FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

FEB RUARY 23, 2010

J OHN L EY

CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 9

- 1 3 1 4 6

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A g e n c y N o s

. A 0 9 8

- 7 3 9

- 9 8 9

, A 0 9 8

- 7 3 9

- 9 9 0

A L B E R T O A R A G O N R U I Z

,

J U A N D A V I D A R A G O N T O R R E S

, O S C A R A L B E R T O A R A G O N T O R R E S

,

P e t i t i o n e r s

,

v e r s u s

U

. S

. A T T O R N 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 o n f o r R e v i e w o f a D e c i s i o n o f t h e

B o a r d o f I m m i g r a t i o n A p p e a l s

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( F e b r u a r y 2 3

, 2 0 1 0 )

B e f o r e B I R C H

, H U L L a n d K R A V I T C H

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :A l b e r t o A r a g o n R u i z ( “ A r a g o n ” ) a n d h i s s o n s

, J u a n D a v i d A r a g o n T o r r e s

a n d O s c a r A l b e r t o A r a g o n T o r r e s

, p e t i t i o n f o r r e v i e w o f t h e B o a r d o f I m m i g r a t i o n

A p p e a l s ’ s ( B I A ’ s ) d e c i s i o n a f f i r m i n g t h e I m m i g r a t i o n J u d g e ’ s ( I J ’ s ) d e n i a l o f t h e i r

a p p l i c a t i o n f

o r a s y l u m a n d w i t h h o l d i n g o f r e m o v a l u n d e r t h e I m m i g r a t i o n a n d

N a t i o n a l i t y A c t ( “ I N A ” )

, a n d p r o t e c t i o n u n d e r t h e C o n v e n t i o n A g a i n s t T o r t u r e

( “ C A T ” )

. A r a g o n

, a c i t i z e n o f C o l o m b i a

, c l a i m e d p a s t p e r s e c u t i o n a n d a w e l l

1

f o u n d e d f e a r o f f u t u r e p e r s e c u t i o n b y t h e R e v o l u t i o n a r y A r m e d F o r c e s o f

C o l o m b i a ( “ F A R C ” ) b a s e d o n h i s m e m b e r s h i p i n t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y a n d h i s

p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n s o c i a l b r i g a d e s

. A f t e r r e v i e w

, w e d i s m i s s i n p a r t a n d d e n y i n p a r t

t h e p e t i t i o n f

o r r e v i e w

.

T o e s t a b l i s h e l i g i b i l i t y f o r a s y l u m

, a n a p p l i c a n t m u s t s h o w e i t h e r p a s t

p e r s e c u t i o n o r a w e l l

- f

o u n d e d f e a r o f f u t u r e p e r s e c u t i o n o n a c c o u n t o f r a c e

,

r e l i g i o n

, n a t i o n a l i t y

, m e m b e r s h i p i n a p a r t i c u l a r s o c i a l g r o u p

, o r p o l i t i c a l o p i n i o n

.

I N A § 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ; 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( A ) ; S e p u l v e d a v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 0 1

Ara g on’s two sons wer e included on the asy lum application as der ivative bene ficiar ies. 1

Although our

opinion refe rs only

to Arag on, our holding as to the asy lum and CAT claims

applies equa lly

to his sons. W e deny

the sons’ withholding of

remova l claim, beca

use “the re a

re

no deriva tive benef

its associated with a g rant of w ithholding of re moval.” See D elg ado v. U.S.

Att’y Gen., 487 F .3d 855, 862 (11th Cir. 2007). Fur ther, Ar ag on has aba

ndoned any

challeng e to

the denial of

CAT relief

, as he ha s failed to off

er substantive a

rg ument on this claim or cite

applicable law in his appea l brief. See Sing v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 561 F .3d 1275, 1278 (11th Cir.

2009) (noting that when a n appellant f

ails to offer

arg ument on an issue, or ma kes only passing

ref ere nces to the issue, the issue is deemed a bandoned) . Thus, the only claims we a ddress a

re

the petitioners’ joint claim for asy lum and Ara g on’s claim for withholding of r emoval.

