FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT DEC 13, 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. 07- 12748 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc yN os . A 98- 702- 206 a nd A 98- 702- 207 A D R I A N A V A S Q U E Z A R A N G O , M A R I A C A M I L A M A R T I N E Z V A S Q U E Z , D A N I E L A M A R T I N E Z V A S Q U E Z , 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

_________________________ ( D e c e m b e r 13, 2007) B efo re B L A C K , P R Y O R an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

A d r ia n aV a s q u e z A r a n g o , a ls o o n b e h a lf o f h e rc h ild r e n , M a r iaC a m ila M a rt i ne z V a s que z a nd D a ni e l aM a rt i ne z V a s que z ( “ P e t i t i one r s ” ) , 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 a f f i rm i ng the I m m i gr a t i on J udge ’ s ( “ I J ” ) or de rde ny i ng a s y l um , w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l , a nd r e lie f u n d e rth e U n ite d N a tio n s C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rtu r e a n dO th e rC ru e l, In h u m an , o r D eg rad i n g T reatm en to r P u n i sh m en t(“ C A T ”). F i rst , p et i t i o n ers, n a tiv e s a n d c itiz e n s o f

C o lo m b ia , a r g u e th a t th e B I A e rr e din d e n y in g th e ir appl i ca t i on for a sy l um because i tfa i l ed t o anal yz e and consi der the coun try c ondi t i ons i n C ol om bi ai n de t e rm i ni ng w he the rA r a ngo ha d aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n . S e c o n d , a s to p e titio n e r s ’ c la im s c o n c e rn in g th e B I A ’s d e n ia l o f th e ir ap p lic a tio n f

o rw ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l a n dC A T r e lie f , p e titio n e r s f

a ile dto e xhaus ta dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s a s t o thos e c l a i m s a nd, thus , w e l a c k j ur i s di c t i on t o rev i ew th em . F u rth er, p et i t i o n ers d o n o tch al l en g e th e B IA ’ s d eci si o n as t o th ese c la im s o n r e v ie w a n d , th e r e f o r e , h a v e ab a n d o n e dth e m . F o rth e r e a s o n s s e t f

o rth m o r e f

u llyb e lo w , w e d e n yth e p e titio n f o rr e v ie w in p a rt a n d d is m is s th e p e titio n f o rr e v ie w in p a rt.

I. W e “r e v ie w o n lyth e [ B I A ’s ] d e c is io n , e x c e p t to th e e x te n t th a t it e x p r e s s ly3

adop t s the IJ ’ s opi ni on . ” A l N ajj arv. A shcr oft , 25 7 F . 3d 12 62 , 12 84 (11th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ) . H e r e , b e c au s e th e B I A a f f irm e dth e I J ’s d e c is io n , b u t d idn o t e x p r e s s ly a dopti t s r e a s oni ng, w e r e vi e w onl ythe B I A ’ s de c i s i on. I d. 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, re vi ew i s de nov o. M oh am m ed v. A shcr oft , 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 hol e . ” A l N a

jj a r , 257 F . 3d a t1283- 84 ( quot a t i on 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 or d notonl ys upport s r e ve r s a l , but com pel s i t . ” S ee M endo zav. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 32 7 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ) ( addres si ng w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der the IN A ). 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 yappl yf or a s y l um . I N A § 208( a ) ( 1) , 8 U . S . C . § 1158( a ) ( 1) . T he S e c r e t a ryof H om e l a nd S e c u r ityo rth e A tto rn e yG e n e r a l h a s d is c r e tio n to g r a n t a s y lu m if th e a lie n m e e ts th e I N A ’s d e f

in itio n o f a“r e f u g e e .” I N A § 2 0 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) . A “r e f u g e e ” is any per son w ho i s out si de any c ou ntryof such pers on ’ s nat i on al i ty or, in th e c a s e o f

ap e r s o n h a v in g n o n a tio n a lity , is o u ts id e a n yc o u n tryin w hi c h s uc h pe r s on l a s thabi tua l l yr e s i de d, a nd w ho i s unabl e or unw i l l i ng t o r e turn t o, a nd i s unabl e orunw i l l i ng t o a va i l hi m s e l f or4

