FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT June 13, 2007 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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- 14311 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N o. A 96- 435- 198 K I M E T E S L A M N I K U , P e titio n e r , 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.

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nia ns and 80 ,0 00 Serb ians . 2 of the B oard of Im m i grat i on A pp ea l s ( “ B IA ”) di sm i ss i ng her app ea l fr om the order of a n I m m i gr a t i on J udge ( “ I J ” ) de ny i ng he rappl i c a t i on f ora s y l um , w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l 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 r e l i e f unde rthe U .N . C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o r tu r e ( “C A T ” ) . P e t i t i one ri s a na t i ve of

f orm e rS e rbi a - M ont e ne gr o. O n S e pt e m be r9, 2003, 1 s h e a tt e mp t e d t o e n t e rth e U n i t e d St a t e s u s i n g a f r a u d u l e n tp a s s p o r t . O n th a ts a me d a y , im m ig r a tio n o f

f ic e r s in te rv ie w e d h e r , a n d s h e s ta te d th a t s h e a n d h e rp a r e n ts we r e c i t i z e n s o f

f o rm e rYu g o s l a v i a , b u ts h e wa n t e d t o l i v e i n th e Un i t e d S t a t e s . At he rc r e di bl e f

e a ri nt e rvi e w , P e t i t i one rs t a t e d tha ts he w a s a n e thni c A l ba ni a n a nd, b e c a u s e o f

h e re th n ic ity , th e S e rb ia n s h a d th r e a te n e d to k ill h e ra n d h e rf a m ily u n le s s th e y le f

t Y u g o s la v ia . S h e r e p o r te d th a t, w h e n h e rf a m ily f le d Y u g o s la v iato s t a y i n A l ba ni a , S e rbi a ns ha d de t a i ne d he rbr othe r , he rf i a nc e e w a s ki l l e d by the S erbi an po l i ce , and w hen h erfa m i l y r eturned h om e a ft erthe confl i ctw as ov er , thei r hou se had b ee n b urned d ow n. S he further r eport ed thather f ather a nd brother ha d pr obl e m s w i th the K os ovo L i be r a t i on A rm y ( “ K L A ” ) , w hi c h c ons i s t e d of extre m i stethn i c A l bani ans, because they had no tj oi ned the K L A du ri ng the w ar w i th the S erbi ans i n K osov o. S he al so expl ai ned that , i n Jul y of 200 3, she w as a rr e s t e d , b u tu n h a rme d , b y th r e e u n i d e n t i f i e d me n , wh o p r o b ab l y we r e KLA3

m e m be r s , a nd w a s a c c us e d of be i ng “ the da ught e rof

a s py a nd s e rva ntof

the S erbs. ” O n S ept em ber 30, 20 03 , the form erIm m i grat i on and N atural i za t i on S ervi ce , n o w 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 ( “D H S ” ) , is s u e d P e titio n e ra N o tic e to A p p e a r , c h a r g in g h e ra s r e m o v ab le b e c a u s e s h e u s e d f r a u d u le n t d o c u m e n ts in a tt e m pt i ng t o e nt e rthe U ni t e d S t a t e s . P e t i t i one rthe r e a f t e rf i l e d a n appl i c a t i on f

or as yl um , w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al , and C A T re l i ef , base d o n h erre l i gi on , po l i t i ca l op i ni on , and m em bers hi p i n a part i cul arsoci al grou p. S he st at ed thatthatshe w as (1) born i n K osov o; (2) aci t i ze n o f S erbi a- M on t enegro; (3) of Y ug osl ov i an n a tio n a lity ; ( 4 ) o f

A lb a n ia n e th n ic ity ; a n d ( 5 ) M u s lim . A t a n in itia l h e a r in g , P e titio n e ra d m itte d th e a lle g a tio n s o f th e N o tic e to A pp ea r a nd decl i ned t o d es i gn at e acoun tryof re m ov al . T he D H S , ho w ever , desi gn at ed S erbi a- M on t enegro. A ther s ub se qu entre m ov al hear i ng , P et i t i on er r e ite r a te d w h a t s h e s a id in h e rc r e d ib le f e a rin te rv ie w , a d d in g th a t s h e b e g a n to ha ve pr obl e m s i n K os ovo w he n s he a nd he rf a m i l y j oi ne d the D e m oc r a t i c L e a gue o f K o s o v o ( “L D K ” ) , w h ic h w a s a n e th n ic A lb a n ia n p a r ty th a t “w a s e s tab lis h e d to defe nd the hu m an ri gh t s of peopl e i n K osov [o] , because [ they] w er e opp re ss ed unde rthe S e rbi a n rul e . ” A c c or di ng t o he r , the w a ri n K os ovo w a s be tw e e n the S e rbi a n A rm y a nd the e thni c A l ba ni a ns , a nd oc c urr e d f r om 1996 thr ough 1998. S he re po rt ed thather f

