a particular 

social group” under the INA. See 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42). The IJ similarly

denied Almeda-Guzman’s CAT claim for a failure to show that he would be 

tortured upon his return to Mexico.

Almeda-Guzman appealed to the BIA, arguing primarily that the IJ

erred in impugning his credibility; in finding that he failed to establish good 

moral character, hardship to his children if he were removed, and ten years of 

continuous presence in the United States; and in rejecting his claim of 

belonging to “a particular social group.” Almeda-Guzman also moved for a 

remand so that he could submit additional evidence about dangerous

conditions in Mexico.

The BIA concluded that Almeda-Guzman had not “meaningfully 

contested” the IJ’s decision on the asylum and CAT issues and had therefore 

waived any challenge on those grounds. The BIA also found no clear error in 

the IJ’s credibility findings, noting that the IJ “provided specific and cogent 

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 3 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

4

reasons to support” those findings—inconsistent answers, use of aliases, 

demeanor, and evasive testimony. As to cancellation of removal, the BIA 

agreed with the IJ that Almeda-Guzman failed to establish a ten-year 

continuous physical presence in the United States. As a result, the BIA did 

not reach Almeda-Guzman’s arguments pertaining to good moral character or 

hardship to his children. In addition, the BIA agreed with the IJ that AlmedaGuzman failed to show sufficient likelihood of persecution and that his alleged 

“particular social group” is not “cognizable” under the INA, foreclosing his 

application for withholding of removal. On these bases, the BIA dismissed 

Almeda-Guzman’s appeal. The BIA also denied Almeda-Guzman’s motion for 

a remand because the evidence he wished to submit did not go to his credibility 

or whether he could establish membership in a “particular social group.”

Almeda-Guzman timely filed a petition for review in this court. He 

argues that the BIA erred in not overturning the IJ’s adverse credibility 

finding, in finding his CAT claim waived, and in denying his motion to remand 

for consideration of new evidence. Almeda-Guzman also moves for a remand 

so that all his claims can be reconsidered in light of his alleged credibility and 

new evidence. We will first address the credibility argument, and then—

because they are interrelated—address the remaining arguments together.

II.

We review the BIA’s legal conclusions de novo and its factual findings for 

substantial evidence. Shaikh v. Holder, 588 F.3d 861, 863 (5th Cir. 2009). The 

substantial evidence standard requires the alien to “show that the evidence 

was so compelling that no reasonable factfinder could conclude against it.” 

Wang v. Holder, 569 F.3d 531, 537 (5th Cir. 2009); see also id. at 536–37 (“[T]his 

court may not reverse the BIA’s factual findings unless the evidence compels 

it.”). Our review is normally limited to the BIA’s decision, but we review “the 

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 4 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

5

IJ’s decision to the extent that it influenced the BIA.” Shaikh, 588 F.3d at 863; 

Zhu v. Gonzales, 493 F.3d 588, 593 (5th Cir. 2007).

A.

As to credibility, because the BIA chose to “defer to [the IJ’s] findings” 

on that matter, we review the IJ’s decision as well. Zhu, 493 F.3d at 593. The 

standard for review of credibility determinations is essentially the same as the 

general substantial evidence standard: we defer “to an IJ’s credibility 

determination unless, from the totality of the circumstances, it is plain that no 

reasonable fact-finder could make such an adverse credibility ruling.” Wang, 

569 F.3d at 538 (quoting Lin v. Mukasey, 534 F.3d 162, 167 (2d Cir. 2008)). By 

statute:

[A] trier of fact may base a credibility determination on the 

demeanor, candor, or responsiveness of the applicant or witness, 

the inherent plausibility of the applicant’s or witness’s account, the 

consistency between the applicant’s or witness’s written and oral 

statements (whenever made and whether or not under oath, and 

considering the circumstances under which the statements were 

made), the internal consistency of each such statement, the 

consistency of such statements with other evidence of record . . . , 

and any inaccuracies or falsehoods in such statements, without 

regard to whether an inconsistency, inaccuracy, or falsehood goes 

to the heart of the applicant’s claim, or any other relevant factor.

8 U.S.C. § 1158(b)(1)(B)(iii); see also 8 U.S.C. § 1231(b)(3)(C). Thus, “an IJ may 

rely on any inconsistency or omission in making an adverse credibility 

determination as long as the ‘totality of the circumstances’ establishes that an 

. . . applicant is not credible.” Wang, 569 F.3d at 538 (quoting Lin, 534 F.3d at 

167).

