FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT JUNE 6, 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- 15435 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N o. A 79- 682- 918 R I C A R D O F R A Z I L E , 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.

________________________ 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

_________________________ ( Ju n e 6, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H an d D U B IN A , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: P e titio n e rR ic a r d o F r a z ile ( “F r a z ile ” ) , an a tiv e a n d c itiz e n o f H a iti,2

p ro ce ed in g th ro u g h co u n se l, se ek s r ev iew o f th e B o ar d o f I m m ig ra ti o n A p p ea ls’s (“ B IA ”) deci si on adop t i ng and aff i rm i ng the i m m i grat i on j ud ge’ s ( “ IJ ”) order denyi ng hi s app l i ca t i on for a sy l um and w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . F or the fi rs tt i m e, on appe a l , F r a z i l e a l s o a s s e rt s tha tthe I Jvi ol a t e d hi s due pr oc e s s r i ghtt o ahe a r i ng a nd tha the w a s e nt i t l e d t o r e l i e f unde rthe doc tr i ne of

i m put e d pol i t i c a l opi ni on. I. T h e I Jm u s t m a k e a n e x p lic it c r e d ib ilityd e te rm in a tio n . Y an g v. U . S. A t t ’y G e n. , 418 F . 3d 1198, 1201 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . I n the pr e s e ntc a s e , the I Jm a de sp eci fi c ad v erse cred i b i l i ty fi n d i n g s, n o t i n g th atsh e d i d n o t“ fi n d [F razi l e’ s] t e s t i m ony c r e di bl e , a nd hi s t e s t i m ony [ w a s ] nots uf f i c i e nt l y de t a i l e d, c ons i s t e nt , or bel i evabl e t o p rovi de a pl ausi bl e and coherentac coun tof the basi s f or hi s f ears

. . . . ” T h e o n l y ev i d en ce th atF razi l e i n tro d u ced , th e b i rth cert i fi cat es, w as al so co n si d ered b y th e IJ. M oreover, “ thi s c ou rtm ayno tsubst i tut e i t s j ud gm entfor thatof the B IA w i th res pectt o cre di bi l i ty f i nd i ng s. ” D -Muhum e d v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 388 F . 3d 814, 818 ( 11th C i r . 2004) . “ O nc e a n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty f i ndi ng i s m a de , the bur de n i s on the appl i c a nta l i e n t o s how tha tthe I J ’ s c r e di bi l i tyde c i s i on w a s not supp ort ed by spec i fi c, cogentre as on s or w as no tbase d o n sub st ant i al evi dence. ” For gue v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 401 F . 3d 1282, 1287 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i on m a rks a nd c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . A n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i tyde t e rm i na t i on a l one m a y be3

the basi s f

or denyi ng an as yl um appl i ca t i on i f the appl i cantprod uces no evi dence o th e rth a n h is te s tim o n y . I d. If th e ap p l i can tp ro d u ces ev i d en ce th en i tm u stal so b e c o n s id e r e d b y th e I J . I d. F r a z ile ’s in te rn a llyin c o n s is te n t te s tim o n y a n d th e d is c r e p a n c ie s b e tw e e n h is ap p lic a tio n a n d te s tim o n y a r e n o t m e r e lyin c id e n ta l to h is c la im . F r a z ile ’s c la im is pr e m i s e d on hi s ne e d t o l e a ve H a i t i i m m e di a t e l y a f t e rpa rt i c i pa t i ng i n a de m ons tr a t i on i n N ove m be r1999. Y e t , he arr i ve d i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s i n 2002 a nd co u l d n o tex p l ai n w h ato ccu rred d u ri n g th e th ree i n t erv en i n g years. H e al so t est i fi ed t o l eav i n g H ai t i i n 2 0 0 1 an d o n S ep t em b er 9 , 2 0 0 2 . A d d i t i o n al l y, h e fi rst t es t i fi ed thathe l ef

tH ai t i i m m edi at el y a ft erthe dem on stra t i on and then st at ed that he ha d r e c e i ve d m e di c a l c a r e f orthr e e da y s . H e a l s o ga ve thr e e di f f e r e ntda t e s f