hers el f of the prot ec t i on of, thatcoun trybecause of per se cut i on or a w e l l - f ounde d f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof r a c e , r e l i gi on, nat i on al i ty, m em bers hi p i n a part i cul arsoci al grou p, or po l i t i ca 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 in g s ta tu to ry“r e f

u g e e ” s ta tu s . A l N a

jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 da t 1 2 8 4 . T o e s tab lis h a s y lu m e lig ib ility , th e a lie n m u s t, w ith s p e c if ic a n dc r e d ib le e vi de nc e , e s t abl i s h ( 1) pa s tpe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof as t a tut or i l yl i s t e d f

a c t 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 p e r s e c u tio n . 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 3 ( a ) , ( b ) ; A l N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 da t 1 2 8 7 .

“ D em on stra t i ng such a c on nect i on re qu i re s the al i en t o p re se ntspec i fi c, det ai l ed f a c t s s how i ng agood r e a s on t o f e a rtha the ors he w i l l be s i ngl e d outf or pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof ” as t a tut oryf

a c t or . A l N a

jj a r , 257 F . 3d a t1287 (quo t at i on s om i tt ed) ( em ph as i s i n o ri gi nal ). F or exam pl e, an as yl um appl i cantm ay no tshow m er el y thatshe has a pol i t i ca l op i ni on , bu tm ustshow thatshe w as pe r s e c ut e d be c aus e of

tha topi ni on. I N S v. E l i a s - Z a c a r i a s , 502 U . S . 478, 483, 112 S . C t . 81 2, 81 6, 11 7 L . E d. 2d 38 (199 2). W e have hel d that“ pers ec ut i on , ” a s use d to illu s tr a te th a t a n a lie n h a s s u f f e r e d“p a s t p e r s e c u tio n ,” is a n “e x tr e m e c o n c e p t, 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 har a s s m e ntori nt i m i da t i on, a n d th a tme r e h ar a s s me n td o e s n o ta mo u n tt o p e r s e c u t i o n . ” Se p u l v e d av . U . S. A tt ’ yG e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1231 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( quot a t i ons a nd a l t e r a t i ons5

o m itte d ) . A n a l i e n w ho ha s nots how n pa s tpe r s e c ut i on m a ys t i l l be e nt i t l e d t o a s y l um i f s he c a n de m ons tr a t e af utur e thr e a tt o he rl i f

e orf r e e dom on apr ot e c t e d gr ound i n he rc ountry . 8 C . F . R . §§ 208. 13( b) ( 2) , 208. 16( b) ( 2) . T o e s t abl i s 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 s h o w th a t h e h a s af e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n in h is ho m e c ou ntryand that“ there i s are as on abl e possi bi l i ty of s uffe ri ng such p e r s e c u tio n if

h e o rs h e w e r e to r e tu rn to th a t c o u n try .” 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 3 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( I ) . F u rth e r , “a n ap p lic a n t m u s t d e m o n s tr a te th a t [ h e r ] f e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n is s ubj e c t i ve l yge nui ne a nd obj e c t i ve l yr e a s onabl e . ” A l N a jj a r , 257 F . 3d a t1289. U pon r e vi e w i ng the r e c or d, s ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e s upport s the B I A ’ s de c i s i on th a t p e titio n e r s w e r e n o t e n title d to a s y lu m u n d e rth e I N A . A s to A r a n g o ’s c la im of pastpers ec ut i on , the evi dence i n the re cord dem on stra t es thatF A R C m em bers a nd pa r a m i l i t a rygr oups s e pa r a t e l ythr e a t e ne d he re m pl oy e ra nd de m a nde d a p o rtio n o f th e p etro leu m th at itw as p ro d u cin g in C as an ar e, C o lo m b ia. A ra n g o ’s em pl oyersuspended i t s opera t i on s f or a per i od of t i m e, bu teventual l y r es um ed w o rkaft er i tyi el d ed t o th e d em an d s o f p aram i l i t ary g ro u p s. A ft er m ak i n g th ese c onc e s s i ons , A r a ngo’ s e m pl oy e rw a s t a r ge t e d a nd thr e a t e ne d bythe F A R C , w ho a tte m p te d to k id n ap o n e o f th e c o m p a n y ’s e x e c u tiv e s in B o g o ta , C o lo m b ia . A lth o u g h th e f