Almeda-Guzman argues that the IJ erred in failing to credit his 

testimony, and that the BIA erred in not overturning the IJ’s adverse 

credibility finding. He asserts that the IJ’s finding that he was evasive in 

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 5 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

6

answering a question about a 2005 traffic stop was erroneous because he 

simply “was initially unable to clearly remember” the relevant facts relating to 

that incident. He similarly argues that it is generally “difficult to be specific 

about events that occurred ten or more years ago.” He also takes issue with 

the IJ’s citation to his use of aliases as harming his credibility, arguing that he 

only used aliases as a means of hiding from a drug-trafficking organization. In 

addition, he disputes that he was evasive when asked about an arrest for 

aggravated robbery.2 Finally, he argues that evidence going to his lack of fear 

of persecution many years ago cannot support an adverse credibility finding 

today.

Almeda-Guzman fails to show that no reasonable fact-finder could have 

made an adverse credibility finding as to his testimony. When counsel first 

asked Almeda-Guzman if there was “any marijuana that was found in the car” 

during the 2005 traffic stop, Almeda-Guzman responded, “Me, no.” When 

counsel repeated the question, Almeda-Guzman responded, “Not the one at 

Hebron.” After the IJ intervened multiple times to ask Almeda-Guzman to 

listen to what he was being asked, and on counsel’s third attempt to ask the 

whether “marijuana [was] found in the car” during the traffic stop, AlmedaGuzman stated, “I don’t remember that they would have found marijuana and 

that I would have been involved in that. I’ve never had any charges for drugs 

or for alcohol.” The BIA permissibly deferred to the IJ’s interpretation of this 

testimony as evasive, as Almeda-Guzman’s assertion that his unresponsive 

 

2 Almeda-Guzman also states that the IJ erroneously found that Almeda-Guzman 

admitted that “he had been arrested in 2014 for driving a motor vehicle while under the 

influence of alcoholic beverages,” when he had in fact denied such an arrest. The BIA 

assumed that this finding was clear error, but concluded that the IJ had provided “other 

cogent and specific reasons . . . that support an adverse credibility finding.” We address the 

sufficiency of those other reasons.

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 6 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

7

answers were the result of being “unable to clearly remember” the facts does 

not show that no reasonable fact-finder could have found his answers 

purposefully evasive. Similarly, Almeda-Guzman’s argument that 

inconsistencies or omissions arising from evidence from many years ago is 

unavailing, as the fact-finder is statutorily entitled to base a credibility 

determination on any statements, “whenever made.” 8 U.S.C. 

§ 1158(b)(1)(B)(iii); see also Wang, 569 F.3d at 538 (noting that “an IJ may rely 

on any inconsistency or omission” in weighing an alien’s credibility (quoting 

Lin, 534 F.3d at 167)).

The IJ and BIA also permissibly relied on Almeda-Guzman’s 

inconsistent testimony relating to his use of aliases as supporting the IJ’s 

adverse credibility finding. Almeda-Guzman’s argument that his use of aliases 

was justified because of his fear of being targeted by a drug-trafficking

organization does not address the fact that he contradicted himself by first 

testifying that he began using aliases in 2004 but later testifying that he began 

using them in 2000 or 2001. Moreover, the IJ and BIA pointed to other evasive 

or inconsistent statements on Almeda-Guzman’s part that he fails to explain 

away. For instance, the IJ and BIA found Almeda-Guzman’s statement that 

he has “always had fear [of] return[ing] to Mexico” inconsistent with his 

voluntary returns to Mexico on several prior occasions and evidence from a 

January 2012 encounter with immigration officials where Almeda-Guzman did 

“not claim[] or express[] fear of returning to his native country of Mexico.”3 The 

 

3 The IJ and BIA’s discussion of the January 2012 evidence is somewhat unclear. The 

IJ wrote that Almeda-Guzman “previously stated that he did not have fear of returning to 

Mexico,” and the BIA stated that Almeda-Guzman “told immigration enforcement agents 

that he did not fear returning to Mexico.” However, the DHS form that the IJ and BIA cite 

for this proposition only states that “Almeda-Guzman is not claiming or expressing fear of 

returning to his native country of Mexico”—not that he affirmatively stated that he had no 

such fear. Nevertheless, to the extent the IJ and BIA may have erroneously construed the 

January 2012 evidence as an affirmative inconsistent statement, this is not a basis to grant 

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 7 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

8

IJ and BIA also pointed to Almeda-Guzman’s nonresponsive testimony on his

personal finances and contradictory statements about what year he arrived in 

the United States.