am i l y f l ed t o A l bani a f

or three m on ths, and aft erthey4

r e turne d t o K os ovo, the S e rbi a ns t ol d he rf a m i l ytha tthe y s houl d notha ve re turned, and the ethn i c A l bani ans w ho had fou gh ti n the w art ol d h erfa m i l y that the y w e r e tr a i t or s f

ornotj oi ni ng the f

i ghta nd s houl d notha ve r e turne d. S he expl ai ned thatex-s ol di er s, bo th S erbi an and form erK L A m em bers , m i stre at ed her and h erfa m i l y e very w here thatthey w ent . P et i t i on eral so sa i d that , on three oc c a s i ons , m e m be r s of

the K L A hi the rf

a the r ’ s c a rw hi l e he w a s dr i vi ng t o w or k; on the thi r d oc c a s i on, the y t ol d hi m tha the c oul d nots t a y i n K os ovo be c a us e he w a s a tr a i t or . P e t i t i one rs a i d tha t , i f s he w a s r e turne d t o K os ovo, s he c oul d notl i ve the r e a nd ha d no l i f

e r e m a i ni ng the r e . S he ha d s poke n t o he rpa r e nt s , w ho r e m a i ne d i n K os ovo, a nd the y t ol d he rnott o r e turn be c a us e the y c ont i nue d t o be m i stre at ed and “ they” m i gh tse nd her s om ew here t o b e aprost i tut e. T he I J f ound P e t i t i one r ’ s t e s t i m ony notc r e di bl e , de ni e d he rappl i c a t i on f or a s y l um i n f

ul l , a nd or de r e d he rr e m ova l . I n hi s de c i s i on, w hi c h he ha nde d dow n on F ebruary16 , 20 05 , the IJst at ed thatP et i t i on erw as a nat i ve and ci t i ze n o f A l bani a. P et i t i on erappeal ed the IJ ’ s dec i si on t o the B IA . T here , she c on t ended that (1) the IJerre d b y f

i nd i ng thatshe w as a nat i ve and ci t i ze n o f A l bani a, ra ther than

“ a nat i ve of Y ug osl avi a a nd ci t i ze n o f S erbi a & M on t enegro”; (2) s he t es t i fi ed c r e d ib ly ; a n d ( 3 ) s h e w a s p e r s e c u te d o n a c c o u n t o f h e re th n ic ity . O n Jul y 11, 20 06 , the B IA di sm i ss ed the appeal . In do i ng so, the B IA as sum ed thatP et i t i on er ’ s t es t i m on y w as cr edi bl e. H avi ng do ne that , the B IA5

e x p lic itly f

o u n d th a t P e titio n e rw a s a n e th n ic A lb a n ia n , “a n a tiv e o f Y u g o s la v ia a nd c i t i z e n of

S e rbi a - M ont e ne gr o, ” a nd tha tthe c ondi t i ons of S e rbi a - M ont e ne gr o, w hi ch had chang ed, di d n otsupp orther c l ai m thatshe w ou l d b e per se cut ed as an e th n ic A lb a n ia n . In h er p et i t i o n t o u s, P et i t i o n er co n t en d s fi rstth ath er p ro ced u ral d u e p ro cess ri gh t s w er e vi ol at ed because she w as no tgi ven the op po rtun i ty t o p re se ntevi dence “d ir e c te d a g a in s t h e rr e m o v a l to A lb a n ia , th e c o u n try to w h ic h [ th e I J ] in te n d e d to i ss ue a r em ov al order. ” S he al so cont ends thatshe properl y e xh aust ed her a dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s a s t o thi s i s s ue , a nd e ve n i f s he di d not , w e a r e “ obl i ga t e d” t o r e vi e w thi s i s s ue be c a us e s he ( 1) w a s notgi ve n the oppor tuni ty t o appl y f or r e lie f f r o m r e m o v a l to th e c o u n try th a t s h e w a s o r d e r e d r e m o v e d , a n d ( 2 ) “w ill suff eri rr epar abl e harm i f aprop erre vi ew of her . . . cl ai m s i s notcom pl et ed. ” Ou rf i r s tt a s k i n c o n s i d e r i n g th e p e t i t i o n a th a n d i s t o d e t e rm i n e wh e th e rwe ha ve s ubj e c tm a tt e rj ur i s di c t i on. G onz a l e z - O r ope z a v. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 321 F . 3d 1 3 3 1 , 1 3 3 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . “A c o u r t m a y r e v ie w a f in a l o r d e ro f