2F

. 3 d 1 2 2 6

, 1 2 3 0

- 3 1 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 5 ) ; 8 C

. F

. R

. § 2 0 8

. 1 3 ( a )

, ( b )

. I n d e t e r m i n i n g 2

w h e t h e r a n a p p l i c a n t s u f f e r e d p a s t p e r s e c u t i o n

, t h e B I A c o n s i d e r s t h e c u m u l a t i v e

i m p a c t o f t h e a l l e g e d i n c i d e n t s o f m i s t r e a t m e n t

. D e l g a d o v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 8 7

F

. 3 d 8 5 5

, 8 6 1 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 )

.

A l t h o u g h t h e I N A d o e s n o t d e f i n e p e r s e c u t i o n

, t h i s C o u r t h a s r e c o g n i z e d

t h a t i t i s “ a n e x t r e m e c o n c e p t r e q u i r i n g m o r e t h a n a f e w i s o l a t e d i n c i d e n t s o f v e r b a l

h a r a s s m e n t o r i n t i m i d a t i o n

. ” R u i z v

. G o n z a l e s

, 4 7 9 F

. 3 d 7 6 2

, 7 6 6 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 )

( q u o t a t i o n m a r k s o m i t t e d )

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, t h i s C o u r t h a s c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h r e a t s i n

c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h b r i e f d e t e n t i o n s o r a m i n o r p h y s i c a l a t t a c k t h a t d o e s n o t r e s u l t i n

s e r i o u s p h y s i c a l i n

j u r y d o n o t r i s e t o t h e l e v e l o f p e r s e c u t i o n

. S e e

, e

. g

. , D j o n d a v

.

U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 5 1 4 F

. 3 d 1 1 6 8

, 1 1 7 4 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 ) ( 3 6

- h o u r d e t e n t i o n

, b e a t i n g

a n d t h r e a t o f a r r e s t ) ; Z h e n g v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 5 1 F

. 3 d 1 2 8 7

, 1 2 9 0

- 9 1 ( 1 1 t h C i r

.

2 0 0 6 ) ( 5

- d a y d e t e n t i o n )

. 3

Simi larly , an alien se eking withholding of r emoval must show that it is m ore likely than 2

not that she will be perse cuted on a ccount of rac e, re ligion, nationality , membership in a

particula r social g roup, or political opinion upon being returne d her c ountry . I NA § 241(b) (3), 8

U.S.C. § 1231(b)(3); Sepulveda , 401 F.3d a t 1232. Be cause this standard is more string ent than

the standar d for a sy lum, an alien who f ails to establish asy lum eligibility g ener ally cannot sa tisfy

the hig her bur den for

withholding of r emoval. I d. at 1232-33.

Be cause the B I A adopted the I J ’s re asoning as to Ara g on’s statutory elig ibilit y , we 3

revie w both the B I A’s and the I J ’s dec isions. S ee A l Najjar v. A shcrof t, 257 F.3d 1262, 1284

(11th Cir. 2001). We revie w the fa ctual dete rmination that an alien is statutorily ineligible f

or

asy lum or withholding of r emoval under the “hig hly

defe rential” substantial evidence test, which

require s that we a ffirm the B I A’s dec ision if it i s “supported by rea sonable, substantial, and

probative e vidence on the re cord c onsidered a s a whole.” I d. (quotation marks omitted). Thus,

we r ever se “only

when the r ecor d compels a r ever sal; the mere fac t that the rec ord may support a

contra ry conclusion is not enoug h to justi fy a re versa l of the administrative finding s.” Mehmeti

3H e r e

, w e c a n n o t s a y t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e c o m p e l s t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t A r a g o n

s u f f e r e d p a s t p e r s e c u t i o n

. A c c o r d i n g t o A r a g o n ’ s a s y l u m a p p l i c a t i o n a n d c r e d i t e d

h e a r i n g t e s t i m o n y

, w h i l e A r a g o n w a s p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e b r i g a d e s i n 1 9 9 8 a n d

1 9 9 9

, t h e F A R C a p p r o a c h e d h i m t w o t i m e s

, o r d e r e d h i m t o s t o p a n d t h r e a t e n e d

h i m

. A r a g o n s t o p p e d w o r k i n g w i t h t h e b r i g a d e s

, b u t r e s u m e d a g a i n i n J u n e 2 0 0 3

.

