FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT JANUARY 10, 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- 12276 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N o. A 96- 017- 506 X H E V A T G A S H I , 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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aD e c i s i on of

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_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 10, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , H U L L an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

X he va tG a s hi , ana t i ve a nd c i t i z e n of K os ovo, thr ough c ouns e l , pe t i t i ons f or r e vi e w of

the B oa r d of

I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s ’ ( “ B I A ” ) de c i s i on de ny i ng hi s m ot i on t o r e ope n hi s pr oc e e di ngs r e ga r di ng hi s appl i c a t i on f ora s y l um , f

i l e d pur s ua ntt o 8 U . S . C . §§ 1158, 1231. G a s hi a r gue s tha tthe B I A s houl d ha ve gr a nt e d hi s m ot i on t o reopen b ec ause he pres ent ed new and m at er i al evi dence of changed cou ntry cond i t i on s i n K osov o thatsupp ort ed hi s app l i ca t i on for a sy l um . F or the re as on s s et f o r th m o r e f

u lly b e lo w , w e d e n y G a s h i’s p e titio n f o rr e v ie w . G as hi arri ved i n the U ni t ed S t at es un der the vi saw ai ver program and w as re fe rr ed t o the Im m i grat i on Judg e ( “ IJ ”) for a sy l um -onl y proce edi ng s. G as hi fi l ed a n appl i c a t i on f

ora s y l um , a l l e gi ng tha the w a s pe r s e c ut e d i n K os ovo on a c c ountof h is n a tio n a lity a s a n e th n ic A lb a n ia n a n d h is s ta tu s a s am e m b e ro f th e D e m o c r a tic L e a gue of

K os ovo ( “ L D K ” ) . T he I J de ni e d G a s hi ’ s appl i c a t i ons f orr e l i e f , f i ndi ng tha tG a s hi ha d notm e thi s bur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng tha the s uf f e r e d pa s tpe r s e c ut i on i n K os ovo orha d aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on the r e on a c c ountof one of the pr ot e c t e d gr ounds . S pe c i f i c a l l y , the I J c onc l ude d tha tG a s hi ha d notpr e s e nt e d a c r e di bl e c l a i m tha ts uppor t e d hi s appl i c a t i ons f orr e l i e f . G a s hi appe a l e d t o the B IA , w hi ch af

fi rm ed the IJ ’ s deni al of G as hi ’ s app l i ca t i on s f or re l i ef on N ov em ber 15 , 20 05 . T he B IA foun d thatthe IJ ’ s a dv er se cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on w as s uf f i c i e nt l y s uppor t e d by the r e c or d. G a s hi the n pe t i t i one d thi s C our tf orr e vi e w of th e B IA ’ s an d IJ’ s d eci si o n s, b u tw e d i sm i ssed th e p et i t i o n as u n t i m el y.Wiki pedia is a f reeinternet encyclopedia that is collaboratively written by

its readers 1 and ca n be edited by

anyone. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W ikipedia:Introduction. 3 O n F e b ru a ry 7 , 2 0 0 6 , G a s h i f ile d b e f o r e th e B I A am o tio n to r e o p e n h is a s y l um - onl y pr oc e e di ngs , pur s ua ntt o 8 C . F . R . § 1003. 2( c ) , on the gr ounds tha the had n ew evi dence thatw as m at er i al and p re vi ou sl y unavai l abl e a nd thatthere w er e c ha nge d c ountry c ondi t i ons i n hi s de s i gna t e d c ountry of r e m ova l . I n hi s m ot i on, G as hi cont ended thathe had n ew evi dence i n the form of af fi davi t s f rom w i tness es thatw er e pre vi ou sl y unavai l abl e a nd w ou l d corrobo ra t e the pers ec ut i on he suff er ed i n K os ovo. H e a l s o a r gue d tha tthe de a th of the P r e s i de ntof

the L D K c ha nge d the c o u n try c o n d itio n s in K o s o v o s u c h th a t, if G a s h i w e r e r e tu rn e dth e r e , h e w o u ld

“ s ur e l y ” be pe r s e c ut e d by oppos i t i on pa r t i e s tha tw e r e be y ond the c ontr ol of the g o v e rn m e n t. G a s hi s ubm i tt e d e i ghte xhi bi t s i n s uppor tof hi s m ot i on t o r e ope n. F i ve of G a s hi ’ s e xhi bi t s w e r e a f f i da vi t s f r om hi m s e l f

