FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT Januar y 19, 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- 13967 N on -A rgum entC al endar

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B I A N o s . A 95- 263- 153 & A 97- 192- 075 M A R C O A N T O N I O R O J A S - I R I A R T E , M A R C E L A G O M E Z B L A N C O , P e titio n e r s , 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.

________________________ P e t i t i on f orR e vi e w of

aD e c i s i on of

the B o a r d o f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 19, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , B L A C K an d M A R C U S , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: P et i t i on er s M ar co A nt on i o R oj as -I ri art e ( R oj as ) and M ar ce l a G om ez -B l ancoRojas also sought withholdingrelief under theU.N. Convention Ag ainst Torture ( CAT). 1 Gomez did likewise. Both were denied such relief . In their petitions to this court, ne ither petitioner c halleng e s th e denial and thu s arede eme d tohavea ba ndon e d a ny ob je c tio n th ey

may havehad to the CAT ruling s. 2 (G om ez ), hi s w i fe , ar e nat i ves and ci t i ze ns of C ol om bi a, S . A . R oj as w as adm i tt ed t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s on M a r c h 17, 2002, a s anon- i m m i gr a nts tude ntt o a tt e nd A t l a nt aE ngl i s h I ns t i tut e ( A E I ) . O n M a r c h 27, 2002, he f i l e d a n appl i c a t i on f

or a s y lu m a n d w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l. O n M a y 2 3 , 2 0 0 2 , h e r e c e iv e d aN o tic e to

1 A ppe a r , w hi c h a l l e ge d tha the ha d nota tt e nde d A E I , ac ondi t i on of hi s noni m m i gr a nts t a tus , a nd thus w a s s ubj e c tt o r e m ova l unde rs e c t i on 237( a ) ( 1) ( C ) of th e I m m i g r a t i o n a n d Na t i o n a l i ty Ac t( I NA ) , 8 U. S . C . § 1 2 2 7 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( C ) . On S e pt e m be r28, 2002, G om e z w a s a dm i tt e d t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s a s anon- i m m i gr a nt vi s i t orw i th pe rm i s s i on t o r e m a i n unt i l M a r c h 27, 2003. O n M a r c h 28, 2003, s he appl i ed for a sy l um and w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . S he re ce i ved a N ot i ce t o A pp ear on M ay28 , 20 03 , w hi ch al l eged thatshe w as subj ec tt o rem ov al because s he had r e m a in e d in th e U n ite d S ta te s f o rap e r io d lo n g e rth a n au th o r iz e d . I d . A tthei r i ni t i al appearances before an Im m i grat i on Judg e ( IJ ), pet i t i on er s c onc e de d r e m ovabi l i ty . T he i rc a s e s w e r e the n c ons ol i da t e d, a nd on D e c e m be r22, 2004, a n I J he l d a n e vi de nt i a ry he a r i ng on the i rappl i c a t i ons f ora s y l um a nd w ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l. A t th e c o n c lu s io n o f th e h e a r in g , th e I J d e n ie d th e ir appl i c a t i ons . T he y appe a l e d the I J ’ s de c i s i ons t o the B oa r d of I m m i gr a t i on3

A ppe a l s ( B I A ) , and on A pr i l 13, 2005, the B I A a f f i rm e d the I J ’ s de c i s i ons w i thout opi ni on. O n M ay 11, 2006, pe t i t i one r s m ove d the B I A t o r e c ons i de ri t s rul i ng, a nd on J une 22, 2006, the B I A gr a nt e d the i rm ot i ons , va c a t e d i t s A pr i l 13, 2005 de c i s i on, a nd i s s ue d ane w de c i s i on a f f i rm i ng the I J ’ s de ni a l s of a s y l um a nd w ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l. R o

ja s a n d G o m e z n o w p e titio n th is c o u rt f o rr e v ie w . W he n the B I A i s s ue s ade c i s i on, w e r e vi e w onl y tha tde c i s i on, “ e xc e ptt o the e xt e nttha tthe B I A e xpr e s s l y a dopt s the I J ’ s ” de c i s i on. A l N a jj a rv. A s hc r of

