# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 5- 21 02

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Arm in da Del Ca rm en San ta cru z

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

v.

Lore tt a E. Ly

nc h, At to rn ey

Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta te s

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

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Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of a n Ord er o f th e Bo ard of I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

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Su bm it te d: Octo be r 20 , 20 16

Fil ed : Dec em

be r 23 , 20 16 [Un pu bl is he d]

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Befo re WOL LMAN, SMITH, an d C OLLOTO N, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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PER CURI AM.

Arm in da Del Carm en S a n t acru z pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of th e Bo ard of

Im m ig rat io n App eal s’s (BIA) or de r di sm is si ng he r ap pe al of an im m ig rat io n jud ge ’s
(IJ ) de ni al of he r ap pl ic at io ns fo r as y lu m , wi th ho ld in g of rem ov al , a nd rel ie f u n d er

th e Co nv en ti on Agai ns t To rtu re (C AT). W e d en y th e p et it io n fo r rev ie w.S an ta cru z, a na ti ve an d ci ti zen of El Sal va do r, en te red th e Uni te d St a t e s

w i t h ou t in sp ect io n or do cu m en ta ti on in Nov em be r 20 09

. Afte r th e Dep art m en t o f

Hom el an d Secu rit y in it ia te d rem ov al pr oc eed in gs , San ta cru z co nc ed ed th at sh e was

rem ov ab le an d ap pl ie d fo r as yl u m, w it hh ol di ng of rem ov al

, an d CAT rel ie f. Sh e

as se rte d th at sh e h a d b e en ab us ed in El Sal va do r by Osc ar Garci a, he r fo rm er

do m es ti c pa rtn er an d th e fat he r of he r two ch il dr en , an d th at sh e fear ed fu tu re ab us e by Garcia if s he were fo rced to ret ur n.

At a he ari ng be fo r e t h e i m m ig rat io n jud ge (IJ ), San ta cru z te st ifi ed th at sh e

li ve d wit h Gar c i a i n h is fat he r’s ho m e fro m 19 95 to 20 06 an d th at Garci a be ga n to

m is tre at he r aft er th ey ha d be en li vi ng to ge th er fo r ab ou t th ree y ears

. Sh e st at ed th at

Garci a “ wou ld co m e ho m e ve ry ag g r e s s i v e ” an d th at he m is tre at ed he r “ [a] lo t of

ti m es .” Sh e te st ifi ed th at in 20 01 or 20 02

, Garci a arri ve d ho m e in to xi cat ed

, br ok e a

m irr or , and “ hu gg ed ” h er wh il e h ol di ng a pi ece of br ok en gl as s as if “ he was g oi ng

to do so m et hi ng on [h er] th ro at .” Sh e al so te st ifi ed th at o n an ot he r un sp eci fie d

oc cas io n, Garci a cam e ho m e in to xi ca t e d an d “ ve ry ag gr es si ve ” an d in su lt ed he r by

c a ll in g he r “ a bi g craz y wom an an d

. . . a pr os ti tu te .” In ad di ti on to in ci d e n t s

in vo lv in g Garci a, San ta cru z te st ifi ed th at

, whi le sh e was gr owi ng up , bo th he r un cl e

an d he r st ep fat he r at te m pt ed to rap e h e r on se pa rat e oc cas io ns bu t th at he r

g r a nd m ot he r in te rv en ed each ti m e. San ta cru z al so st at ed th at he r st ep fat he r

th reat en ed he r m ot he r wit h a m ach et e in 19 96 or 19 97

. Alt ho ug h th e p o l i c e w ere

cal le d, th ey di d no t arre st he r st ep fat he r. Sh e al so te st ifi ed th at aft er be in g rap ed

, he r

y ou ng co us in wen t to th e po li ce, who to ok he r to th e ho sp it al bu t ul ti m at el y “ di dn ’t

do an y th in g a bo ut it .”