, hi s w i f e , a nd hi s f

r i e nds f r om K o s o v o c o n c e rn in g th e p e r s e c u tio n th a t G a s h i s u f f e r e d w h ile h e w a s in K o s o v o . G a s hi c l a i m e d tha thi s r e m a i ni ng thr e e e xhi bi t s s upport e d hi s a s s e r t i ons r e ga r di ng the c ha nge d c ountry c ondi t i ons i n K os ovo. F i r s t , G a s hi s ubm i tt e d abi ogr aphy of Ibra hi m R ug ov a f

rom the W i ki pedi a w ebsi t e, w hi ch i nd i ca t ed thatR ug ov a w as 1 the pr e s i de ntof

K os ovo a nd the L D K a nd ha d di e d on J a nua ry 21, 2006. S e c ond, G a s h i in c lu d e d a n a r tic le f r o m M S N B C .c o m , e n title d “K o s o v o P r e s id e n t I b r a h im4

R ugovade a d a t61: I c on of e thni c A l ba ni a n dr i ve t o w i n i nde pe nde nc e ha d l ung c a nc e r . ” T he a r t i c l e i ndi c a t e d tha tR ugova ’ s de a th l e f t“ al e a de r s hi p va c uum a tthe m os ts e ns i t i ve t i m e s i nc e the K os ovo w a re nde d i n 1999” a nd tha tthe gove rnm e nt h a d “e x p r e s s e d f

e a r s th a t R u g o v a ’s s u c c e s s o rm ig h t n o t s h a r e h is c o m m itm e n t to n o n v io le n c e .” I t f

u r th e rs ta te d th a t e th n ic A lb a n ia n s w e r e a9 0 p e r c e n t m a jo r ity in K osov o and thatthe U ni t ed N at i on s S ec re t ary- G ener al K ofi A nn an bel i eved that R ugova ’ s de a th w oul d notdi s ruptK os ovo’ s dr i ve f ori nde pe nde nc e . L a s t l y , G a s hi s u b m itte d a n a r tic le f

r o m U S A T O D A Y .c o m , e n title d “K o s o v o P r e s id e n t I b r a h im R ugovaD i e s , ” w hi c h i nc l ude d s i m i l a ri nf orm a t i on a s tha ti n the M S N B C . c om a r tic le . I n r e v ie w in g G a s h i’s m o tio n to r e o p e n , th e B I A f o u n d th a t G a s h i f

a ile d to es t abl i sh thatthe af

fi davi t s he s ub m i tt ed w er e pre vi ou sl y unavai l abl e. T he B IA det erm i ned, ho w ever , that , even consi deri ng the st at em ent s i n the af fi davi t s, they d id n o t c o n ta in s u f

f ic ie n t f a c tu a l d e ta il to e s tab lis h th a t th e I Jc le a r ly e rr e d in its a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty f

i ndi ng. W i th r e ga r d t o the ne w s a r t i c l e s tha tG a s hi s ubm i tt e d, the B I A f

ound tha tthe y di d “ note s t abl i s h am a t e r i a l c ha nge i n c ountry c ondi t i ons or that[G as hi ] has are as on abl e w el l -f ou nd ed fe arof re turn t o K osov o. ” T he B IA thus de ni e d G a s hi ’ s m ot i on t o r e ope n, c onc l udi ng tha tG a s hi di d notpr e s e nt s u f f ic ie n t e v id e n c e to w a rr a n t r e o p e n in g h is p r o c e e d in g s . O n ap p e a l, G a s h i a r g u e s th a t th e B I A ab u s e d its d is c r e tio n in d e n y in g h is5

m ot i on t o r e ope n be c a us e the B I A di d nots pe c i f y w hy i tf

ound tha thi s e vi de nc e of c ha nge d c ountry c ondi t i ons di d notw a rr a ntar e ope ni ng. G a s hi c ont e nds tha tthe B IA di d n otconsi der a l l of the evi dence thathe pres ent ed re gardi ng the changed cond i t i on s i n K osov o. H e f urther a rgues thathi s new evi dence of changed cou ntry c o n d itio n s w a s c ru c ia l to h is c la im s b e c a u s e it c o n tr a d ic te d th e I J ’s f in d in g , in h is o r ig in a l p r o c e e d in g , th a t G a s h i f a ile d to s h o w th a t h e c o u ld n o t h a v e s o u g h t h e lp f r o m th e L D K to a v o id p e r s e c u tio n .