I n F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 4

, a r m e d F A R C m e m b e r s s t o p p e d A r a g o n a f t e r a s o c i a l

b r i g a d e

, t o o k d o w n i n f

o r m a t i o n f

r o m h i s c i t i z e n s h i p c a r d a n d f o r c e d h i m t o l e a v e

t h e a r e a

. I n A p r i l 2 0 0 4

, a f t e r a n o t h e r s o c i a l b r i g a d e i n t h e m o u n t a i n s

, A r a g o n w a s

d e t a i n e d b y t h e F A R C

, d r i v e n t o t h e t o p o f a m o u n t a i n

, i n t e r r o g a t e d a b o u t t h e

s o c i a l b r i g a d e s a n d t h e n r e l e a s e d u n h a r m e d

. S h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r

, A r a g o n b e g a n 4

r e c e i v i n g t h r e a t e n i n g p h o n e c a l l s

.

I n M a y 2 0 0 4

, t h e F A R C k i d n a p p e d A r a g o n ’ s o l d e s t s o n

, O s c a r

, a s h e w a s

l e a v i n g u n i v e r s i t y c l a s s e s

. T h e F A R C c a l l e d A r a g o n a n d e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e y

w a n t e d t o s h o w h i m t h e y w e r e s e r i o u s a n d t h e y c o u l d h u r t h i m i f t h e y w a n t e d t o

.

O s c a r w a s r e l e a s e d u n h a r m e d t w o h o u r s l a t e r a f e w b l o c k s f

r o m h i s h o u s e

. O n

J u n e 1 3

, 2 0 0 4

, A r a g o n s e n t O s c a r t o l i v e w i t h h i s s i s t e r i n M i a m i

.

v. U.S. Att’y

Gen., 572 F .3d 1196, 1199 (11th Cir. 2009).

Although A rag on did not present evide nce of the leng th of this detention, from his 4

application and te stimony , it appear s he wa s relea sed as soon a s the interrog ation was ove r and

thus that he was not deta ined for ve ry long.

4T h e t h r e a t e n i n g p h o n e c a l l s c o n t i n u e d

. T h e F A R C t o l d A r a g o n t h a t

, l i k e h i s

s o n

, h e s h o u l d l e a v e t h e c o u n t r y o r t h e y “ w o u l d c o n t i n u e w i t h [ h i s ] o t h e r c h i l d r e n

. . . . ” A r a g o n s e n t h i s t h r e e r e m a i n i n g s o n s t o l i v e w i t h r e l a t i v e s o u t s i d e C a l i

. O n

F e b r u a r y 2 2

, 2 0 0 5

, A r a g o n a n d h i s y o u n g e s t s o n

, J u a n

, l e f t f o r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

.

A r a g o n ’ s o t h e r t w o s o n s r e m a i n e d w i t h r e l a t i v e s i n C o l o m b i a u n t i l M a y 2 0 0 6

,

w h e n t h e y w e n t t o l i v e w i t h t h e i r m o t h e r i n S p a i n

. 5

T h e s e t h r e a t s a n d b r i e f d e t e n t i o n s

, w h i c h d i d n o t r e s u l t i n a n y h a r m

, f a l l

s h o r t o f t h e e x t r e m e m i s t r e a t m e n t f o u n d i n o t h e r c a s e s i n w h i c h t h i s C o u r t h a s

c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e r e c o r d c o m p e l l e d a c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r w a s

p e r s e c u t e d

. S e e

, e

. g

. , D e S a n t a m a r i a v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 5 2 5 F

. 3 d 9 9 9

, 1 0 0 8

- 1 0

( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 ) ( i n v o l v i n g r e p e a t e d d e a t h t h r e a t s

, t o r t u r e a n d m u r d e r o f

p e t i t i o n e r ’ s g r o u n d s k e e p e r

, a s s a u l t r e s u l t i n g i n h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n

, k i d n a p p i n g a n d

b e a t i n g w i t h g u n s r e s u l t i n g i n h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n ) ; N i f t a l i e v v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 5 0 4

F

. 3 d 1 2 1 1

, 1 2 1 5

- 1 7 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 ) ( i n v o l v i n g t h r e a t s

, n u m e r o u s i n t e r r o g a t i o n s

a n d b e a t i n g s d u r i n g a 1 5

- d a y d e t e n t i o n t h a t r e s u l t e d i n t w o

- m o n t h h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n

,

a n d t w o s u b s e q u e n t p h y s i c a l a t t a c k s a f t e r p e t i t i o n e r f

l e d t o A r g e n t i n a ) ; M e

j i a v

.

