### F I LE D U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T Se pt e m be r 1, 2005 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L 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. 04- 15938 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc y N os . A 78- 343- 145 A 78- 578- 434 M A R I A C E M I D A A R I A S , M A R T H A L I L I A N A B E RN A L A R I A S , 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.

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aD e c i s i on of

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_________________________ ( S e p t e m b e r 1, 2005) 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:Pe tition ersa ba ndon e d the ir

c laimsfo r a sylum

and CA T re lie f b y

failingto raisethem in 1 their brief s. Sepulveda v. United States Attorney Gen. , 401 F.3d 1226, 1228 n.2 ( 11th Cir. 2005). 2 M ar i a C em i da A ri as (M ar i a) and h erdaug ht er , M artha L i l i ana B ernal A ri as ( M a r tha ) , he r e i na f

t e r“ pe t i t i one r s ” w he n r e f e rr e d t o c ol l e c t i ve l y , both na t i ve s a nd c i t i z e ns of

C ol om bi a , pe t i t i on, thr ough c ouns e l , f orr e vi e w of

the f i na l or de rof

the B oa r d of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s ( “ B I A ” ) , w hi c h a dopt e d a nd a f f i rm e d the I mmi g r a t i o n J u d g e ’ s ( “ I J ’ s ” ) o r d e rd e n y i n g th e i rap p l i c a t i o n s f o ra s y l u m, 8 U . S. C. § 1 15 8, w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der the Im m i grat i on and N at i on al i ty A ct ( “ I N A ” ) , 8 U . S . C . § 1231( b) ( 3) ( A ) , a nd r e l i e f unde rthe U ni t e d N a t i ons C onve nt i on on T or tur e a nd O the rC rue l , I nhum a n orD e gr a di ng T r e a tm e ntor P un i shm ent(“ C A T ”) , 8 C . F . R . 20 8. 16 (c ). B ec ause pet i t i on er s’ re m ov al proceedi ng s c om m ence d aft erA pri l 1, 19 97 , the ef fe ct i ve dat e of the Il l egal I m m i gr a t i on R e f

orm a nd I m m i gr a ntR e s pons i bi l i ty A c tof 1996, P ub. L . 104- 208, 110 S t a t . 3009 ( 1996) ( “ I I R I R A ” ) , thi s c a s e i s gove rne d by the pe rm a ne nt p r o v is io n s o f

th e I N A , a s a m e n d e d b y I I R I R A . G on zalez -O ropeza v. U . S. A t t ’y G e n. , 3 2 1 F .3 d 1 3 3 1 , 1 3 3 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . O n ap p e a l, p e titio n e r s a r g u e th a t th e B I A a n d th e I J e rr e d in d e n y in g th e ir p e titio n f o rw ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l b e c au s e it is m o r e lik e ly th a n n o t th a t th e y w ill be t ortured by the F A R C , a guerr i l l a group , i f r eturned t o C ol om bi a. In part i cul ar , 1 pe t i t i one r s a l l e ge tha tthe B I A a nd the I J e rr e d i n de t e rm i ni ng tha tthe y ha ve not3

s uf f e r e d pa s tpe r s e c ut i on ba s e d on the i rm e m be r s hi p i n apa r t i c ul a rs oc i a l gr oup, na m e l y , ba c t e r i ol ogi s t s a nd the i ri m m e di a t e f a m i l i e s w ho ha ve be e n s oughtoutf or r e c ru itm e n t b y th e F A R C . B e c a u s e th e B I A a d o p t e d a n d a f f i rm e d th e I J ’ s d e c i s i o n wi th i t s o wn c o m m e n ts , w e r e v ie w b o th th e B I A a n d th e I J ’s d e c is io n s . A l N a jja rv . A s h c r o

ft , 2 5 7 F . 3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 8 4 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ). W e rev i ew l eg al d et erm i n at i o n 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 ), and factual d e te rm in a tio n s u n d e rth e s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e te s t, For gue v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3 d 1 2 8 2 , 1 2 8 6 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 5 ) . Un d e rth e l a tt e r , “ h i g h l y d e f e r e n t i a l t e s t , we a f f i rm the [ B I A ’ s ] de c i s i on i f s uppor t e d by r e a s onabl e , s ubs t a nt i a l , a nd pr oba t i ve evi dence on the re cord consi dere d as aw ho l e. ” I d. ( quot a t i on om i tt e d) . W e do not rev i ew factu al fi n d i n g s de no vo , fi nd fa ct s notra i se d b el ow , or re w ei gh evi dence f r o m s c r a tc h . I

d. W e r e vi e w the r e c or d e vi de nc e i n al i ghtm os tf a vor abl e t o the a g e n c y ’s d e c is io n a n d d r a w a ll r e a s o n ab le in f e r e n c e s in f

a v o ro f th a t d e c is io n . I

d. W e “ r e ve r s e [ ] onl y i f

the e vi de nc e ‘ c om pe l s ’ ar e a s onabl e f a c tf i nde rt o f i nd otherw i se . ” Se

pulv e da , 401 F . 3d a t1230. A n app l i ca nti s e nt i t l ed t o w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al i f he c an dem on stra t e that he rl i f e orf r e e dom w oul d be thr e a t e ne d i n tha tc ountry on a c c ountof 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 r t 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 §4