“ 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. ” A bdi v. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 430 F . 3d 1148, 1149 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . “ O ur r e vi e w i s l i m i t e d t o de t e rm i ni ng w he the rthe r e ha s be e n a n e xe r c i s e of a dm i ni s tr a t i ve di s c r e t i on a nd w he the rthe m a tt e rof e xe r c i s e ha s be e n a rbi tr a ry or c ap r ic io u s .” I d . ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . G a s hi f i l e d hi s m ot i on t o r e ope n ba s e d upon c ha nge d c ountry c ondi t i ons a nd pur s ua ntt o 8 C . F . R . § 1003. 2( c ) , w hi c h s t a t e s tha ts uc h am ot i on “ s ha l l notbe grant ed un l es s i tappears t o the B oard thatevi dence s ou gh tt o b e off er ed i s m at er i al a nd w a s nota va i l abl e a nd c oul d notha ve be e n di s c ove r e d orpr e s e nt e d a tthe f o rm e rh e a r in g .” 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( c ) ( 1 ) ; s e e a ls o 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( c ) ( 3 ) ( ii) (i nd i ca t i ng thatan al i en m ayfi l e am ot i on t o reopen b as ed up on changed cou ntry cond i t i on s i n the al i en’ s c ou ntryof nat i on al i ty) . M oreover, the B IA “ has d is c r e tio n to d e n y am o tio n to r e o p e n e v e n if th e p a r ty m o v in g h a s m a d e o u t a6

p r im af a c ie c a s e f

o rr e lie f .” 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( a ) . W e h a v e p r e v io u s ly h e ld th a t: [ a ] tam i ni m um , the r e a r e a tl e a s tthr e e i nde pe nde ntgr ounds upon w hi c h [ the B I A ] m a y de ny am ot i on t o r e ope n: 1) f a i l ur e t o e s t abl i s h a pri m a f ac i e c as e; 2) fa i l ure t o i ntrodu ce evi dence thatw as m at er i al a nd pr e vi ous l y una va i l abl e ; a nd 3) ade t e rm i na t i on tha tde s pi t e the a l i e n’ s s t a tut ory e l i gi bi l i ty f orr e l i e f , he ors he i s note nt i t l e d t o a f a v o r ab le e x e r c is e o f

d is c r e tio n . A l N ajj arv. A shcr oft , 25 7 F . 3d 12 62 , 13 02 (11th C i r. 20 01 ). A s G a s h i in d ic a te d b e f

o r e th is C o u r t a n d th e B I A , h e s o u g h t to r e o p e n h is a s y l u m - o n l y p r o c e e d i n g s b a s e d u p o n c h a n g e d c o u n try c o n d i t i o n s i n Ko s o v o . An a s y l um appl i c a ntc a n e s t abl i s h aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on by pr e s e nt i ng “ s pe c i f

i c , de t a i l e d f

a c t s s how i ng agood r e a s on tha the ors he w i l l be s i ngl e d outf

orpe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof ” the s t a tut or i l y l i s t e d f

a c t or . S e pul ve da v . U .S . A tt’y G e n ., 4 0 1 F .3 d 1 2 2 6 , 1 2 3 1 ( 1 1 th C ir .2 0 0 4 ) ( e m p h a s is in o r ig in a l) (quo t at i on om i tt ed). A l t ernat i vel y, an appl i ca ntca n al so es t abl i sh a w el l -f ou nd ed f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on, w i thouts how i ng tha the w oul d be s i ngl e d outf orpe r s e c ut i on, i f the appl i c a nte s t abl i s he s tha tthe r e i s apa tt e rn orpr a c t i c e of pe r s e c ut i on of pe r s ons s i m i l a r l y s i tua t e d t o the appl i c a nton a c c ountof the i rr a c e , r e l i gi on, n a t i o n a l i ty , me mb e r s h i p i n ap a r t i c u l a rs o c i a l g r o u p , o rp o l i t i c a l o p i n i o n . 8 C. F. R. § 2 08 . 13 (b)( 2)(i i i ). A s a n i ni t i al m att er , re vi ew of G as hi ’ s app el l at e bri ef i nd i ca t es thathe do es notc ha l l e nge the B I A ’ s f i ndi ng tha tthe a f