San ta cru z st at ed th at in Octo be r 20 06

, Garci a be at he r wit h hi s fis ts

, ki ck ed he r,

a n d a tt em

pt ed to rap e he r be cau se sh e qu es ti on ed hi m ab ou t hi s m is tr e s s

. Im m ed ia te ly aft er th is i n ci de nt , S an ta cru z to ok he r ch il dr en , wh o ha d be en pl ay in g

ou ts id e; le ft Garci a; an d m ov ed in wit h he r m ot he r, who li ve d so m e di st an ce away in

th e sa m e to wn. Sh e st at ed th at Garci a cam e to he r m ot he r’s ho us e a few m on th s la te r,

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-th reat en ed to ta ke th e ch il dr en , an d ag ai n at te m pt ed to rap e he r, bu t th at sh e was ab le

to es cap e by ru nn in g to he r gr an dm ot he r’s ho us e ne arb y

. Sh e la te r on ce sa w Garci a

whi le sh e was le av in g wor k bu t was ab le to ge t ho m e i n a ta xi “ th ro ug h di ffer en t

st reet s.” Garci a th erea fte r co nt act ed he r on on e oc cas io n, whe n he ag ai n cam e to he r

m ot he r’s ho us e an d th reat en ed to ta ke th e ch il dr en

. Afte r San ta cru z th reat en ed to cal l

th e po li ce, Garci a le ft an d di d no t co nt a c t h e r ag ai n. Sh e rel at ed no ot he r sp eci fic

in ci de nt s of ab us e by Garci a, an d sh e te st ifi ed th at sh e was ab le to wor k fro m th e ti m e

sh e le ft Garci a in 20 06 un ti l sh e le ft El Sal va do r in 20 09

. Sh e al so st at ed th at sh e

ne ve r cal le d th e po li ce to rep or t Garci a’s ab us e an d t h a t s h e n ev er so ug ht m ed ic al

tre at m en t fo r an in

jury relat ed to th at ab us e. San ta cru z te st ifi ed th at sh e ev en tu al ly

de ci de d to le av e El Sal va do r in 20 09 be cau se sh e “ was in de sp ai r,” sh e di d no t ha ve

Garci a’s “ su pp or t an y m or e,” an d sh e “ fel t tra pp ed wit ho ut

. . . an y type of pr ot ect io n

fro m [an y on e].” Sh e st at ed th at sh e was afra id to ret ur n to El Sal va do r be cau se Garci a

m ig ht on ce ag ai n h ur t h er.

The IJ fo un d San ta cru z “ to be ge ne ral ly cred ib le ,” b ut de ni ed he r cl ai m fo r

as y lu m be cau se sh e ha d fail ed to est ab li sh th at sh e su ffer ed ha rm ris in g t o t he le ve l

of pe r s e c u t io n, th at th e Sal va do ran go ve rn m en t was un wil li ng or un ab le to co nt ro l

Garci a, or th at sh e was a m em be r of ei th er of he r pr op os ed pa rti cu la r so ci al

g r o u ps —Sa lv ad or an wom en in do m es ti c rel at io ns hi ps who are un ab le to le av e o r

Sal va do ran wom en who are vi ewed as pr op ert y b y v i rtu e of th ei r do m es ti c

rel at io ns hi ps

. The IJ al so c o n c l u d e d th at be cau se San ta cru z fai le d to es ta bl is h he r

el ig ib il it y fo r as y lu m , s he ne ces sa ril y fai le d to m eet th e m or e d em an di ng st an da rd s

to est ab li sh he r el ig ib il it y for wit hh ol di ng of r em ov al an d C AT reli ef.

The BIA up he ld th e IJ ’s de ci si on to de ny rel ie f

, a g r e ei ng wit h th e IJ ’s

reas on in g in al l res pe ct s. As to San ta cru z’s cl ai m fo r C A T r e l i e f

, th e BIA

ac k n owl ed ge d th at th e co un try rep or ts an d ot he r ev id en ce su bm it te d by San ta cru z

“ de m on st rat e[d ] th at do m es ti c vi ol en ce co nt in ue s to be a di ffi cu lt si tu at io n in El

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-Sal va do r,” bu t th at th e rep or ts an d ev id en ce al so de m on st rat ed “ th at th e go ve rn m en t

[was ] ta ki ng st ep s t o i m

pr ov e th e si tu at io n fo r vi ct im s o f do m es ti c ab us e.”

