# 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 2- 22 47

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Alejan dr o Gu ti erre z-Vi da l

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

v.

Eric H. Hold er, J r., Att or ne y 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 30 , 20 12
Fil ed : M arch 11 , 20 13

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Befo re RI LEY, Chi ef J ud ge , BEAM an d B YE, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

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BEAM, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

Alejan dr o Gut ie rrez -Vid al pe ti ti on s f o r r e vi ew of th e Bo ard of Im m ig rat io n App eal s' ("B IA") de ci si on affi rm in g th e im m ig rat io n jud ge 's ("I J ") de ni al of hi s

as y lu m an d wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al cl ai m s. Hav in g juri sd ic ti on un de r 8 U

. S

. C

. §

12 52 (a), we d en y

th e p et it io n.I. BACKGRO UND

Gut ie rrez -Vid al

, a 49 -y ear- ol d ci ti zen of Peru

, e n t e r ed th e Uni te d St at es
wit ho ut in sp ect io n on or ab ou t Ja nu ary 12

, 20 03

. Gut ie rrez -Vid al fear s pe rs ecu ti on

if he ret ur ns to Peru

, o n a c co un t of hi s po li ti cal op in io n. Fro m 19 98 to 20 00

, Gut ie rrez -Vid al was th e el ect ed pr es id en t of a gr ou p cal le d Se ñ o r de lo s Mi la gr os ("t he Gro up "). The Gro up co ns is te d of ap pr ox im at el y 40 0 m em be rs an d he lp ed lo cal

au th or it ie s pr ov id e ne ces sa ry se rv ic es –m ed ic in e, sc ho ol in g, ho us in g– to Gro up

m em be rs

. Acco rd in g to Gut ie rrez -Vid al

, m em be rs of wha t he de sc rib ed as a te rro ris t

or ga ni zat io n, th e "Sh in in g Pat h," ha d in fil tra te d th e Gro up

. Gut ie rrez -Vid al act iv el y

op po se d t he Sh in in g P at h a t t he Grou p m eet in gs

.

In Octo be r 19 99

, Gut ie rrez -Vid al was m eet in g wit h th e G r o u p's Fi na nc e

Secr et ary, Mar io Ch av ez-C ha co n, whe n th r e e m as ke d in di vi du al s at ta ck ed th em

. Ch av ez-C ha co n was ki ll ed du rin g th e at ta ck

, bu t Gut ie rrez -Vid al was ab le to es cap e.

Gut ie rrez -Vid al be li ev ed th at th e as sa il an ts in te nd ed to ki ll hi m be cau se he was t he

hi gh es t ra nk in g o ffi ci al in th e Gro up

. The po li ce i nv es ti ga te d t hi s at ta ck an d m ad e

arre st s , b ut th ey were ne ve r ab le to co nv ic t th e pe rp et rat or s. In an ot he r in st an ce in

O c to be r 19 99 , Gu ti erre z-Vi da l was at ta ck ed on hi s way to wor k. He was s t r u c k i n

th e he ad an d was tre at ed in th e ho sp it al fo r a frac tu red sk ul l, a br ok en arm , br ok en
rib s an d cu ts on hi s bo dy. Gut ie rrez -Vid al co ul d no t id en ti fy th e at ta ck ers be cau se

th ei r face s were co ve red

. Gut ie rrez -Vid al al so rep or te d th i s in ci de nt to th e po li ce,
who arre st ed so m e i n d iv id ua ls

, bu t th e au th or it ie s were ag ai n un ab le to co nv ic t

an y on e. Fu rth er, Gut ie rrez -Vid al te st i f i e d th at he rece iv ed th reat en in g ph on e cal ls

at hi s h om e, an d t he cal le r ur ge d h im to res ig n fr om hi s po si ti on in th e Gro up or h e

wou ld be ki ll ed

. Gut ie rrez -Vid al rep or te d th e cal ls to th e po li ce, who co nd uc te d an

un pr od uc ti ve in ve st ig at io n. In 20 00 , Gu ti erre z-Vi da l re si gn ed fro m hi s po si ti on in

th e Gro up

.