or w h e n th e d e m o n s tr a tio n w a s h e ld . F r a z ile te s tif ie d th a t h e w a s v e h e m e n tly op po se d t o the A rt i st i de go vernm ent , ye tl ac ked rud i m ent ary kno w l edge of H ai t i an pol i t i c s , be i ng unabl e t o di s t i ngui s h ade pa rtm e ntf r om at ow n orc i ty a nd not unde r s t a ndi ng the dut i e s of as e na t or . A ddi t i ona l l y , the s ol e e l e c t i on i n w hi c h he c l a i m e d t o ha ve vot e d doe s notappe a rt o ha ve oc c urr e d. A c c or di ngl y , w e c onc l ude f r om the r e c or d tha tthe I J ’ s c r e di bi l i ty de c i s i on w a s s u p p o rte d b y s p e c if ic , c o g e n t r e a s o n s a n d w a s b a s e d o n s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e . See For gue , 401 F . 3d a t1287. II.4

T o the e xt e nttha tthe B I A ’ s de c i s i on w a s ba s e d on al e ga l de t e rm i na t i on, rev i ew i s de no vo . Mo h a m m e d v . A s h c r o

ft , 26 1 F . 3d 12 44 , 12 47 -48 (11 th C i r. 20 01 ). T he B IA ’ s f

ac tual det erm i nat i on s are 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 upport 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

a jja rv . A s h c r o

ft , 257 F . 3d 1262, 1283- 84 ( 11th C i r . 2001) ( quot a t i on m arks and ci t at i on om i tt ed). T he subst ant i al evi dence t es ti s “ 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 az ar i egos v . O

f f i c e of U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 241 F . 3d 1320, 1323 ( 11th C i r . 2001) . 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 d e c is io n . A l

N aj j ar , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 4 . H e r e , b e c au s e th e B I A e x p r e s s ly a dopt e d the I J ’ s de c i s i on, w e r e vi e w the I J ’ s de c i s i on. “T o r e v e r s e th e I J ’s f

a c t f in d in g s , w e m u s t f

in d th a t th e r e c o r d n o t o n ly supp ort s r ever sa l , bu tcom pel s i t . ” Me ndoz a v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 327 F . 3d 1283, 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ) ( consi deri ng w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al cl ai m ). T he fa ctthat e vi de nc e i n the r e c or d m a y a l s o s upportac onc l us i on c ontr a ry t o the a dm i ni s tr a t i ve f in d in g s is n o t e n o u g h to ju s tif y ar e v e r s a l. A de

fe m i v . A s h c r o

ft , 386 F . 3d 1022, 10 27 (11th C i r. 20 04 ). 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 a s y l um . I N A § 208( a ) ( 1) , 8 U . S . C . § 1158( a ) ( 1) . T he A tt orne y G e ne r a l or5

S e c r e t a ry of

the D e pa rtm e ntof

H om e l a nd S e c ur i ty ha s di s c r e t i on t o gr a nta s y l um i f th e a l i e n me e t s th e I N A ’ s d e f i n i t i o n o f a“ r e f u g e e . ” I N A § 2 0 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) , 8 U . S. C. § 1158( b) ( 1) . A “ r e f

uge e ” i s de f

i ne d i n the I N A a s a n i ndi vi dua l w ho i s unw i l l i ng o ru n ab le to r e tu rn to h is c o u n try o f n a tio n a lity“b e c au s e o f p e r s e c u tio n o raw e llf o u n d e d f e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n o n a c c o u n t o f r a c e , r e lig io n , n a tio n a lity , m e m b e r s h ip in ap a rtic u la rs o c ia l g r o u p , o rp o litic a l o p in io n . . . .” I N A § 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( 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 bur de n of pr ovi ng s ta tu to ry “r e f

u g e e ” s ta tu s . A l

N aj j ar , 257 F . 3d a t1284. T o e s t abl i s h a s y l um el i g i b i l i ty, th e al i en m u st , w i th sp eci fi c an d cred i b l e ev i d en ce, est ab l i sh (1 ) p ast pers 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 ” th a tth e s t a tu t o r i l y l i s t e d f a c t o rw i l l c au s e s u c h f

u tu r e p e r s e c u t i o n . 8 C. F. R. § 2 0 8 .1 3 ( a ) , ( b ) ; se e A l