S a nt acru z arg ue s th at th e BIA erre d in de te rm in in g th at sh e ha d fai le d t o

es ta bl is h th at sh e su ffer ed pa st pe rs ecu ti on or ha d a w e l l

- f ou nd ed fear of fu tu re

pe rs ecu ti on , th at sh e was a m em be r of a co gn iz ab le pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou p, an d th at

th e Sal va do ran g o v e r nm en t was un wil li ng or un ab le to co nt ro l he r pe rs ecu to r. W e

rev ie w th e BIA’s de ci si on fo r su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce on th e reco rd as a who le an d wil l

no t rev ers e it s “ fact ua l fin di ng s un le ss ‘the pe ti ti on er de m on st rat es th at th e ev id en ce

was so co m

pe ll in g th at no r e a s o n a bl e fact fin de r co ul d fai l to fin d in fav or of th e

pe ti ti on er.’” Garci a v. Hol de r, 74 6 F.3 d 86 9, 87 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ) (q uo ti ng Su pa ng at

v. Hol de r, 73 5 F.3 d 79 2, 79 5 (8 th C i r

. 20 13 ) (p er cu ria m )); se e al so 8 U.S.C.

§ 12 52 (b )(4 )(B) (s ta ti ng th at fin di ng s of fact can no t be di st ur be d “ un le ss an y

reas on ab le ad

jud ic at or wou ld be co m

pe ll ed to co nc lu de to th e co nt rary”). W e rev ie w

th e BIA’s le ga l de te rm in at io ns de no vo , gi vi ng du e de fere nc e to th e BIA’s

in te rp ret at io n of th e st at ut es an d reg ul at io ns it a d mi n i s t ers

. Sal m an v. Hol de r, 68 7

F.3 d 99 1, 99 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ). To th e ex t e n t th e BIA ad op te d th e fin di ng s or

reas on in g of th e IJ

, we co ns id er th e two de ci si on s to ge th er. Garci a, 74 6 F.3 d at 87 2.

To qu al ify fo r as y lu m , San ta cru z be ars th e bu rd en of de m on st rat in g th at sh e is

u n a b l e or un wil li ng to ret ur n to El Sal va do r be cau se of pa st pe rs ecu ti on or a well

fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on on acco un t of he r “ m em be rs hi p in a pa rti cu la r

so ci al gr ou p.” See 8 U.S.C. §§ 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A), 1 1 5 8 ( b ) ( 1)

. To qu al ify fo r

wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

, San ta cru z be ars th e ev en hi gh er bu rd en of de m on st rat in g a

“ cl ear pr ob ab il it y ” th at sh e wil l be pe rs ecu te d on acco un t of he r m e mbers hi p in a

pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou p. See Khr y st ot od or ov v. Mu ka se y , 55 1 F.3 d 77 5, 78 1 (8 th Ci r.

20 08 ) (n ot in g “ m or e st rin ge nt ” st an da rd of pr oo f fo r wit hh o ld in g of rem ov al ).

Pers ecu ti on is an “ ‘ext rem e co nc ep t’ th at in vo lv es th e in fli ct i o n o r th reat of de at h,

to rtu re, or in

jury to on e’s pe rs on or free do m on acco un t of a pr ot ect ed ch arac te ris ti c,”

Sh ag hi l v. Hol de r, 63 8 F.3 d 8 2 8

, 83 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (q uo ti ng Mal on ga v. Hol de r,

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-62 1 F.3 d 75 7, 76 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 )), an d “ do es no t en co m pa ss lo w-le ve l in ti m id at io n

an d ha ras sm en t,” La d yh a v

. Hol de r, 58 8 F.3 d 57 4, 57 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (q uo ti ng

G u ti erre z-Ol iv ares v. Mu ka se y , 53 3 F.3 d 94 6, 94 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 )). Fi na l l y, t o

qu al ify fo r CAT rel ie f, San ta cru z m us t es ta bl is h th at it is m or e li ke ly th an no t th at sh e

wou ld be su bjec te d to to rtu re if sh e were ret ur ne d to El Sal va do r—a “ m or e on ero us ”

st an d a r d th an th at fo r as y lu m or wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al “ in th at a li ke li ho od of

to rtu re req ui res m or e th an a well -fo un de d fear of pe rs ecu ti on ” an d “ m ay en co m pa ss

ab us e th at is m or e se ve re t ha n p ers ecu ti on .” Khrysto to do ro v, 5 51 F.3d at 7 82

.

