FILED U.S. COURT OF AP PEALS ELEV ENT HC IR C UIT MAY 25 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAHN 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. 05- 13995 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N os . A 77- 883- 606 & A 77- 883- 607 R I C A R D O A . A R B E L A E Z , C L A U D I A E . M O N R O E , P e titio n e r s , v ersu s U .S . A T T O R N E Y G E N E R A L , R e s p o n d e n t.

________________________ P e ti ti on forR 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

_________________________ ( M ay 25, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , A N D E R S O N an d B IR C H , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:Petitioners first cameto the United States in 1998, on vacation. 1 Petitioner Monroy

also filed an a

pplication for a sylum, withholdi ngof removal and 2 CAT protec tion. Her a

pplication is derivative of Arbelaez’s application. 2 P e ti ti one r s R i c a r do A ndr e s A rbe l a e z a nd C l a udi aE l i s aM onr oy , na ti ve s a nd ci ti ze ns of C ol um bi a, S . A . , l as tent er ed the U ni t ed S t at es on A ug ust31 , 20 00 , as B - 2 n o n - im m ig r a n t v is ito r s fo rp le a s u r e w ith a u th o r iz a tio n to r e m a in in th is coun try un ti l M ar ch 1, 20 01 . In Jul y or A ug ust20 02 , P eti ti on erA rbel ae z f i l ed an 1 a ppl i c a ti on fora s y l um a nd w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l unde rthe I m m i gr a ti on a nd N ati on al i ty A ct(“ IN A ”) and the U ni t ed N ati on s C on vent i on on T orture ( “ C A T ”) , pur s ua ntt o §§ 208 a nd 241( b) ( 3) of the I N A , c odi f

i e d a t8 U . S . C . §§ 1158 a nd 12 31 (b)( 3), and 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 16 (c ). N ot i ce s t o A pp ear w er e i ss ued o n O ct ob er 2 10, 2002, a l l e gi ng tha tP e ti ti one r s r e m a i ne d i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s be y ond M a r c h 1, 2001, w i thouta uthor i z a ti on f r om the for m e rI m m i gr a ti on a nd N a tur a l i z a ti on S e r v i c e , a n d c h a r g i n g th e m wi th b e i n g s u b j e c tt o r e m o v a l p u r s u a n tt o I NA § 2 3 7 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 7 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( B ) . O n M a r c h 20, 2003, P e ti ti one r s a ppe a r e d be for e a n I m m i gr a ti on J udge (“ IJ ”) , adm i tt ed the al l egati on s i n the N ot i ce t o A pp ear, and con ce ded r e m o v ab ility . T h e I J d e s ig n a te d C o lu m b iaa s th e c o u n tr y o f r e m o v a l. O n S e pt e m be r24, 2003, the I J he l d ahe a r i ng on P e ti ti one r s ’ a ppl i c a ti ons for as yl um , w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al , and C A T re l i ef . O nl y P eti ti on erA rbel ae z3

t e s ti f i e d a tthe he a r i ng. A tthe c l os e of the he a r i ng, the I J found tha tthe a s y l um appl i ca ti on s w er e f

i l ed w el l beyond the st atut ory dea dl i ne of on e y ear a ft er e n t e r i n g th e Un i t e d S t a t e s , a n d th a tP e ti ti o n e r s fa i l e d t o e s t ab l i s h e i th e ro f th e t wo exce pt i on s t o the t i m e l i m i t , i . e. , the exi st ence of changed ci rc um st ance s w hi ch m at er i al l y a ff

ec t ed thei r e l i gi bi l i ty for as yl um or extra ordi nary ci rc um st ance s r e l a ti ng t o the de l a y i n f i l i ng. T he I J de ni e d the a ppl i c a ti ons forw i thhol di ng of re m ov al and C A T re l i ef beca use P eti ti on er s fai l ed t o sati sf y the appl i cabl e l egal st an d ard s. P e titio n e r s a p p e a le d th e I J ’s d e c is io n to th e B o a r d o f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls ( “B I A ” ) . T h e B I A a f

f ir m e d w ith o u t o p in io n . S e e 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .1 ( e ) ( 4 ) . Pe ti ti o n e r s n o w s e e kr e v i e w i n th i s c o u r t . W e f i r s ta d d r e s s th e d e n i a l o f a s y l u m, th e n th e d e n ia l o f

w ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l a n d C A T p r o te c tio n . “A n y a lie n w h o is p h y s ic a lly p r e s e n t in th e U n ite d S ta te s o rw h o a rr iv e s in the U ni t e d S t a t e s . . . , i rr e s pe c ti ve of s uc h a l i e n’ s s t a tus , m a y a ppl y for a s y lu m . . . .” I N A § 2 0 8 ( a ) ( 1 ) ; 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( a ) ( 1 ) . T h e a lie n m a y n o t a p p ly for a sy l um “ un l es s the al i en dem on stra t es by cl ear a nd conv i nci ng evi dence that th e a p p lic a tio n h a s b e e n f ile d w ith in o n e y e a ra f

te rth e d a te o f

th e a lie n ’s a rr iv a l in th e Un i t e d S t a t e s . ” I NA § 2 0 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ; 8 U. S . C . § 1 1 5 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( B ) . “ An appl i ca ti on for a sy l um of an al i en m ay be consi dere d, no t w i thst andi ng [the on eye arti m e l i m i t ] , i f the al i en dem on stra t es t o the sa ti sfac ti on of the A tt orney4

G e ne r a l e i the rthe e xi s t e nc e of c ha nge d c i r c um s t a nc e s w hi c h m a t e r i a l l y a f fe c tthe a ppl i c a nt ’ s e l i gi bi l i ty fora s y l um ore xtr a or di na r y c i r c um s t a nc e s r e l a ti ng t o the d e l a y i n f

i l i n g a n a p p l i c a ti o n wi th i n th e p e r i o d s p e c i f i e d . . . . ” I NA § 2 0 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( D ) ; 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( D ) . “N o c o u r t s h a ll h a v e ju r is d ic tio n to r e vi e w a ny de t e r m i na ti on of the A tt or ne y G e ne r a l unde rpa r a gr a ph ( 2) [ the pr ovi s i on pr ovi di ng the one - y e a rti m e - l i m i ta nd pos s i bl e e xc e pti ons forc ha nge d or e x tr a o r d in a r y c ir c u m s ta n c e s ].” I N A § 2 0 8 ( a ) ( 3 ) ; 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( a ) ( 3 ) . “[F ]ed er al co u rts d o n o t h av e ju risd icti o n to re v iew th e A tt o rn ey G en er al’s d e c is io n a s to tim e lin e s s o f [ ar e q u e s t fo ra s y lu m ].” F a h im v . U .S . A ttn ’y G e n ., 27 8 F . 3d 12 16 , 12 17 (11th C i r. 20 02 ). P e ti ti one r s c onc e de , a s the y m us t , tha tthe y f i l e d the i ra ppl i c a ti ons for a s y l um a f

t e rs pe ndi ng m or e tha n one y e a ri n the U ni t e d S t a t e s , butthe y c ont e nd tha tthe y e s t abl i s he d e xc e pt i ona l c i r c um s t a nc e s tha tw a rr a nt e d c ons i de r a ti on of the i ra ppl i c a ti ons on the m e r i t s . P e ti ti one rA rbe l a e z t e s ti f i e d ( be for e the I J ) tha the d id n o t tim e ly f

ile h is a s y lu m a p p lic a tio n b e c a u s e th e a tto r n e y h e w e n t to to ld h im tha the di d nota c c e pta s y l um c a s e s a nd a dvi s e d hi m t o go di r e c t l y t o the i m m i g r a ti o n o f

f i c e . Wh e n h e we n tt o a n i m m i g r a ti o n o f f i c e i n Ge o r g i a , t wo im m ig r a tio n o f

f ic e r s to ld h im th a t th e o n ly c o u n tr y th a t m e r ite d a s y lu m w a s C u b a . H e s ai d thataf

t erhe and h i s w i fe m ov ed t o M i am i i n 2 00 1, he l earned thathe had r e c e iv e d in c o rr e c t in fo r m a tio n a n d c o u ld a p p ly fo ra s y lu m .5

T he I J found tha tP e ti ti one rA rbe l e a z ’ s e xpl a na ti on – tha ts om e one f r om the i m m i gr a ti on of

f i c e i n G e or gi adi s c our a ge d hi m f r om s e e ki ng a s y l um – w a s nothi ng m ore than a “ se l f- se rvi ng st at em ent ” thatw as i nsuffi ci entt o m ee tei ther ex cep ti o n s t o l at e fi l i n g , ch an g ed co u n try co n d i ti o n s o r ex trao rd i n ary c ir c u m s ta n c e s . G iv e n th e la n g u a g e o f