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-G u t i erre z-Vi da l le ft Peru an d m ov ed to Pan am a fo r a sh or t pe rio d of t i me.

A f t e r h e le ft Peru

, Gut ie rrez -Vid al 's fam il y m ov ed fro m Lim a in to th e Peru vi a n jun gl e. W he n Gut ie rrez -Vid al was li vi ng in Pan am a, hi s fam il y in fo rm ed hi m th at th e

te rro ris ts were st il l lo ok in g fo r hi m an d kn ew he was li vi ng in Pan am a. As of th e da te

of Gut ie rrez -Vid al 's ap pe aran ce be fo re th e IJ

, on e of hi s ch il dr en was li vi ng in Lim a,

Peru

, on e was li vi ng in Ita ly, an d th e ot he r rem ai ne d in th e Peru vi an jun gl e wit h hi s

m ot he r.

Gut ie rrez -Vid al en te red th e Uni te d St at es on or ab ou t J a n u a r y 1 2, 20 03

. On

Decem be r 24, 2003

, the gove rn m en t co m m en ce d re m ova l pr oceed in gs , an d Gut ie rrez

Vid al co nc ed ed remo v a b i l it y , bu t ap pl ie d fo r as y lu m , wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al an d

Co nv en ti on Aga in st Tort ur e ("C AT") rel ie f. The IJ de ni ed Gut ie rrez -Vid al 's req ue st s

fo r rel ie f. Afte r fin di ng Gut ie rrez -Vid a l ' s t es ti m on y cred ib le

, th e IJ co nc lu de d

Gut ie rrez -Vidal fa ile d to es ta bli sh pe rs ec uti on. The IJ reas on ed th at Gut ie rrez -Vid al 's

in juri es , su ffer ed be cau se of hi s po li ti cal op in io n, ro se to a le ve l be y on d ha ras sm en t

or m is tre at m en t, bu t be cau se Gut ie r r e z-Vi da l di d no t es ta bl is h th at th e Peru vi an

go ve rn m en t was un ab le or un wil li ng to co nt ro l th e Sh in in g Pat h, he fai le d to es ta bl is h

pa st pe rs ecu ti on

. Th e I J fu rth er co nc lu de d th at Gut ie rrez -Vid al di d no t es ta bl is h a
well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on , be cau se he di d no t es ta bl is h th at he co ul d no t

reas on ab ly rel oc at e to Lim a. Thu s, acco rd in g to th e IJ

, Gut ie rrez -Vid al di d no t m eet

hi s bu rd en fo r es ta bl is hi ng as y lu m , an d, as a res ul t, he co ul d no t m eet th e hi gh er
bu rd en fo r es ta bl is hi n g el ig ib il it y fo r wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

. Fi na ll y , th e IJ

co nc lu de d Gu ti erre z-Vi da l d id no t p res en t ev id en ce t o s up po rt h is CAT cla im

.

Gut ie rrez -V i d al ap pe al ed to th e BIA, whi ch up he ld th e IJ 's co nc lu si on an d

di sm is se d t h e ap pe al

. In do in g so , th e BIA em ph as iz ed th e IJ 's de te rm in at io n th at

Gut ie rrez -Vid al di d no t es ta bl is h th at th e Peru vi an go ve r n men t w as un ab le or

un wil li ng to co nt ro l th e pe rs ecu to rs

. Add it io na ll y , th e BIA co nc lu de d th at Gut ie rrez

Vid al was un ab le to id en ti fy hi s as sa il an ts

, an d t h e r e f o r e di d no t es ta bl is h a well

fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on by th e Sh in in g Pat h. Acco rd in gl y , th e BIA de ni ed

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-th e ap pe al

. Gut ie rrez -Vid al pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w o f t h e B IA's de ci si on wit h res pe ct

to hi s as y lu m

an d wi th ho ld in g o f rem ov al cla im s.