N aj j ar , 257 F . 3d a t1287. “ D e m ons tr a t i ng s uc h a c onne c t i on r e qui r e 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 re as on t o fear thathe or she w i l l be s i ngle d out for per se cut i on on ac coun tof [a st atut ory f

ac t or] . ” A l

N aj j ar , 257 F . 3d a t1287 ( i nt e rna l quot a t i on m a rks a nd ci t at i on om i tt ed) ( em ph as i s i n o ri gi nal ). N e i the rthe I N A northe r e gul a t i ons de f i ne “ pe r s e c ut i on, ” butw e ha ve i nd i ca t ed that“ pers ec ut i on i s an extre m e c on ce pt , re qu i ri ng m ore than a few 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, a nd tha tm e r e ha r a s s m e nt do es no tam ou ntt o p er se cut i on . ” Se pulv e da v . U

. S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226,6

1 2 3 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) ( q u o ta tio n m a rk s , c ita tio n , a n d a lte r a tio n o m itte d ) . “N o t a ll exce pt i on al tre atm enti s per se cut i on . ” G onz alezv . R e no , 212 F . 3d 1338, 1355 (11th C i r. 20 00 ). F or exam pl e, m enac i ng t el epho ne threa t s do n otri se t o the l evel o f p a s t p e r s e c u tio n . Se

pulv e da , 40 1 F . 3d at12 31 . F urtherm ore, a f i ve-day d et en t i o n d u ri n g w h i ch an al i en i s n o th arm ed d o es n o tco m p el a fi n d i n g o f p ast p e r s e c u tio n . Zhe ng v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 4 5 1 F .3 d 1 2 8 7 , 1 2 9 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) , c e r t. deni ed , 12 7 S . C t . 11 24 (J an. 16 , 20 07 ). T he a s y l um appl i c a ntdoe s notne e d t o s how tha the w i l l be s i ngl e d outf or pe r s e c ut i on i f

he e s t abl i s he s a“ pa tt e rn orpr a c t i c e ” i n hi s c ountry of “ pe r s e c ut i on of agr oup of

pe r s ons s i m i l a r l y s i tua t e d” on a c c ountof apr ot e c t e d gr ound a nd a r e a s o n ab l e f

e a ro f p e r s e c u t i o n b a s e d o n h i s i n c l u s i o n i n th a tg r o u p . 8 C. F. R. § 2 08 . 13 (b)( 2)(i i i ).

“ If the al i en es t abl i shes pastpers ec ut i on i n h i s c ou ntrybase d o n a prot ec t ed g r o u n d , it is p r e s u m e d th a t h is lif e o rf r e e d o m w o u ld b e th r e a te n e d u p o n r e tu rn to hi s c ou ntryun l es s the IN S [or D H S ] show s by aprepon derance of the evi dence tha t , a m ong othe rthi ngs , ( 1) the c ountry ’ s c ondi t i ons ha ve c ha nge d s uc h tha tthe appl i c a nt ’ s l i f

e orf r e e dom w oul d no l onge rbe thr e a t e ne d upon hi s r e m ova l ; or( 2) th a t th e a lie n c o u ld a v o id af u tu r e th r e a t to h is lif

e o rf r e e d o m b y r e lo c a tin g to a n o th e rp a rt o f

th e p r o p o s e d c o u n try o f r e m o v a l, a n d it w o u ld b e r e a s o n ab le to expecthi m t o d o so. ” Men do za , 327 F . 3d 1287.7

A n ap p lic a n t m a y e s tab lis h a“w e ll- f o u n d e d f e a r ” b y d e m o n s tr a tin g th a t h is fe arof pers ec ut i on i s “ subj ec t i vel y genui ne and o bj ec t i vel y r ea sonabl e. ” Al N aj j ar , 257 F . 3d a t1289. A n a lie n s e e k in g w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l u n d e rth e I N A m u s t s h o w th a t h is

“ l i f e orf r e e dom w oul d be thr e a t e ne d i n tha tc ountry be c aus e of hi s r a c e , r e l i gi on, n a t i o n a l i ty , m e m b e r s h i p i n ap a rt 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 . ” I NA § 2 4 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) ( A ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 3 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) ( A ) ; 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 6 ( b ) . T h e a lie n m u s t de m ons tr a t e 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 hi s r eturn t o the coun tryi n q uest i on . ” Men do za , 327 F . 3d a t1287. W e ha ve ex p l ai n ed th atth i s b u rd en o f p ro o f i s “ m o re stri n g en t ” th an th e b u rd en t o est ab l i sh a s y lu m e lig ib ility . Se