a c ts in th e r e c o r d d e m o n s tr a te th a t h e re m p lo y e re x p e r ie n c e dth r e a ts6

and h ar as si ng behavi or fr om the F A R C , A rang o d i d n otpres entany e vi dence that e i the rs he orhe rc hi l dr e n pe r s ona l l yw e r e thr e a t e ne d. T o the c ontr a ry , A r a ngo c ons i s t e nt l ys t a t e d tha ts he ne ve rr e c e i ve d a nythr e a t s f r om the F A R C . A r a ngo a l s o a dm i tt e d tha t , a l though he rf a m i l yw a s a s s oc i a t e d w i th the L i be r a l P a rty , s he d idn o t b e lo n g to a n yg r o u p s o ro r g a n iz a tio n s in C o lo m b ia . S i m i l a r l y , a s t o A r a ngo’ s c l a i m tha ts he e s t abl i s he d aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof fu tu re p er se cu ti o n if sh e r etu rn ed to C o lo m b ia, th e r ec o rd in d icates th at A ra n g o ’s fam i l y m em b ers h av e rem ai n ed i n C o l o m b i a w i th o u ti n ci d en t . A d d i t i o n al l y, A r a ngo f a i l e d t o pr e s e nte vi de nc e tha tthe F A R C m a i nt a i ne d a n i nt e r e s ti n ha rm i ng h e ro rth a t s h e w o u ldb e s in g le d o u t f o rp e r s e c u tio n b yth e F A R C if s h e r e tu rn e d to C ol om bi a . T he r e i s l i tt l e , i f a nye vi de nc e l i nki ng A r a ngo’ s a c t i vi t i e s on be ha l f of her e m pl oyerand the F A R C ’ s threa t s, no r does s he t es t i fythatthe F A R C i nd i ca t ed th a t th e yh a d im p u te d ap o litic a l o p in io n to h e r . R a th e r , th e e v id e n c e A r a n g o d id s u b m it w ith h e rap p lic a tio n , in c lu d in g ale tte rf r o m h e rm o th e ra n dan e w s a rtic le r e port i ng the hi gh r a t e of ki dnappi ngs pe rpe tr a t e d bythe F A R C a nd othe rt e rr or g r o u p s , w ith o u t m o r e , ap p e a r s to illu s tr a te g e n e r a l “c iv il s tr if e ” o c c u rr in g in C ol om bi a, w hi ch do es no tconst i tut e per se cut i on . S ee P er l er a- E sc ob arv. E xec. O ff i ce for I m m i grat i on , 89 4 F . 2d 12 92 , 12 97 (11th C i r. 19 90 ) ( di sc ussi ng w hether pe t i t i one r ’ s f

e a rof ha rm f r om both s i de s of

ac i vi l w a rc ons t i tut e d pe r s e c ut i on or7

“ c i vi l s tr i f

e out s i de the i nt e nde d r e a c h of the [ I N A ] ” ) . B a s e d on thi s e vi de nc e , a nd lack o f e v id en ce , res p ec ti v ely, th e r ec o rd d o es n o t co m p el re v er sa l o f th e B IA ’s f i ndi ng tha tA r a ngo f

a i l e d t o s how e i the rpa s tpe r s e c ut i on oraw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof fu tu re p ersecu t i o n . B ecau se A ran g o d i dn o tsh o w th atsh e su ffered p ast pe r s e c ut i on ortha ts he ha s aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on ba s e d on a p r o t e c t e d g r o u n d , s h e d i d n o te s t ab l i s h e l i g i b i l i tyf o ra s y l u m . Ac c o r d i n g l y , we d e n yth e p e titio n f

o rr e v ie w in th is r e s p e c t.