t , 257 F .3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 8 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . I n th is c a s e , a lth o u g h th e B I A d id n o t e x p r e s s ly a doptthe I J ’ s de c i s i on, i tr e l i e d on the I J ’ s r e a s oni ng a nd di d notpr e s e nta ny a ddi t i ona l a na l y s i s orba s e s f ora f f i rm i ng the I J . T he r e f

or e , w e r e vi e w both the B I A a nd the I J ’ s de c i s i ons . “ T o the e xt e nttha tthe B I A ’ s [ a nd the I J ’ s ] de c i s i on w as base d o n a l egal det erm i nat i on , thi s c ou rt ’ s r evi ew i s de nov o. ” D -M uh um ed v. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 38 8 F . 3d 81 4, 81 7 (11 th C i r. 20 04 ). F ac tual det erm i nat i on s are r e vi e w e d unde rthe s ubs t a nt i a l 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 a nd I J ’ s f i ndi ngs of

f a c t“ i f [ the y a r e ] s upport e d by r e a s onabl e , s ubs t a nt i a l , a nd pr oba t i ve e vi de nc e on the r e c or d c ons i de r e d a s aw hol e . ” A l N a jj a r , 257 F . 3d a t 1 2 8 4 ( c ita tio n a n d q u o ta tio n s o m itte d ) . T h e s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e te s t is

“ defe re nt i al ” and do es no tal l ow “ re -w ei gh [i ng ] the evi dence fr om sc ra t ch. ” M a z a r i e gos v. O f

f i c e of U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 241 F . 3d 1320, 1323 ( 11th C i r . 2001) (quo t at i on s om i tt ed). “ T o revers e the . . . fa ctfi nd i ng s, w e m ustfi nd thatthe re cord4

notonl y s upport s r e ve r s a l , butc om pe l s i t . ” M e ndoz av. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 327 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). A n a l i e n w ho a rr i ve s i n ori s pr e s e nti n the U ni t e d S t a t e s m a y appl y f or as yl um . S ee IN A § 2 08 (a )( 1), 8 U . S . C . § 1 15 8(a) (1). T he A tt orney G ener al ( w hos e de c i s i on i n thi s m a tt e ri s de e m e d the pr oduc tof the D e pa rtm e ntof H o m elan d S ec u rity) h as d iscr etio n to g ra n t asy lu m if th e a li en m ee ts th e I N A ’s d e f in itio n o f a“r e f u g e e .” S e e I N A § 2 0 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) . A

“ refu g ee” i s a ny pe r s on w ho i s out s i de a ny c ountry of s uc h pe r s on’ s na t i ona l i ty or , i n the ca se of a per son h avi ng no nat i on al i ty, i s out si de any c ou ntryi n w hi ch such pe r s on l a s thabi tua l l y r e s i de d, a nd w ho i s unabl e orunw i l l i ng t o r e turn t o, and i s unabl e or unw i l l i ng t o avai l hi m se l f or her se l f of the prot ec t i on of, tha tc ountry be c aus e of

pe r s e c ut i on oraw e l l - f

ounde d f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on on ac coun tof ra ce , re l i gi on , nat i on al i ty, m em bers hi p i n a part i cul arsoci al gr oup, orpol i t i c a l opi ni on. I N A § 101( a ) ( 42) ( A ) ; 8 U . S . C . § 1101( a ) ( 42) ( A ) . T he a s y l um appl i c a ntc a rr i e s the b u r d e n o f

p r o v i n g s t a tu t o ry “ r e f

u g e e ” s t a tu s . Se e Al Na jj a r , 2 5 7 F. 3 d a t1 2 8 4 . To es t abl i sh as yl um el i gi bi l i ty, the al i en m ust , w i th speci fi c and cr edi bl e e vi dence, es t abl i sh (1) pas tpers ec ut i on on ac coun tof a s t atut ori l y l i st ed fa ct or, or (2) a