II

. DISCUSS IO N

W e rev ie w th e BIA's de ci si on , as it is th e fin al ag en cy act io n, bu t "t o th e ex te nt

th at th e BIA ad op te d th e fin di ng s or reas on in g of th e IJ

, we al so rev ie w t h e IJ 's

de ci si on as pa rt of th e fin al ag en cy act io n." Mat u l

- H e r n a nd ez v. Hol de r, 68 5 F.3 d

70 7, 71 0- 11 (8 th Ci r. 20 1 2 ) ( q u o t at io n om it te d)

. "An ag en cy 's fin di ng s of fact are

co nc lu si ve 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." Fo fan a v. Hol de r, 70 4 F.3 d 55 4, 55 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ). W e rev ie w as y lu m

an d wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al cl ai m s f o r "s ub st an ti al ev id en ce

. . . up ho ld in g th e
de ci s io n if it is su pp or te d by reas on ab le

, su bs ta nt ia l, an d pr ob at iv e ev id en ce ba se d

on th e rec or d a s a wh ol e. Id . (in te rn al qu ot at io ns om it te d)

.

An al ie n is el ig ib le fo r as y lu m if th e Att or ne y Gen eral de te rm in es th at he or sh e
is a "re fu ge e." 8 U.S.C. § 11 58 (b )(1 )(A). A "re fu ge e" is "a per so n who is un ab le or

un wil li ng to ret ur n t o h is or he r co un try of o rig in 'be cau se of p ers ecu ti on or a well

fo un de d fear of pe rs ecu ti on on acco un t of race , rel ig io n, na ti on al it y , m em be rs hi p in

a pa rti cu la r so ci al gr ou p, or po li ti cal op in io n.'" Orti z-Pu en te s v. Hol de r, 66 2 F.3 d

48 1, 48 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (q uo ti ng 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A)). The as y lu m ap pl ic an t

be ars th e bu rd en to es ta bl is h pe rs ecu ti on

. 8 C.F.R. § 12 08 .13 (a), (b )(1 ). Pers ecu ti on

"i nc lu de s th e cre di bl e th reat of d eat h, t or tu re, o r in jury to o ne 's pers on or li be rty on

acco un t of a pr ot ect ed gr ou nd ," bu t do es no t in cl u d e "l ow- le ve l in ti m id at io n an d

ha ras sm en t." Mat ul -Hern an de z, 68 5 F.3 d at 71 1 (q uo ta ti on s om it te d)

. If an ap pl ic an t

es ta bl is he s p as t pers ecu ti on , a well -fo un de d fear of fut ur e pe rs ecu ti on is pr es um ed

. 8 C.F.R. § 12 08 .13 (b )(1 ). W he re th e ap pl ic an t fai ls to es ta bl is h pa st pe rs ecu ti on , he

m us t de m on st rat e a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on

. Id

. In or de r to pr ov e a
well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on , th e ap pl ic an t m us t pr ov id e "cr ed ib le

, di rect

,

an d sp eci fic ev id en ce" to sh ow th at "h e a c t u a l l y fear s pe rs ecu ti on an d th at a

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-reas on ab le pe rs on in th e al ie n's po si ti on wou ld fear pe rs ecu ti on i f r e t ur ne d to th e

al ie n's na ti ve co un try." S u p r u n v. Gon zal es , 44 2 F.3 d 10 78

, 10 81 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 )
(q uo ta ti on s an d i nt ern al qu ot at io n o m it te d)

.

Add it io na ll y , a s rel ev an t to pa st pe rs ecu ti o n o r a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re

pe rs ecu ti on , th e ap pl ic an t m us t sh ow th at th e "as sa ul ts were ei th er co nd on ed by th e

go ve rn m en t or were co m

m it te d by pr iv at e act or s th at th e go ve rn m en t was un wil li ng

or un ab le to co nt ro l." Mat u l

- H e rn an de z, 68 5 F.3 d at 71 1 (q uo ta ti on an d in te rn al

qu ot at io n om it te d) ; se e al so Su pr un , 44 2 F.3 d at 10 81

. To pr ov e pe rs ecu ti on ba se d

on th e v io le nt co nd uc t o f a p riv at e act or , th e ap pl ic an t " m us t s ho w m or e th an jus t a

di ffi cu lt y co nt ro ll in g pr iv at e b e ha vi or ." Sal m an v. Hol de r, 68 7 F.3 d 99 1, 99 5 (8 th

Ci r. 20 12 ) (in te rn al qu ot at io n om it te d)