All this considered, Almeda-Guzman fails to meet his burden of showing

that no reasonable fact-finder would have made an adverse credibility finding 

against him. There is therefore no reason to remand for reconsideration of his 

applications for relief on this basis.

B.

Almeda-Guzman next argues that the BIA erred by denying his motion 

to remand for consideration of new evidence.4 A denial of a motion to remand 

based on new evidence is reviewed for abuse of discretion. See Ramchandani 

v. Gonzalez, 434 F.3d 337, 340–41 & n.6 (5th Cir. 2005).

The basis of Almeda-Guzman’s motion to remand, in the BIA’s words, 

was his alleged discovery of “threats against [his] life posted on a Mexican 

Facebook site.” His evidence of the threat included affidavits chronicling his 

 

Almeda-Guzman’s petition because there is no realistic possibility that the BIA would have 

reached a different conclusion had it construed the evidence as an omission instead. See

Enriquez-Gutierrez v. Holder, 612 F.3d 400, 407 (5th Cir. 2010) (“Even if there is a reversible 

error in the BIA’s analysis, affirmance may be warranted ‘where there is no realistic 

possibility that, absent the errors, the BIA would have reached a different conclusion.’”

(alteration omitted) (quoting Cao He Lin v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 428 F.3d 391, 401 (2d Cir. 

2005))); Wang, 569 F.3d at 538 (stating that “an IJ may rely on any inconsistency or omission 

in making an adverse credibility determination” (quoting Mukasey, 534 F.3d at 167)). The 

IJ and BIA were entitled to rely on Almeda-Guzman’s failure to mention any fear of returning 

to Mexico when he encountered immigration officials in 2012—at least when combined with 

his multiple past trips to Mexico—in finding his testimony of “always” having such a fear 

lacking in credibility.

4 Almeda-Guzman’s brief in this court interchangeably refers to his motion as a 

“motion to remand” and a “motion to reopen.” His brief to the BIA termed it a “motion to 

remand,” and the BIA treated it as such. At any rate, the distinction is meaningless in these 

circumstances as a motion to remand “to present additional evidence not available at [the] 

initial hearing . . . is subject to the same standards and regulations governing motions to 

reopen.” See Ramchandani v. Gonzalez, 434 F.3d 337, 340 n.6 (5th Cir. 2005).

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 8 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

9

discovery of the threat, screenshots, and a translation of the text of the threat.5 

The translated text of the threat states that “we are Offering $ 20.000 dllrs to 

whoever gives us the location of a Known RAT whose name is Guadalupe 

Gutierrez.”6 In his brief to the BIA, Almeda-Guzman sought “a remand, for 

the [IJ] to consider the new evidence he has obtained relating to the threats to 

his life, both as it relates to the IJ’s adverse credibility finding, and to his 

applications for relief.”

The BIA denied the motion for a failure to show that the new evidence 

was “material.” Specifically, the BIA stated that the new evidence only went 

to “the issue of the hardship that would be faced by [Almeda-Guzman’s] 

qualifying relatives” under his application for cancellation of removal, and 

therefore did “not address the issues on which the [IJ] found [Almeda-Guzman] 

not credible, and it is not material to the issue of whether he has met his 

burden to establish a nexus to a cognizable particular social group.”

In his briefing in this court, Almeda-Guzman argues that the new

evidence goes to the legitimacy of his fear of the cartel, and that it “should have 

been clear [to the BIA] that the new evidence was crucial to all of his claims of 

relief which involved such fear.” As a result, he argues that the BIA erred by

treating his new evidence as only going to his application for cancellation of 

removal. Specifically, he argues that this new evidence goes to his CAT claim, 

which the BIA dismissed as waived for failure to “meaningfully contest[]” the 

IJ’s determination that Almeda-Guzman lacked “documentary evidence to 

substantiate a particularized threat of torture in Mexico.”7 Almeda-Guzman 

 

5 The threat also includes what are averred to be a photograph of Almeda-Guzman 

and his “likeness but with attached whiskers and big ears, resembling a rat.”