“ w el l -f ou nd ed fe ar ” thatthe st atut ori l y l i st ed fa ct or w i l l cause s uch future pers ec ut i on . 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 13 (a ), (b). “ D em on stra t i ng such a c on nect i on re qu i re s the a l i e n t o pr e s e nts 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 t o f e a rtha the or she w i l l be si ng l ed ou tfor per se cut i on on ac coun tof” ast atut ory f ac t or. A l N ajj ar ,5

25 7 F . 3d at12 87 (quo t at i on s and ci t at i on om i tt ed). T o qua l i f y f orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l unde rthe I N A , a n a l i e n m us ts how thati f r em ov ed, hi s or herl i fe or fr ee do m w ou l d b e threa t ened on ac coun tof ra ce , r e l i gi on, na t i ona l i ty , m e m be r s hi p i n apa rt i c ul a rs oc i a l gr oup, orpol i t i c a l opi ni on. I N A § 241( b) ( 3) ; 8 U . S . C . § 1231( b) ( 3) . “ A n a l i e n be a r s the bur de n of de m ons tr a t i ng tha the m or e - l i ke l y - tha n- notw oul d be pe r s e c ut e d ort ortur e d upon h is r e tu rn to th e c o u n try in q u e s tio n .” M e n d o z a , 3 2 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 7 . I f a n a lie n is un abl e t o m ee tthe st andard of proo f f or as yl um , the al i en i s gener al l y pre cl ud ed f r om qua l i f

y i ng f orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l . A l N a

jj a r , 257 F . 3d a t1292- 93. I f the a l i e n e s t abl i s he s pa s tpe r s e c ut i on, i ti s pr e s um e d tha tthe a l i e n’ s l i f e or fr ee do m w ou l d b e threa t ened up on a r eturn t o thatcoun try . 8 C . F . R . §§ 20 8. 13 (b), 2 0 8 .1 6 ( b ) . A n a lie n w h o h a s n o t s h o w n p a s t p e r s e c u tio n m a y s till b e e n title d to as yl um or w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al by dem on stra t i ng a f uture threa tt o h i s or her l i fe or fr ee do m on a prot ec t ed grou nd i n h i s or hercoun try . Id. §§ 20 8. 13 (b)( 2), 2 0 8 .1 6 ( b ) ( 2 ) . T o e s tab lis h a“w e ll- f o u n d e d f e a r ,” “a n ap p lic a n t m u s t d e m o n s tr a te th a th i s f e a ro f p e r s e c u t i o n i s s u b

j e c t i v e l y g e n u i n e a n d o b j e c t i v e l y r e a s o n ab l e . ” Al N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 9 ( d is c u s s in g w e ll- f o u n d e d f e a ra s it ap p lie s to a s y lu m ) . A l so, as w i th p as tpers ec ut i on , i f the B IA fi nd s thatthe al i en coul d avo i d a future threa tby re l ocat i ng t o ano ther partof hi s c ou ntry , the al i en cann otdem on stra t e a w el l -f ou nd ed fe arof pers ec ut i on . S ee 8 C . F . R . §§ 20 8. 13 (b)( 1)-( 2), 20 8. 16 (b)( 1)-6

( 2 ) ; M a z a r ie g o s , 2 4 1 F .3 d a t 1 3 2 7 . “N o t a ll e x c e p tio n a l tr e a tm e n t is p e r s e c u tio n .” G on za l ez v. R eno, 21 2 F . 3d 13 38 , 13 55 (11th C i r. 20 00 ). “ [P ] er se cut i on i s an e xtr e m e c onc e pt , r e qui r i ng m or e tha n af e w i s ol a t e d i nc i de nt s of ve rba l ha r a s s m e nt or i nt i m i dat i on , ” and “ m er e har as sm entdo es no tam ou ntt o p er se cut i on . ” S epul veda v. A tt orney G ener al , 40 1 F . 3d 12 26 , 12 31 (11th C i r. 20 05 ). T he IJand B IA base d thei r dec i si on s f or the m ostparton the evi dence pr e s e nt e d t o the I J a tthe D e c e m be r22, 2004 he a r i ng on the i rappl i c a t i ons f or a s y lu m a n d w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l. R o