r e m o v a l o n ly if

. . . the a l i e n ha s e xha us t e d a l l a dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s a va i l abl e t o the a l i e n a s of r ig h t . . . .” I m m ig r a tio n a n d N a tio n a lity A c t ( “I N A ” ) § 2 4 2 ( d ) ( 1 ) , 8 U .S .C . § 12 52 (d)( 1). T hi s r equi re m enti s j uri sdi ct i on al and b ar s r evi ew of cl ai m s notra i se d be f or e the B I A . S unda rv. I N S , 328 F . 3d 1320, 1323 ( 11th C i r . 2003) . T he e x h a u s tio n r e q u ir e m e n t g iv e s th e B I A th e o p p o r tu n ity to d is c o v e ra n d c o rr e c t its6

ow n e rr or . I d. a t1325. T he “ e xha us t i on r e qui r e m e nte ns ur e s [ tha tD H S ] ha s ha d a f u l l o p p o r tu n i ty t o c o n s i d e ra p e t i t i o n e r ’ s c l a i ms . . . . ” A ma y a - A r tu n d u a g a v . U . S. A tt ’ y G e n. , 463 F . 3d 1247, 1250 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( i nt e rna l c i t a t i ons a nd quot a t i ons o m i tt ed ). In A m aya-A rtu n d u ag a, th e p et i t i o n er cl ai m ed th atth e IJ’ s b i as ag ai n st hi m re sul t ed i n a fund am ent al l y unfai r proce edi ng . Id. at12 51 . W e f i rs tcl ar i fi ed th at“ th e g o al s o f ex h au st i o n are b ett er serv ed b y . . . d ecl i n i n g t o rev i ew cl ai m s a p e titio n e r , w ith o u t e x c u s e o re x c e p tio n , f a ile d to p r e s e n t b e f

o r e th e B I A , e v e n if the B IA addres se d the un derl yi ng i ss ue sua s po nt e. ” I d. at12 51 . W e then sai d that a pet i t i on er ’ s a l l egat i on “ thathe w as deni ed a f ul l and fai r hea ri ng before a neutra l f a c t f i nde r ” i s the ty pe of

pr oc e dur a l due pr oc e s s c l a i m tha tr e qui r e s e xha us t i on, a n d w e s u b s e q u e n tly d is m is s e d th e p e titio n f o rla c k o f

ju r is d ic tio n . I d . W e la c k ju r is d ic tio n to r e v ie w P e titio n e r ’s p r o c e d u r a l d u e p r o c e s s c la im b e c a u s e s h e d i d n o tr a i s e th e c l a i m i n h e rn o t i c e o f ap p e a l o rb r i e f

b e f o r e th e B I A. A l though s he a r gue d, i n he rnot i c e of appe a l , tha tthe I J e rr e d byhol di ng tha ts he w a s a n a tiv e a n d c itiz e n o f A lb a n ia , r a th e rth a n S e rb ia - M o n te n e g r o , s h e f a ile d to al l ege avi ol at i on of her procedural du e proces s r i gh t s or a ss ertthatshe w as deni ed a f ul l a nd f a i rhe a r i ng. W e the r e f

or e di s m i s s the pr oc e dur a l due pr oc e s s c l a i m f or la c k o f ju r is d ic tio n . P e t i t i one rc ont e nds tha tonl y the D H S m a y i s s ue a not i c e t o appe a r , a nd w hen the IJfoun d thatshe w as a nat i ve and ci t i ze n o f acoun trythathad n otbeen7

char ged i n the no t i ce t o app ea r, the IJ , w i tho utl egal autho ri ty, “ es se nt i al l y l od ged hi s ow n f