San ta cru z ha d no fu rth er co nt act wit h Garci a aft er 20 07

, an d sh e co nt in ue d to

li ve an d wor k in th e sa m e to wn un m ol es te d by Garci a un ti l 20 0 9

, w h e n s h e le ft El

Sal va do r fo r th e Uni te d St at es

. The m is tre at m en t ex pe rie nc ed by San ta cru z do es no t

ris e to th e le ve l of pe rs ecu ti on an d was th us in su ffi ci en tl y se ve re to co m pe l a fin di ng

of pa st pe rs ecu ti on

. See, e.g ., Garci a-Co li nd res v. Hol de r, 70 0 F.3 d 11 53

, 11 57 (8 th

Ci r. 20 12 ) (h ol di ng no pa st pe rs ecu ti on whe re ap pl ic an t was de ta in ed fo r ei gh t ho ur s,

be at en , bu rn ed wit h a ci ga ret te

, an d th reat en ed wit h vi ol en ce); Mal on ga , 62 1 F.3 d at

76 5 (n ot in g th at “ev i d e n c e o f is ol at ed vi ol en ce do es no t co m pe l a fin di ng of

pe rs ecu ti on ” an d co nc lu di ng th at be at in gs , in juri es , an d de te nt io n, al th ou gh “ no t

in si gn ifi can t,” d id no t co m pe l s uc h a fin di ng (ci ta ti on om it te d) ).

San ta cru z arg ue s th at th e BIA di d no t co n s id er al l of th e in ci de nt s of

m is tre at m en t by Garci a th at sh e su ffer ed in th e pa st

. Bu t th e BIA ag reed wit h th e IJ

th at San t acru z di d no t pr es en t su ffi ci en t ev id en ce to es ta bl is h th os e ot he r al le ge d

in ci de nt s of ab us e. San ta cru z va gu el y refe rred to Garci a a s “al w a y s [b ei ng ] ve ry

ag gr es si ve ” to he r an d m is tre at in g h er “ lo t[s ] of ti m es ,” bu t s he pro vi de d n o d et ai ls

to su pp or t th es e as se rti on s. The Octo be r 20 06 in ci de nt was th e o n l y o c c a s io n in

whi ch Garci a ph y si cal ly as sa ul te d he r. The BIA was no t req ui red to “l i s t e v ery

po ss ib le po si ti ve an d ne ga ti ve fact or in it s de ci si on ” or “ writ e an ex eg is is on ev ery

co nt en ti on .” Mal on ga , 62 1 F.3 d at 76 4 ( c i t a ti on om it te d)

. Rat he r, it was req ui red

on ly t o “ co ns id er th e is su es rai se d, an d an no un ce it s de ci si on i n t e r ms s u ffi ci en t to

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-en ab le a rev ie win g co ur t to pe rcei ve th at it ha s he ard an d th ou gh t an d no t m erel y

reac te d.” Id

. (q uo ti ng Barr ag an -Verd uz co v

. I.N.S., 77 7 F.2 d 42 4, 42 6 (8 th Ci r.

19 85 )). The BIA reco gn iz ed an d co ns id ered th e ev id en ce pr es en te d by San ta cru z an d

pr op erl y acce pt ed th e te st im on y

th at was s uf

fic ie nt ly det ai le d a nd sp eci fic

.