U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 9 8 F

. 3 d 1 2 5 3

, 1 2 5 7

- 5 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 ) ( i n v o l v i n g w r i t t e n

t h r e a t s a n d “ c o n d o l e n c e ” l e t t e r

, a s s a u l t w i t h a r o c k a n d d e t e n t i o n a t g u n p o i n t

,

Ara g on could not take his two middle sons to the United States beca use they did not 5

have visa s. Arag on left for the United States with J uan, who wa s a minor, as soon as A rag on

rec eived pe rmission from his ex -wife to take Juan out of the country

. 5d u r i n g w h i c h p e t i t i o n e r w a s t h r o w n t o t h e g r o u n d a n d h i t w i t h a g u n

, b r e a k i n g h i s

n o s e a n d r e q u i r i n g s u r g e r y ) ; S a n c h e z J i m e n e z v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 9 2 F

. 3 d 1 2 2 3

,

1 2 3 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 ) ( i n v o l v i n g a t t e m p t e d m u r d e r o f p e t i t i o n e r

, a t t e m p t e d

k i d n a p p i n g o f h i s d a u g h t e r

, a n d d e a t h t h r e a t s ) ; D e l g a d o v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 8 7

F

. 3 d 8 5 5

, 8 6 1

- 6 2 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 ) ( i n v o l v i n g t h r e a t e n i n g p h o n e c a l l s

, c a r

v a n d a l i z a t i o n

, d e t e n t i o n b y m a s k e d m e n w h o p o i n t e d a n d m o c k f i r e d u n l o a d e d

g u n s a t p e t i t i o n e r s

, a n d a s e v e r e b e a t i n g r e q u i r i n g m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t )

.

B o t h A r a g o n ’ s o w n d e t e n t i o n a n d t h e k i d n a p p i n g o f h i s s o n w e r e r e l a t i v e l y

b r i e f a n d i n b o t h i n s t a n c e s t h e F A R C r e l e a s e d t h e m v o l u n t a r i l y

. N e i t h e r A r a g o n

n o r a n y o n e e l s e c o n n e c t e d t o h i m s u f f e r e d a n y p h y s i c a l h a r m

. A l t h o u g h w e h a v e

n e v e r h e l d t h a t p h y s i c a l h a r m i s a p r e r e q u i s i t e t o f i n d i n g p e r s e c u t i o n

, t h e

c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r w h i c h A r a g o n a n d h i s s o n w e r e d e t a i n e d d i d n o t h a v e t h e k i n d o f

a p p r e h e n s i o n o f i m m i n e n t s e r i o u s p h y s i c a l h a r m o r d e a t h t h a t t h i s C o u r t h a s h e l d

w a s p e r s e c u t i o n e v e n a b s e n t p h y s i c a l h a r m

. S e e S a n c h e z J i m e n e z

, 4 9 2 F

. 3 d a t

1 2 3 3 ( c o n c l u d i n g t h a t a t t e m p t e d m u r d e r i n w h i c h F A R C s h o t a t a l i e n w h i l e h e

t r a v e l e d i n h i s c a r w a s “ s u f f i c i e n t l y e x t r e m e ” t o c o n s t i t u t e p e r s e c u t i o n d e s p i t e l a c k

o f p h y s i c a l i n

j u r y )

.

B e c a u s e A r a g o n d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h p a s t p e r s e c u t i o n

, h e w a s n o t e n t i t l e d t o a

p r e s u m p t i o n t h a t h e h a s a w e l l

- f o u n d e d f e a r o f f u t u r e p e r s e c u t i o n

. S e e M e j i a v

.