. Rat he r, th e ap pl ic an t m us t sh ow t h a t th e

go ve rn m en t co nd on ed th e pr iv at e be ha vi or "o r at le a s t d e mo n st rat ed a co m pl et e
he lp le ss ne ss to pr ot ect t h e v i ct im s." Id

. (q uo ta ti on om it te d)

. "With ou t th is

im pr im at ur of go ve rn m en t of fic ia ls

, as yl u m cl ai m s ba se d on th e co nd uc t of no ngo ve rn m en ta l pa rti es fai l." Gui ll en -Hern an de z v. Hol de r, 59 2 F.3 d 88 3, 88 7 (8 th Ci r.

20 10 ). "Whet he r a go ve rn m en t is un ab le or un wil li ng to co nt ro l pr iv at e act or s" is a

qu es ti on of fact th at "m

us t be reso lv ed ba se d on th e reco rd in each cas e." Men jiv ar

v. Go nz al es , 41 6 F .3d 91 8, 9 21 (8t h C ir. 2 00 5) (in te rn al qu ot at io n o m it te d)

.

Here, Gut ie rrez -Vid al as se rts th at th e BIA erre d by affi rm in g th e IJ 's

de te rm in at io n th at he fai le d to sh ow th at t h e P e ru vi an au th or it ie s were un ab le or

un wil li ng to pr ot ect hi m fro m th e Sh in in g Pat h. Gut ie rrez -Vid al do es no t al le ge th at

the gove rn m en t its el f inf

lic te d the ha rm

. Co ns id eri ng Gut ie rrez -Vid al 's te st im on y an d

th e su bs ta nt ia l evi de nc e be fo re it

, th e BIA co rrec tl y co nc lu de d th at Gut ie rrez -Vid al

fai le d to de m on st rat e th at th e Peru vi an au th or it ie s were un ab le or un wil li ng to co nt ro l

th e Sh in in g Pat h. Afte r th e m ur de r of Ch av ez-C ha co n an d aft er Gut ie rrez -Vid al was

at ta ck e d

, t h e p o li ce in ve st ig at ed bo th in ci de nt s an d m ad e arre st s. The Peru vi an

po li ce al so en te red a pr ot ect io n or de r fo r Gut ie rrez -Vid al

. Gut ie rrez -Vid al co nt en ds

th at th e in ve st ig at io ns were "m in im al an d fr u i t l e s s

. " Howev er, ev id en ce of

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-"i ne ffec ti ve ne ss an d co rru pt io n do no t, al on e, req ui re a fin di ng th at th e go ve rn m en t

is 'un ab le or un wil li ng '" to co nt ro l th e al le ge d pe rs e c ut or whe re ev id en ce in di cat es

to th e co nt rary. Khi la n v. Hol de r, 55 7 F.3 d 58 3, 58 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (p er c u r i am ).

Co ns id eri ng th e po li ce effo rts

, th e su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce in th e reco rd do es no t in di cat e

th at th e go ve rn m en t co nd on ed th e act io ns of t h e Sh in in g Pat h or de m on st rat ed a

co m pl et e he lp le ss ne ss to pr ot ect G u t i e rrez -Vid al

. Thu s, Gut ie rrez -Vid al fai le d to

e s t ab li sh a ha rm am ou nt in g to pe rs ecu ti on

. Kim um we v. Gon zal es , 43 1 F.3 d 3 1 9

, 32 2- 23 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (fi n d i n g t h at act io ns of pr iv at e pa rti es do no t am ou nt to

pe rs ecu ti on wit ho ut a sh owi ng th at th e ha rm in fli ct ed was by pe rs on s th at th e

go ve rn m en t i s u nwi ll in g a nd un ab le to co nt ro l).