Des pi te he r fai lu re to sh ow pa st pe rs ecu ti on , San ta cru z m ay st il l qu al ify fo r

as y lu m if sh e sh ows a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on , whi ch req ui res “ bo th

th at [s ]he act ua ll y fear s pe rs ecu ti on an d t h a t a ‘rea so na bl e pe rs on in [h er] po si ti on

wou ld fear pe rs ecu ti on if ret ur ne d to [h er] na ti ve co un try.” Set ia di v. Gon zal es , 43 7

F.3 d 71 0, 71 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ) (q uo ti ng Bert e v. Ash cro ft, 39 6 F.3 d 99 3, 99 6 (8 th Ci r.

20 05 )). W e fin d no erro r in th e BIA’s de ci si on reg ard in g Sa n t acru z’s fai lu re to

es ta bl is h a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu r e p e r s e c ut io n. Giv en th at San ta cru z was ab le

to li ve an d wor k un m ol es te d by Garci a fo r se ve ral y ears be fo re sh e le ft El Sal va do r,

sh e ha s no t sh own th at a reas o n a b l e pe rs on in he r po si ti on wou ld fear th e

co m pl ai ne d- of pe rs ecu ti on in th e fu tu re if sh e were ret ur ne d to El Sal va do r. See id

.

San ta cru z’s fai lu re to es ta bl is h th at sh e su ffer ed pa st pe rs ecut ion or th at sh e ha s

a wel l-f ou nd ed fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on su ffi ci en t to qu al ify for as y lu m pre cl ud es

a fin di ng of th e m or e on ero us cl ear pr ob ab il it y of pe rs ecu ti on ne ces sa ry to qu al ify fo r

wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

. Khr y st ot od or ov , 55 1 F.3 d at 78 1; se e al so Sal da na v. Ly nc h,

82 0 F.3 d 97 0, 97 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 16 ) (“ Bec au se th e [B I A ] pe rm is si bl y reject ed th e

pe ti ti on ers ’ cl ai m fo r as y lu m , it fo ll ows th at pe ti ti on ers di d n o t mee t th e hi gh er

st an da rd of p ro of

for wit hh ol di ng of r em ov al .”).

Lik ewis e, he r in su ffi ci en t sh owi ng on th e iss ue of pe rs ecu ti on ren de rs m oo t he r

arg um en ts reg ard in g he r m em be rs hi p in on e of he r pr op os ed pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou ps

. See Sal da na , 82 0 F.3 d at 97 5- 77 (d ecl in in g to ad dr es s pa rti cu la r-s oc ia l-g ro up is su e,

bu t de nyin g pe ti ti on fo r rev ie w du e t o in su ffi ci en t ev id en ce th at ha rm in fli ct ed by

pr iv at e act or s was “ pe rs ecu ti on ” th at go ve rn m en t co ndon ed or was un ab le to co nt ro l);

Sal m an , 68 7 F.3 d at 99 5 (co nc lu di ng t h a t be cau se pe ti ti on er’s fai lu re to es ta bl is h

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-go ve rn m en t acq ui es cen ce in ha ras sm en t was fat al to as y lu m cl ai m , th e co ur t ne ed no t

ad dr es s whe th er ha r a s s men t r os e to th e le ve l of pe rs ecu ti on or was ba se d on a

st at ut or il y pr ot ect ed gr ou nd ); Gut ie rrez -Vid al v. Hol de r, 70 9 F.3 d 72 8, 73 3 n.1 (8 th

Ci r. 20 13 ) (n ot in g th at be cau se pe ti ti on er di d no t de m on st rat e ha rm am ou nt in g to

pe rs ecu ti on , as y lu m cl ai m fai le d reg ard le ss of rel oc at io n is su e). Bec au se a

“ li ke li ho od of to rtu re req ui res m or e th an a well -fo un de d fe a r o f pe rs ecu ti on ” an d

“ m ay en co m

pa ss a b u s e th at is m or e se ve re th an pe rs ecu ti on ,” it al so fo ll ows th at

San ta cru z fai le d to es ta bl is h th at sh e was en ti tl ed to CAT rel ie f. Khr y st ot od or ov , 55 1

F.3 d a t 7 82

.

The pe ti ti on for rev ie w is de ni ed

.

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