I N A § 2 0 8 ( a ) ( 3 ) q u o te d ab o v e a n d o u rd e c is io n in F ahi m , w e m ustconcl ud e thatw e l ac k j uri sdi cti on t o revi ew the IJ ’ s f i nd i ng s that P e titio n e rA rb e la e z ’s a s y lu m a p p lic a tio n w a s u n tim e ly a n d th a t h e fa ile d to est ab l i sh an ex cep ti o n t o th e o n e-year li m i t at i o n s p eri o d . A s a resu l t , w e d i sm i ss the pe ti ti on forr e vi e w a s i tr e l a t e s t o the P e ti ti one r s ’ a s y l um c l a i m s . W e tur n, the n, t o the w i thhol di ng a nd C A T pr ot e c ti on i s s ue s . W e be gi n by s e tti ng outthe r ul e s tha tgui de ourr e vi e w of the de ni a l of

w i thhol di ng a nd C A T pr ot e c ti on. W here , as here , the B IA “ sum m ar i l y a ff i rm s a n IJ dec i si on w i tho utan op i ni on , the IJ ’ s dec i si on becom es the fi nal re m ov alorder s ubj ec tt o revi ew . ” S e pul ve dav. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1230 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . T o the e xt e nt th e I J ’ s d e c i s i o n i s b a s e d o n al e g a l d e t e r m i n a ti o n , o u rr e v i e w i s d e n o v o . DM u h u m ed v . U .S . A tt ’y G en ., 3 8 8 F .3 d 8 1 4 , 8 1 7 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 4 ). “T h e I J’s fi n d i n g s o f factare rev i ew ed u n d er th e su b st an ti al ev i d en ce t est , an d w e m u st a f f i r m the I J ’ s de c i s i on i f

i ti s s uppor t e d by r e a s onabl e , s ubs t a nti a l , a nd pr oba ti ve e v id e n c e o n th e r e c o r d c o n s id e r e d a s aw h o le .” S e p u lv e d a , 4 0 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 3 0 .6

“ U nd erthi s hi gh l y def

er ent i al st andard of revi ew , the IJ ’ s dec i si on ca n b e r ever se d onl y i f the e vi de nc e ‘ c om pe l s ’ ar e a s onabl e fa c tf i nde rt o f i nd othe r w i s e . ” I d. (c i t ati on om i tt ed). 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 fe or fr ee do m w ou l d b e threa t ened i n thatcoun try beca use of the al i en’ s r ac e, re l i gi on , nat i on al i ty, m em bers hi p i n a parti cul arsoci al grou p, or po l i ti ca l op i ni on . ” S e e I N A § 241( b) ( 3) ( A ) , 8 U . S . C . § 1231( b) ( 3) ( A ) . A n a l i e n s e e ki ng w i thhol di ng of re m ov al has “ the bu rden of dem on stra ti ng thati ti s “ m ore l i kel y than n ot ” that he w i l l be pers ec ut ed or t ortured up on hi s r eturn t o the coun try i n q uesti on . ” F a h im , 2 7 8 F .3 d a t 1 2 1 8 . T o o b ta in w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l u n d e rth e C A T , th e a lie n m u s t s h o w th a t it is “m o r e lik e ly th a n n o t” th a t h e w ill b e to r tu r e d in th e c o u n tr y o f r e m o v a l. 8 C . F . R . § 208. 16( c ) ( 2) . F orpurpos e s of C A T r e l i e f , the t e r m “ t or tur e ” r e fe r s t o the i nt e nti ona l i nf

l i c ti on of s e ve r e pa i n ors uf

fe r i ng, m e nt a l orphy s i c a l , “ by ora tthe i nsti gat i on of or w i th the consentor ac qu i es ce nce of a publ i c off i ci al or other pers on ac ti ng i n an o ff

i ci al capaci ty” i n o rdert o i nt i m i dat e or for other prosc ri bed purpos e s . 8 C . F . R . § 208. 18( a ) ( 1) . E vi de nc e r e l e va ntt o the a s s e s s m e ntof el i g i b i l i ty fo r C A T rel i ef i n cl u d es, b u ti s n o tl i m i t ed t o : (1 ) ev i d en ce o f p ast t or tur e ; ( 2) the vi abi l i ty of r e l oc a t i on a s am e a ns t o a voi d t or tur e ; ( 3) gr os s , f l a gr a nt7

orm a s s hum a n r i ght s vi ol a ti ons i n the c ountr y of r e m ova l ; a nd ( 4) othe rr e l e va nt coun try cond i ti on s. S ee 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 16 (c )( 3).