pulv e da , 401 F . 3d a t1232. A f te rr e v ie w in g th e r e c o r d , w e c o n c lu d e th a t s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e s u p p o rts the de ni a l of

r e l i e f . T he onl y e vi de nc e i ntr oduc e d, the bi rth c e rt i f i c a t e s a nd the coun tryre po rt , al so supp ortthe deni al of re l i ef . T he bi rth cert i fi ca t es w er e i n co n si st en tw i th F razi l e’ s t est i m o n y an d co n t ai n ed n o su g g est i o n o f p ast pers ec ut i on or a w el l -f

ou nd ed fe arof future pers ec ut i on , and the un re fut ed coun try r e p o rt e s tab lis h e s th a t r e lo c a tio n w a s p o s s ib le . See Men do za , 3 2 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 7 . T h e r e f o r e , w e c o n c lu d e th a t F r a z ile h a s n o t m e t th e h ig h b u r d e n n e c e s s a ry to s u p p o rt r e v e r s a l o n h is a s y lu m a n d w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l c la im s . See i d. III.8

G en eral l y, rev i ew o f co n st i tu t i o n al ch al l en g es i s de no vo . L ony e m v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 35 2 F . 3d 13 38 , 13 41 (11th C i r. 20 03 ).

“ T he e xhaus t i on r e qui r e m e ntappl i c abl e t o i m m i gr a t i on c a s e s i s f ound i n 8 U . S . C . § 1252( d) ( 1) , w hi c h pr ovi de s tha t‘ [ a ] c ourtm a y r e vi e w af i na l or de rof r e m o v a l o n lyif

. . . th e a lie n h a s e x h au s te d a ll a d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s a v a ilab le to the al i en as of ri gh t . ’ ” Su n da rv . I NS , 3 2 8 F .3 d 1 3 2 0 , 1 3 2 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . W e vi ew thatre qu i re m entas j uri sdi ct i on al and, there fore , l ac k “ j uri sdi ct i on t o con si der cl ai m s thathave no tbeen rai se d b ef ore the B IA . ” I

d. C on st i tut i on al chal l enges a nd s om e due pr oc e s s c l a i m s do notr e qui r e e xhaus t i on be c aus e the B I A doe s not h a v e th e au th o r ityto a d ju d ic a te th o s e c la im s . I d. a t1325. N e ve rthe l e s s , w he r e the B I A c a n pr ovi de ar e m e dy t o the c ons t i tut i ona l c l a i m , “ the e xhaus t i on r e qui r e m e nt appl i es w i th ful l forc e. ” I d. ( hol di ng tha ta n a l i e n s houl d ha ve e xhaus t e d hi s due proces s c l ai m thatthe IJ ’ s and B IA ’ s app l i ca t i on of an i m m i grat i on st atut e vi ol at ed the C ons t i tut i on, be c aus e “ [ i ] tw a s w i thi n the B I A ’ s author i ty t o r e c ons i de ra nd change i t s dec i si on ”) . I n th e p r e s e n t c a s e , th e r e c o r d d e m o n s tr a te s th a t F r a z ile f a ile d to e x h au s t h is adm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es re gardi ng w hether hi s due proces s r i gh tt o a heari ng w as vi ol a t e d. H e r a i s e d thi s i s s ue f orthe f i r s tt i m e on appe a l t o thi s c ourta nd di d not pr ovi de the B I A w i th a n opportuni ty t o pr ovi de ar e m e dy . T hus , the e xhaus t i on r e qui r e m e ntappl i e s t o F r a z i l e ’ s due pr oc e s s c l a i m a nd tha tport i on of hi s pe t i t i on9

f o rr e v ie w is d is m is s e d . See Sundar , 328 F . 3d a t1323, 1325. A ddi t i ona l l y , he f a ile d to e x h au s t h is a d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s r e g a r d in g w h e th e rh e w a s e n title d to r e l i e f unde rthe doc tr i ne of

i m put e d pol i t i c a l opi ni on. H e r a i s e d thi s i s s ue f orthe f ir s t tim e o n ap p e a l to th is c o u rt. T h e r e f o r e , w e a ls o d is m is s th a t p o rtio n o f h is p e titio n f o rr e v ie w . See Sundar , 328 F . 3d a t1323. PETI TI O N D EN I ED I N PA R T, D I SM I SSED I N PA R T.