U

. S

. A t t y

. G e n

. , 4 9 8 F

. 3 d 1 2 5 3

, 1 2 5 7 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 7 )

. T o s h o w a w e l l

- f o u n d e d

6f

e a r o f f u t u r e p e r s e c u t i o n

, a n a l i e n m u s t s h o w “ t h a t t h e r e i s a r e a s o n a b l e

p r o b a b i l i t y o f s u f

f e r i n g s u c h p e r s e c u t i o n i f h e o r s h e w e r e t o r e t u r n t o t h a t

c o u n t r y

. ” I d

. a t 1 2 5 6

. A b s e n t a p r e s u m p t i o n

, t h e I J c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e e v e n t s t h a t

d i d n o t c o n s t i t u t e p a s t p e r s e c u t i o n a l s o d i d n o t s u p p o r t a c l a i m o f a w e l l

- f o u n d e d

f e a r a n d t h a t a n y f

e a r w a s f u r t h e r a t t e n u a t e d b y t h e p a s s a g e o f t i m e

.

F u r t h e r m o r e

, t h e f

a c t t h a t t h e F A R C i s p r e s e n t t h r o u g h o u t C o l o m b i a

, a n d

b e y o n d t h e c o n t r o l o f C o l o m b i a n a u t h o r i t i e s

, d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y i n d i c a t e t h a t i f

A r a g o n r e t u r n e d t o C o l o m b i a t h e F A R C w o u l d s h o w a p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t i n h i m

.

I n d e e d

, A r a g o n p r e s e n t e d n o e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e F A R C h a s c o n t i n u e d t o l o o k f o r

h i m o r t h r e a t e n h i m o r h i s f a m i l y i n C o l o m b i a

. M o r e o v e r

, a s t h e B I A r e c o g n i z e d

,

t h e r e i s e v i d e n c e t h a t A r a g o n m a d e n u m e r o u s b u s i n e s s t r i p s t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

a f t e r t h e F A R C t h r e a t s b e g a n i n 1 9 9 9

. T h e l a s t o f t h e s e t r i p s o c c u r r e d i n A u g u s t

2 0 0 4

, a f t e r h i s A p r i l 2 0 0 4 d e t e n t i o n a n d h i s s o n ’ s M a y 2 0 0 4 k i d n a p p i n g

. S e e D e

S a n t a m a r i a

, 5 2 5 F

. 3 d a t 1 0 1 1 ( “ A n a s y l u m a p p l i c a n t ’ s v o l u n t a r y r e t u r n t o h i s o r

h e r h o m e c o u n t r y i s a r e l e v a n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r t h e a s y l u m

a p p l i c a n t h a s a w e l l

- f

o u n d e d f e a r o f f u t u r e p e r s e c u t i o n

. ” )

. U n d e r t h e

c i r c u m s t a n c e s

, w e c a n n o t s a y t h e e v i d e n c e c o m p e l s a c o n c l u s i o n t h a t A r a g o n h a d a

w e l l

- f o u n d e d f e a r o f p e r s e c u t i o n

.

B e c a u s e A r a g o n d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h e i t h e r p a s t p e r s e c u t i o n o r a w e l l

- f o u n d e d

f e a r o f f u t u r e p e r s e c u t i o n

, h e d i d n o t d e m o n s t r a t e e l i g i b i l i t y f o r a s y l u m

. S e e

7M e h m e t i

, 5 7 2 F

. 3 d a t 1 1 9 9

. H a v i n g f a i l e d t o d e m o n s t r a t e e l i g i b i l i t y f o r a s y l u m

, i t

f o l l o w s t h a t A r a g o n w a s s i m i l a r l y i n e l i g i b l e f o r w i t h h o l d i n g o f r e m o v a l

. S e e S i l v a

v

. U

. S

. A t t ’ y G e n

. , 4 4 8 F

. 3 d 1 2 2 9

, 1 2 4 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 6 )

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e d e n y

A r a g o n ’ s p e t i t i o n a s t o h i s c l a i m s o f a s y l u m a n d w i t h h o l d i n g o f r e m o v a l a n d

d i s m i s s h i s p e t i t i o n a s t o t h e d e n i a l o f C A T r e l i e f

.

P E T I T I O N D I S M I S S E D I N P A R T A N D D E N I E D I N P A R T

.

8