P e titio n e r s c o n te n d th a t th e I J e rr e d in f in d in g th a t P e titio n e rA rb e la e z d id n o t h a v e aw e ll- fo u n d e d fe a ro f p e r s e c u tio n o rc le a rp r o b ab ility o f p e r s e c u tio n . T hey s up po rtthei r argum entw i th the fol l ow i ng : (1) A rbel ae z s ho w ed thathe w as b e a te n b y th e A U C , s h o t in th e le g , c o n s ta n tly th r e a te n e d , a n d to ld th a t h e w o u ld b e k ille d fo rn o t c o o p e r a tin g . ( 2 ) A f te rh e le f t C o lo m b ia , th e A U C c o n tin u e d to l oo k for hi m . (3) F eder al court s a nd the B IA have hel d thathara ss m entthatw as e q u a l to o rle s s s e v e r e th a n th a t e x p e r ie n c e d b y A rb e la e z c o n s titu te d p e r s e c u tio n . (4) A rbel ae z e st abl i shed thathe w as pers ec ut ed on ac coun tof an i m pu t ed po l i ti ca l o p in io n . H e w a s h a r a s s e d a n d th r e a te n e d w ith d e a th b e c a u s e h e r e f u s e d to g iv e in t o the A U C ’ s dem ands, and h e bel i eves thatthe A U C t ar get ed hi m beca use he w as i nv ol ved i n the L i bera l P ar ty a nd vo i ce d h i s di sa gree m entw i th the A U C . T hey a s s e r ttha tthe A U C t a r ge t e d hi m be c a us e i tbe l i e ve d tha the ha d t a ke n a n i de ol ogy oppos i t e of

the i r s , a nd he w a s notr e qui r e d t o pr ove tha the abs ol ut e l y w oul d be pe r s e c ut e d i f

he r e tur ne d t o C ol om bi a . G i ve n a l l of thi s , P e ti ti one r s s ubm i ttha tthe I J s houl d ha ve i nfe rr e d f r om A rbe l a e z ’ s t e s ti m ony tha the w a s pe r s e c ut e d on a c c o u n to f

h i s i m p u t e d p o l i ti c a l o p i n i o n , a n d th a th e wa s tr y i n g t o d r a w a c o n n e c tio n b e tw e e n th e A U C ’s p e r s e c u tio n o f h im a n d its b e lie fs ab o u t h is8

p o li ti ca l o p in io n s w ith re g ar d to th e A U C ’s g o als a n d id ea ls. In su m , P etitio n er ’s m ai nt ai n thatA rbel ae z e st abl i shed a r ea sonabl e f ear of per se cut i on beca use of a n i m put e d pol i ti c a l opi ni on a s ar e s ul tof hi s e xpe r i e nc e s a nd the i nfor m a ti on he pr ovi de d. In thi s c as e, subst ant i al evi dence s up po rt s the IJ ’ s f i nd i ng thatP eti ti on er s fa i l e d t o e s t abl i s h tha tP e ti ti one rA rbe l a e z w a s orw oul d be pe r s e c ut e d on a c c ount of ei ther a n i m pu t ed po l i ti ca l op i ni on or any other s t atut ory bas i s thatw ou l d j usti fy g r a n tin g w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l. T h e I J c o n s id e r e d , a n d r e je c te d , th e p o in ts P e ti ti one r s pr e s e ntt o us . A f t e rl i s t e ni ng t o w ha tP e ti ti one rA rbe l a e z ha d t o s a y , the I J found tha tw hi l e the be a ti ng, s hooti ng a tt a c k, a nd ha r a s s m e nthe s uf fe r e d a tthe h a n d s o f th e A U C m a y h a v e b e e n s e r io u s o f fe n s e s , th e y d id n o t a m o u n t to pe r s e c ut i on w i thi n the m e a ni ng of the I N A s uc h a s t o w a rr a ntw i thhol di ng of re m ov al . A s for C A T prot ec ti on , the IJ re as on abl y fou nd fr om the evi dence that P e titio n e rA rb e la e z fa ile d to e s tab lis h th a t “it is th e G o v e r n m e n t o f C o lu m b iao rits agent s w ho w i sh t o t orture hi m or hi s fam i l y now or i n the future. ” W e a c c or di ngl y de ny P e ti ti one r s ’ pe ti ti on forr e vi e w w i th r e ga r d t o the d e n ia l o f th e ira p p lic a tio n s fo rw ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l u n d e rth e I N A a n d C A T . PETI TI O N D I SM I SSED I N PA R T, D EN I ED I N PA R T.