ja s w a s th e f

ir s t w itn e s s to te s tif

y . H e s a id tha the f i r s te nt e r e d the U ni t e d S t a t e s i n 1981 f orava c a t i on. H e r e e nt e r e d the U ni t e d S t a t e s f

ourm or e t i m e s : on M a r c h 6, M a y 14, a nd O c t obe r10, 2001, a nd on M a r c h 17, 2002. H e c a m e he r e on M a r c h 6 be c aus e he w a s “ runni ng a w a y f r om th e th r e a ts ” a g a in s t h is f a m ily . H e c a m e o n as tu d e n t v is ato s tu d y a t G e o r g ia T ec h. H e s tud i ed there for e i gh tm on ths, then returned t o C ol om bi a on D ec em ber 16, 2001 t o m a rry G om e z . W he n f a c e d w i th w ha the s t a t e d i n hi s a s y l um appl i c a t i on, he a dm i tt e d tha the ha d r e turne d t o C ol om bi atw i c e be tw e e n M a r c h 6 a nd D e c e m be r16, 2001. H e r e turne d t o C ol om bi aon M a y 4, t o he l p G om e z , a nd a ga i n on S e pt e m be r27 t o he l p he rge ta“ pe rm i tt o the U ni t e d S t a t e s ” thr ough G e or gi aT e c h. H e r e m a i ne d i n C ol om bi af r om D e c e m be r16, 2001 t o M a r c h 17, 2002, t o “ s t a rta l l ove rw i th m y l i f e ” be f or e m a rry i ng G om e z ( on M a r c h 8, 2002, n in e d a y s b e f

o r e h is la te s t e n try in to th e U n ite d S ta te s ) .7

O n M ar ch 14 , 20 02 , he experi ence d w hathe desc ri bed as a“ m urder a tt e m pt . ” H e a nd G om e z w e r e on hone y m oon i n aC a rt a ge nahot e l ( w he r e he happ ened t o b e e m pl oyed). F ou r arm ed m en, i dent i fy i ng them se l ves a s

“ C ol om bi a n a rm e d f

or c e s , ” e nt e r e d the hot e l a nd a s ke d f orhi m . T he c l e rk s a i d he w as no tthere . A ho t el em pl oyee w entt o thei r r oo m and t ol d them abou tthe m en l oo ki ng for R oj as . R oj as and G om ez then h i d o n the ho t el roof, un t i l the m en depart ed. T hey l ef

tw i tho utfurther i nci dent . R oj as op i ned thatthe m en w er e go i ng t o m urder hi m for hi s pol i t i ca l ac t i vi t i es and b ec ause he w as the son o f a h ig h r a n k in g n a v a l o f

f ic e r . H e w a s c o n v in c e d th a t “th e y w ill m u r d e rm e ” if h e is r e turne d t o C ol om bi abe c aus e the y tr i e d onc e be f or e ( w he n he a nd G om e z w e r e on h o n e y m o o n ) . O n c r o s s - e x a m in a tio n , R o ja s te s tif ie d th a t h is p a r e n ts c o n tin u e d to liv e in C ol om bi a . H i s f

a the r , w ho ha d “ hi s ow n body gua r ds , ” di d notw a ntt o l e a ve the c o u n try . R o

ja s b r o th e ra n d s is te rle f t C o lo m b iain 2 0 0 0 a n d n e v e rr e tu rn e d . T h e I J s ta te d th a t h e w a s tr o u b le d b y th e f a c t th a t R o

ja s h a d r e tu rn e d to C ol om bi a three t i m es du ri ng the peri od he cl ai m ed thathe fe ar ed for hi s l i fe . T he I J a c know l e dge d tha tR oj a s ’ s s i s t e rha d be e n gr a nt e d a s y l um a nd tha the di d not l i ke t o m ake “ i ncon si st ent ” dec i si on s w i thi n the sa m e f am i l y. T he IJconcl ud ed th a t d e n y in g R o