6 Almeda-Guzman asserts that his true name is Guadalupe Gutierrez-Villarreal.

7 Although Almeda-Guzman argues that his new evidence goes to all his applications 

for relief, the BIA found his asylum and voluntary departure claims waived as well, and 

Almeda-Guzman does not dispute this finding in his briefing in this court. And we do not 

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 9 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

10

thus argues that the BIA committed two intertwined errors: (1) failing to 

recognize that his new evidence went to his CAT claim, and (2) treating any 

CAT arguments as waived on the basis that he did not address the insufficiency 

of his CAT evidence.8

We need not address whether the BIA committed these errors because 

we may still affirm where “there is no realistic possibility that the BIA would 

reach another outcome than to dismiss [the] appeal.” Luna-Garcia v. Barr, 932 

F.3d 285, 292 (5th Cir. 2019); see also Enriquez-Gutierrez v. Holder, 612 F.3d 

400, 407 (5th Cir. 2010). Here, the Attorney General argues that AlmedaGuzman fails to demonstrate his eligibility for CAT relief even if his new 

evidence is considered. 

Almeda-Guzman’s eligibility for CAT relief depends on his showing that 

it is “more likely than not that the alien will be tortured upon return to his 

homeland” and that “there [is] sufficient state action involved in that torture.” 

Garcia v. Holder, 756 F.3d 885, 891 (5th Cir. 2014). Here, there is no realistic 

 

have jurisdiction to review the discretionary denial of cancellation of removal. See 8 U.S.C. 

§ 1252(a)(2)(B)(i). This leaves the denial of Almeda-Guzman’s withholding of removal claim. 

However, the BIA properly pointed out that the new evidence did not go to whether he had 

established “membership in a particular social group,” as required for withholding of removal 

eligibility. 8 U.S.C. § 1231(b)(3)(A). The BIA separately, and properly, concluded that 

Almeda-Guzman’s proposed social group—those who have informed on cartels to the U.S. 

government—“is not cognizable.” See Zamora-De Guevara v. Sessions, 728 F. App’x 356, 356 

(5th Cir. 2018) (unpublished) (“[W]e have previously declined to find that ‘former informants 

. . . constitute a particular social group.’” (quoting Hernandez De La Cruz v. Lynch, 819 F.3d 

784, 787 (5th Cir. 2016))).

8 Almeda-Guzman also argues that the BIA should not have deemed his CAT claim 

waived because the IJ denied it in part because of his “lack of credibility”—an issue that 

Almeda-Guzman hotly contested in his BIA brief, and that the BIA addressed as relevant to 

his withholding of removal claim. Even if Almeda-Guzman is correct that the BIA erred on 

this issue, the error is harmless and therefore does not support a remand to the BIA. See

Luna-Garcia v. Barr, 932 F.3d 285, 292 (5th Cir. 2019) (denying a petition for review where, 

absent the error, “there is no realistic possibility that the BIA would reach another outcome 

than to dismiss [the] appeal”). This is because, as discussed above, the IJ and BIA 

permissibly determined that Almeda-Guzman’s testimony was not credible. As a result, any 

credibility-based argument in support of his CAT claim would have failed.

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 10 Date Filed: 11/14/2019
No. 18-60409

11

possibility that the BIA would find Almeda-Guzman eligible for CAT relief 

because he does not provide any credible evidence of “sufficient state action.” 

Id. at 891; see also id. (defining sufficient state action as “a misuse of power, 

possessed by virtue of state law and made possible only because the wrongdoer 

is clothed with the authority of state law”). Only Almeda-Guzman’s own 

testimony arguably goes to this issue, and the IJ and BIA permissibly found 

that his testimony lacked credibility, as discussed above.9 Because there is no 

realistic possibility that the IJ or BIA would conclude that Almeda-Guzman 

has a viable CAT claim even considering his new evidence, both the CAT claim 

and the motion for remand fail.

III.

The petition for review and motion for remand are DENIED.

 

9 To the extent any of his generalized evidence about dangerous conditions in Mexico 

references government corruption, there is no credible evidence connecting those conditions

to Almeda-Guzman or his situation. Cf. Garcia, 756 F.3d at 892 (noting that “potential 

instances of violence committed by non-governmental actors against citizens, together with 

speculation that the police might not prevent that violence, are generally insufficient to prove 

government acquiescence”).

 Case: 18-60409 Document: 00515199327 Page: 11 Date Filed: 11/14/2019