a c tua l a l l e ga t i ons a ga i ns t[ he r ] . ” S he f ur the rc ont e nds tha tthe e rr or s ugge s t s tha tthe I J m i s t a ke nl y be l i e ve d “ tha the w a s a s s e s s i ng a c a s e i nvol vi ng A lb a n iac itiz e n s h ip a n d p e rh ap s e v e n A lb a n ia n c o u n try c o n d itio n s .” W e r e v ie w “o n ly th e d e c is io n o f th e B I A , ‘e x c e p t to th e e x te n t th a t it e xpr e s s l y a dopt s the I J ’ s opi ni on. ’ ” N r e ka v. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 408 F . 3d 1361, 1368 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ). B ecau se, i n th i s case, th e B IA i ssu ed i t s o w n o rd er, w e rev i ew i t s re as on i ng . T he B IA ’ s f

ac tual det erm i nat i on s a re re vi ew ed un der the subst ant i al e vi de nc e t e s t , a nd w e “ m us ta f f i rm the B I A ’ s de c i s i on i f i ti s s uppor t e d by reaso n ab l e, su b st an t i al , an d p ro b at i v e ev i d en ce o n th e reco rd co n si d ered as a w ho l e. ” A l N ajj arv. A shcr oft , 25 7 F . 3d 12 62 , 12 83 -84 (11 th C i r. 20 01 ) ( i nt ernal quot a t i ons om i tt e d) . “ T o r e ve r s e the [ B I A ’ s ] f a c tf i ndi ngs , w e m us tf

i nd tha tthe r e c o r d n o t o n ly s u p p o r ts r e v e r s a l, b u t c o m p e ls it.” M e n d o z a v . U .S . A tt’y G e n ., 32 7 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). T he fa ctthatevi dence i n the re cord m ay a ls o s u p p o r t ac o n c lu s io n c o n tr a ry to th e a d m in is tr a tiv e f in d in g s is n o t e n o u g h to ju s tif y a r e v e r s a l. S ilv a v . U .S . A tt’y G e n ., 4 4 8 F .3 d 1 2 2 9 , 1 2 3 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) . T o th e ex t en tth atP et i t i o n er cl ai m s th atth e IJ erred b y fi n d i n g th atsh e w as a na t i ve a nd c i t i z e n of

A l ba ni a , r a the rtha n S e rbi a - M ont e ne gr o, w e do notr e vi e w the fi nd i ng the IJ ’ s dec i si on w as no tthe fi nal re m ov al order. T he B IA i ss ued the fi nal o r d e ra n d it c o rr e c tly d e te rm in e d th a t P e titio n e rw a s a n a tiv e o f f o rm e rY u g o s la v ia8

a nd c i t i z e n of

S e rbi a - M ont e ne gr o. M or e ove r , nothi ng i n the r e c or d c om pe l s the r e ve r s a l of

the B I A ’ s f

i ndi ng tha tthe c ondi t i ons of S e rbi a - M ont e ne gr o di d not s u p p o r t h e rc la im th a t s h e w o u ld b e p e r s e c u te d a s a n e th n ic A lb a n ia n . W e th e r e f

o r e d e n y r e v ie w o f

th is c la im . P e titio n e r ’s f

in a l p o in t is th a t th e I J ’s e rr o rin o r d e r in g h e rr e m o v e d to A l ba ni a s ugge s t s tha tthe I J “ f a i l e d t o pr ovi de e ve n the m os tba s i c a s s e s s m e ntof her . . . cl ai m s. ” S he cont ends that(1) i ti s uncl ea r w hether the IJun ders t oo d that S e rb ia - M o n te n e g r o a n d A lb a n iaw e r e s e p a r a te n a tio n s ; a n d ( 2 ) th e B I A “s h o u ld have t aken adm i ni stra t i ve no t i ce ” of thatfa ctand correc t ed the IJ ’ s e rr or. A s n o te d ab o v e , b e c a u s e th e B I A ’s o r d e ris th e f in a l r e m o v a l o r d e r , th a t is th e d e c is io n w e r e v ie w . T he B I A s pe c i f

i e d tha t( 1) P e t i t i one rw a s a na t i ve of f or m e rY ugos l a vi a a nd c itiz e n o f S e rb ia - M o n te n e g r o , a n d th a t ( 2 ) th e c o n d itio n s o f S e rb ia - M o n te n e g r o d id nots uppor the rc l a i m tha ts he w oul d be pe r s e c ut e d a s a n e thni c . N othi ng i n the r e c or d c om pe l s r e ve r s a l of thi s f i ndi ng. T h e p e titio n is a c c o r d in g ly DI SM I SS ED I N PART; DENI ED I N PART.