II . W e r e vi e w ours ubj e c t - m a tt e rj ur i s di c t i on de novo. G onz a l e z - O r ope z av. U . S . A tt ’ yG e n. , 321 F . 3d 1331, 1332 ( 11th C i r . 2003) . “ T he e xhaus t i on re qu i re m entappl i cabl e t o i m m i grat i on ca se s i s f ou nd i n 8 U . S . C . § 1 25 2(d)(1), w hi c h pr ovi de s tha t‘ [ a ] c ourtm a yr e vi e w af i na l or de rof

r e m ova l onl yi f

. . . the al i en has e xh aust ed al l adm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es avai l abl e t o the al i en as of ri gh t . ’ ” S un dar v. IN S , 32 8 F . 3d 13 20 , 13 23 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). W e have “ i nt erpret ed that re qu i re m entt o b e j uri sdi ct i on al , so w e l ac k j uri sdi ct i on t o con si der c l ai m s that ha ve notbe e n r a i s e d be f or e the B I A . ” I d. F urthe rm or e , w e do notha ve j ur i s di c t i on t o r e vi e w ac l a i m note xhaus t e d be f or e the B I A e ve n i f

the B I A ha s s ua s pont e a ddr e s s e d i t . S e e A m a y a - A rtundua gav. U . S . A tt ’ yG e n. , 463 F . 3d 1247, 1 2 5 0 - 5 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) ( d is m is s in g p e titio n e r ’s c la im w h e r e p e titio n e rf a ile dto8

pres entthe IJ ’ s a dv er se cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on before the B IA , bu tthe i ss ue w as sua s po nt e a dd re ss ed by B IA ). T hi s i s s o b ec ause ou r r evi ew of cl ai m s notra i se d before the B IA , even w hen the B IA addres se s them , w ou l d frustra t e the obj ec t i ves o f th e e x h au s tio n r e q u ir e m e n t— e n s u r in g th a t th e a g e n c y“h a s h a daf u ll op po rtun i ty t o con si der apet i t i on er ’ s c l ai m s” and “ al l ow [i ng ] the B IA t o com pi l e a r e c or d w hi c h i s a de qua t e f orj udi c i a l r e vi e w . ” I d. a t1250. P et i t i on er s di d n otm ent i on w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al or C A T re l i ef i n ei ther thei r not i ce of appeal or thei r bri ef before the B IA . A l tho ug h p et i t i on er s m ade a bri ef re fe re nce t o the IJ ’ s deni al of these cl ai m s i n thei r bri ef before the B IA , they m a d e n o a r g u m e n t r e la te d to th o s e c la im s a n ds e t f o rth n o ap p lic ab le ru le s o f la w . T here fore , pet i t i on er s f

ai l ed t o exh austthei r a dm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es w i th res pect t o the i rc l a i m s f

orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l a nd C A T r e l i e f . A l though the B I A s ua s p o n t e f o u n d th a tp e t i t i o n e r s we r e i n e l i g i b l e f o rwi th h o l d i n g o f

r e m o v a l a n dC AT r e lie f , th is d o e s n o t a lte rth e c o n c lu s io n th a t th e yf a ile dto e x h au s t th e ir a d mi n i s tr a t i v e r e me d i e s w i th r e s p e c tt o r e v i e w b e f o r e th i s Co u rt . Se e 8 U . S. C. § 1252( d) ( 1) ; A m a y a - A rtundua ga , 463 F . 3d a t1250- 51. F u rth e r , th e p e titio n e r s d o n o t r a is e a n ya r g u m e n t in th e irb r ie f b e f o r e th is C ourtr e ga r di ng the I J ’ s de ni a l of the i rappl i c a t i on f

orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l or C A T r e l i e f

. A c c or di ngl y , e ve n i f

pe t i t i one r s ha d e xhaus t e d the s e c l a i m s be f or e the9

B I A , th e yh a v e s in c e ab a n d o n e d th e m o n r e v ie w . S e p u lv e d a , 4 0 1 F .3 da t 1 2 2 8 n .2 ( hol di ng tha t , w he r e a n appe l l a ntf a i l s t o r a i s e a r gum e nt s r e ga r di ng a n i s s ue on appe a l , tha ti s s ue i s de e m e d aba ndone d) . A c c or di ngl y , w e di s m i s s the pe t i t i on f or r e v ie w in th is r e s p e c t. In l i g h to f th e fo reg o i n g , th e p et i t i o n fo r rev i ew i s DENI ED I N PART, DI SM I SS ED I N PART.