Fo r th is sa m e reas on , Gut ie rrez -Vi d a l fai le d to es ta bl is h a well -fo un de d fear

of fu tu re pe rs ecu ti on

. See Sup ru n, 44 2 F.3d at 10 81 (n ot in g whe re "t he ha ras sm en t

in th e pa st by pr iv at e in di vi du al s do es no t ris e to th e le ve l of pe rs ecu ti on , so ne it he r

wou ld it s sp or ad ic co nt in ua nc e in th e fu tu re" ). Gut ie rrez -Vid al di d no t pr od uc e an y

"cr ed ib le

, di rect

, an d sp eci fic " ev id en ce to in di cat e th e Peru vi an go ve rn m en t wou ld

be un ab le an d u nwi ll in g t o c on tro l t he pri va te act or s u po n Gu ti erre z-Vi da l's ret ur n.
The BIA co nc lu de d th at th e Sh in in g Pat h res ur ge nc e, aft er b e i n g su bs ta nt ia ll y

su pp res se d by t h e g o v e r nm en t, is pr im ari ly li m it ed to th e co ca-g ro win g reg io ns of

Peru

. The reco rd co nt ai ns art ic le s de pi ct in g in st an ce s o f at ta ck s carr ie d ou t by th e
Sh in in g Pa th ; th is ev id en ce, ho wev er, is no t so st ro ng as to co m pe l a reas on ab le

fact fin de r to co nc lu de th at th e Peru v i a n g o v e rn m en t is or wou ld be un ab le or

un wil li ng to co nt ro l th e Sh in in g Pat h, su ch th at th e ha rm m us t be att rib ut ab le to th e

g o ve rn m en t. See Men

jiv ar, 41 6 F.3 d at 92 2. Bec au se Gut ie rrez -Vid al di d no t

de m on st rat e an y go ve rn m en t im pr i mat u r, pa st or pr es en t, he ha s no t es ta bl is he d
"p ers ecu ti on " wit hi n th e m ean in g of 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A), an d acco rd in gl y hi s

as y lu m ap pl ic at io n fai ls

. Gui ll en -Hern an de z, 59 2 F.3 d at 88 7 (n ot in g th at wit ho ut th e

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-i mp r i mat u r of go ve rn m en t of fic ia ls

, th e as y lu m cl ai m s ba se d on th e co nd uc t of

pr iv at e p art ie s fa il , sp eci fic al ly find in g n o wel l-f ou nd ed fear of p ers ecu ti on ). 1

Fi na ll y , be cau se Gut ie rrez -Vid al fai le d to sa ti sf y t h e lo wer bu rd en of pr oo f

r e q u i red fo r as y lu m , it fo ll ows th at he fai le d to sa ti sf y th e hi gh er, cl ear pr ob a b i l i t y

st an da rd fo r wit hh ol di ng of rem ov al

. 8 C.F.R. § 12 08 .16 (b ); Fo fan a, 70 4 F.3 d at 55 8.

II I. CONCLUSI ON

Fo r th es e rea so ns , we den y Gut ie rrez -Vid al 's p et it io n fo r rev ie w.

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Gut ie rrez -Vid al al so as se rts th at th e IJ erre d by co nc lu di ng Gut ie rrez -Vid al 1

di d no t es ta bl is h a well -fo un de d fear of fu tu re pe rs e c u t io n be cau se he di d no t

es ta bl is h th at it wou ld be un reas on ab le to rel oc at e wit hi n Peru

. Bec au se th e BIA di d

no t ex pr es sl y ad op t th e IJ 's de te rm in at io n as to Gui ti erre z-Vi da l's ab il it y to rel oc at e, th at is su e is no t pr op erl y be fo re us. Fo fan ah v. Gon zal es , 44 7 F.3 d 10 37

, 10 40 (8 th
Ci r. 20 06 ) ("B ecau se th e BIA di d no t co ns id er th e IJ 's al te rn at iv e gr ou nd s fo r de nyin g rel ie f, th os e is su es are no t pr op erl y be fo re us

. Onl y th e BIA or de r is su bjec t to ou r

rev ie w, in cl ud in g th e IJ 's fin di ng s an d reas on in g to th e ex te n t th ey were ex pr es sl y ad op te d b y

th e BIA." ). Reg ard le ss of t he rel oc at io n is su e, Gui ti erre z-Vi da l d id no t de m on st rat e ha rm am ou nt in g to pe rs ecu ti on , as di sc us se d ab ov e, an d th us hi s as y lu m
ap pl ic at io n fa il s.

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