f i da vi t s G a s hi s ubm i tt e d i n s uppor tof7

hi s m ot i on t o reopen w er e ( 1) no tprevi ou sl y unavai l abl e, and (2) even i f they w e r e , th e y d id n o t e s tab lis h th a t th e I J c le a r ly e rr e d in its a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility f in d in g . G a s h i a r g u e s b e f o r e th is C o u r t o n ly th a t h is m o tio n to r e o p e n w a s tim e ly and thatthe B IA erre d i n i t s f i nd i ng w i th regard t o h i s e vi dence of changed cou ntry c o n d itio n s . A c c o r d in g ly , G a s h i h a s ab a n d o n e d a n y a r g u m e n t th a t th e a f f id a v its w ar ra n ted a r eo p en in g o f h is as ylu m -o n ly p ro ce ed in g s. S ee M en d o za v . U .S . A tt ’y G e n. , 327 F . 3d 1283, 1286 n. 3 ( 11th C i r . 2003) ( s t a t i ng tha ta n i s s ue notr a i s e d on appeal i s aband on ed). C on ce rni ng G as hi ’ s c l ai m re gardi ng changed cou ntrycond i t i on s, the B IA di d notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on by de ny i ng G a s hi ’ s m ot i on t o r e ope n be c a us e the doc um e nt a ry e vi de nc e pr e s e nt e d i n s uppor tof hi s m ot i on di d note s t abl i s h a m a t e r i a l c ha nge i n c ountry c ondi t i ons i n K os ovo tha tw oul d ha ve m a de G a s hi e l i g i b l e f o ra s y l u m r e l i e f

. Se e 8 C. F. R. § 1 0 0 3 . 2 ( c ) ( 1 ) . A l th o u g h G a s h i c l a i ms thatR ug ov a’ s dea th so chang ed the coun trycond i t i on s i n K osov o t o the ext entthat G a s h i w a s n o w e lig ib le f o ra s y lu m r e lie f

, th e n e w s a r tic le s a r e n o t p r o b a tiv e o f h is c la im s b e c a u s e th e y s h o w e d n o in c id e n ts o f v io le n c e a g a in s t e th n ic A lb a n ia n s . R a the r , the a r t i c l e s r e f

e rr e d onl y t o the pos s i bi l i ty tha tR ugova ’ s s uc c e s s or“ m i ght n o tsh are h i s co m m i tm en tt o n o n v i o l en ce. ” In ad d i t i o n t o st at i n g th atp o ssi b i l i ty, one a r t i c l e i ndi c a t e d tha te thni c A l ba ni a ns w e r e a90 pe r c e ntm a j or i ty i n K os ovo an d th at th e U n it ed N atio n s S ec re tary -G en er al K o fi A n n an b eliev ed th at R u g o v a’s8

death w ou l d n otdi srup tK osov o’ s dri ve for i nd ependence. T he art i cl es there fore d o n o t in d ic a te th a t th e r e is ap a tte rn o rp r a c tic e in K o s o v o o f p e r s e c u tin g e th n ic A lb a n ia n s o rth a t G a s h i w o u ld b e s in g le d o u t f o rp e r s e c u tio n o n a c c o u n t o f h is s t a tus a s a n e thni c A l ba ni a n. S e e 8 C . F . R . § 208. 13( b) ( 2) ( i i i ) ; S e pul ve da , 401 F . 3d a t1231. T hus , the a r t i c l e s do nots uppor tG a s hi ’ s f e a rof r e turni ng t o K os ovo. M or e ove r , t o the e xt e nttha tG a s hi c l a i m s tha tthe B I A di d nota ddr e s s a l l of hi s e vi de nc e of

c ha nge d c ountry c ondi t i ons orpr ovi de ar e a s on f ori t s de c i s i on, thatar gu m enti s w i tho utm er i tbecause ( 1) the B IA no t ed thatG as hi had sub m i tt ed a r t i c l e s r e ga r di ng R ugova ’ s de a th, buttha tthos e a r t i c l e s di d note s t abl i s h a m a t e r i a l c ha nge i n c ountry c ondi t i ons ortha tG a s hi ha d aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on i f

r e turne d t o K os ovo, a nd ( 2) the B I A r e f e r e nc e d 8 C . F . R . § 1003. 2, w hi ch re qu i re s thata m ot i on t o reopen shal l no tbe grant ed un l es s the evi dence s oughtt o be of

f e r e d i s m a t e r i a l . S e e O s uc hukw u v. I N S , 744 F . 2d 1136, 1142- 43 (5th C i r. 19 84 ) ( expl ai ni ng thatthe B IA “ has no d uty t o w ri t e a n exegesi s on every c ont e nt i on. W ha ti s r e qui r e d i s m e r e l y tha ti tc ons i de rthe i s s ue s r a i s e d, a nd a nnounc e i t s de c i s i on i n t e rm s s uf f i c i e ntt o e nabl e ar e vi e w i ng c our tt o pe r c e i ve th a t it h a s h e a r d a n d th o u g h t a n d n o t m e r e ly r e a c te d ” ) . A c c o r d in g ly , th e B I A d id notabus e i t s di s c r e t i on i n de ny i ng G a s hi ’ s m ot i on t o r e ope n, a nd, thus , hi s pe t i t i on fo r rev i ew i s DE NI E D.