ja s a s y lu m w o u ld n o t b e in c o n s is te n t, h o w e v e r , b e c au s e h is rep eat ed tri p s b ackt o C o l o m b i a (fro m th e U n i t ed S t at es) d i st i n g u i sh ed h i s caseRojas’s brother had applied for asylum, but, according to Rojas’s attorney, the application 2 had been denied. 8 fro m h i s si st er’ s. 2 G o m ez t est i fi ed ab o u ttw o i n ci d en t s sh e ex p eri en ced i n C o l o m b i a. T h e fi rst w a s the m ur de ra tt e m ptof M a r c h 14, 2002, w hi c h R oj a s ha d de s c r i be d. T he s e c ond i nc i de ntoc c urr e d on A ugus t24, 2002. S he w a s “ hi di ng” i n F r e s no, T el l i m a bec ause R oj as had g on e t o the U ni t ed S t at es . “ T hey [ pres um abl y the m en w ho ha d c om e t o the hot e l on M a r c h 14] w a nt e d t o f i nd m e . ” “ T he da y a f

t e rthe [ M a r c h 1 4 ] a tte m p t in C a rta g e n a , th e y le f t am e s s a g e a t m y o f

f ic e in B o g a ta. . . thatthey w er e goi ng t o fi nd m e a s they have notfoun d m y husband . ” S he w as c onvi nc e d tha tthe “ gue r i l l a s i f the y f i nd us a ga i n, I don’ tthi nk w e ’ r e goi ng t o run w ith th e s a m e g o o d lu c ka n d th is tim e th e y w ill m u r d e ru s .” A ft er h eari n g p et i t i o n ers’ t est i m o n y, th e IJ fo u n d n o i ssu e as t o cred i b i l i ty, an d b eliev ed th at R o

jas h ad “su ff

er ed so m e th re at” b ec au se o f h is an d h is fa th er ’s p o litic a l a c tiv ity . N o n e th e le s s , th e in c id e n ts R o ja s a n d G o m e z d e s c r ib e d d id n o t, i n the I J ’ s vi e w , a m ountt o pe r s e c ut i on. N e i the rw e r e “ phy s i c a l l y ha rm e d i n a ny w ay . ” W e a gree w i th the IJand B IA thatthe al l eged i nci dent s of per se cut i on w er e i s ol a t e d i nc i de nt s of

ve rba l ha r a s s m e ntori nt i m i da t i on, w hi c h do notr i s e t o the l evel of pers ec ut i on . A tm ost , these i nci dent s w er e m er e threa t s; R oj as w as never9

ha rm e d a nd G om e z r e m a i ne d i n C ol om bi af ors i x m onths w i thouti nc i de nta f t e rthe th r e a ts w e r e m a d e . S e e S e p u lv e d a , 4 0 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 3 1 . I n a d d itio n , R o ja s ’s p a r e n ts cont i nu e t o l i ve there , albei tw i th b od yguards. M ore t el l i ng , tho ug h, w as the fa ct R o ja s c o n tin u e d to r e tu rn to C o lo m b iad e s p ite th e th r e a ts . H is r e p e a te d r e tu rn s to C o lo m b ian o t o n ly u n d e rm in e d p e titio n e r s ’ c la im s o f p a s t p e r s e c u tio n , b u t de m ons tr a t e s tha tthe pe t i t i one r s di d notha ve a n obj e c t i ve w e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n . T h e r e f o r e , th e e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d d o e s n o t c o m p e l a r e ve r s a l of

the I J ’ s a nd B I A ’ s de ni a l of the i rpe t i t i on. B e c aus e the pe t i t i one r s ha ve fa i l ed t o m ee tthe l ow erbu rden of proo f f or as yl um , they nec es sari l y f ai l t o m ee t the hi gh erbu rden of proo f f or w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . A l N ajj ar , 25 7 F . 3d at 1 2 9 2 - 9 3 . I n c o n c l u s i o n , a f

t e rc a r e f u l r e v i e w o f

th e r e c o r d a n d th e p a rt i e s ’ b r i e f s , we c onc l ude tha ts ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e s upport s I J ’ s a nd B I A ’ s de c i s i ons a nd tha tthe p e titio n s s h o u ld b e d e n ie d . P E T I T I ON S DE NI E D.