2 4 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 3 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) ; se e a l so Se pulv e da , 401 F . 3d a t1232. I f the appl i ca nthas notes t abl i shed pastpers ec ut i on , or i f the appl i ca nt ’ s f ea r of f uture pe r s e c ut i on i s unr e l a t e d t o pa s tpe r s e c ut i on, the appl i c a ntbe a r s the bur de n of de m ons tr a t i ng tha ti ti s m or e l i ke l y tha n nottha ts he w i l l s uf f e rpe r s e c ut i on upon r e m o v a l. A nt i

pov a v . U

. S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 3 9 2 F .3 d 1 2 5 9 , 1 2 6 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) . T h is s ta n d a r d is m o r e s tr in g e n t th a n th e s ta n d a r d f o ra s y lu m . Se

pulv e da , 40 1 F . 3d at 1 2 3 2 . I n c o n tr a s t, if

th e ap p lic a n t d e m o n s tr a te s p a s t p e r s e c u tio n , ar e b u ttab le pr e s um pt i on a r i s e s tha the rl i f e orf r e e dom w oul d a ga i n be thr e a t e ne d upon r e m o v a l. A nt i

po va , 3 9 2 F .3 d a t 1 2 6 4 T h e g o v e rn m e n t m a y r e b u t th is p r e s u m p tio n in tw o w a y s : ( 1 ) b y s h o w in g th a t af u n d a m e n ta l c h a n g e in c i r c um s t a nc e s i n the pr opos e d c ountry e l i m i na t e s the appl i c a nt ’ s f e a r s of pe r s e c ut i on, or( 2) by s how i ng tha tthe appl i c a ntc oul d a voi d af utur e thr e a tby r e lo c a tin g w ith in th e p r o p o s e d c o u n try , a n d th a t r e lo c a tio n w o u ld b e r e a s o n ab le u n d e rth e c ir c u m s ta n c e s . I d. W e ha ve de f

i ne d pe r s e c ut i on a s “ a n e xtr e m e c onc e ptr e qui r i ng m or e tha n a fe w i sol at ed i nci dent s of verbal hara ss m entor i nt i m i dat i on . ” See Se pulv e da , 401 F . 3d a t1231. ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons om i tt e d) . T hus , i n or de rt o qua l i f y f or w ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l, a n ap p lic a n t m u s t s h o w m o r e th a n m e r e h a r a s s m e n t d u e to5

ar e f u s a l to c o o p e r a te . Sanc hezv . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 39 2 F . 3d 43 4, 43 8 (11 th C i r. 2 0 0 4 ) .A s w i th othe rf

a c tua l f i ndi ngs , w e a l s o r e vi e w c r e di bi l i ty de t e rm i na t i ons u n d e rth e s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e te s t. For gue , 40 1 F . 3d at12 86 . “ T hati s, ‘ the tri er of f a c tm us tde t e rm i ne c r e di bi l i ty , a nd thi s c our tm a y nots ubs t i tut e i t s j udgm e nt fo r th at o f th e I J w ith re sp ec t t o cr ed ib il ity f in d in g s.”’ I

d. ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . W e w ill n o t o v e r tu rn ac r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n u n le s s th e r e c o r d c o m p e ls it. I d. at 1287. A n I J m u s t o f

f e rs p e c if ic , c o g e n t r e a s o n s f

o ra n a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n . For

gue , 401 F . 3d a t1287. S uc h ade t e rm i na t i on m us tgo t o the he a r tof the c l a i m , a nd notbe ba s e d on m i nordi s c r e pa nc i e s , i nc ons i s t e nc i e s , or o m is s io n s . G a o v . A s h c r o ft , 2 9 9 F .3 d 2 6 6 , 2 7 2 ( 3 d C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) ; se e a l so Po p v . I NS , 2 7 0 F .3 d 5 2 7 , 5 3 1 ( 7 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . A s in g le in c o n s is te n c y m a y b e s u f f ic ie n t to s us t a i n a n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty de t e rm i na t i on i f the i nc ons i s t e nc y goe s t o the he a r tof h e ra s y lu m c la im . See Ch e b c h o u b v . I NS , 25 7 F . 3d 10 38 , 10 43 (9th C i r. 20 01 ). In a n y e v e n t, a n a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n d o e s n o t d im in is h a n I J ’s d u ty to c o n s id e ro th e re v id e n c e p r o d u c e d b y a n ap p lic a n t. For gue , 4 0 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 7 . I n For gue , w e co n cl u d ed th atsu b st an t i al ev i d en ce su p p o rt edth e IJ’ s ad v erse cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on , as the appl i ca ntt es t i fi ed, w i tho utcorr ob orat i ng evi dence,6

a s to f a c ts h e h a d n e v e rm e n tio n e d b e f o r e . I d. L i ke w i s e , i n D -Muham e d v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 38 8 F . 3d 81 4, 81 9 (11 th C i r. 20 04 ), w e c on cl ud ed thatsubst ant i al evi dence s up po rt ed the IJ ’ s a dv er se cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on af t erdet erm i ni ng that th e IJ n o t ed n u m ero u s i n co n si st en ci es b etw een th e ap p l i can t ’ s t est i m o n y, ap p l i cat i o n , an d d o cu m en t ary ev i d en ce. “ G i v en th e IJ’ s en u m erat i o n o f th ese i nc ons i s t e nc i e s , w hi c h a r e s uppor t e d by the r e c or d, w e w i l l nots ubs t i tut e our j ud gm entfor thatof the IJw i th res pectt o i t s c re di bi l i ty f i nd i ng s. ” I

d. In the pres entca se , M artha att em pt ed t o p rove pastpers ec ut i on base d o n an a lle g e d r ap e s h e s u f

f e r e d b e c a u s e s h e w o u ld n o t c o o p e r a te w ith th e F A R C . H ow e ve r , the I J f

ound M a r tha ’ s t e s t i m ony of the r ape i nc r e di bl e ba s e d on num e r ous i nc ons i s t e nc i e s be tw e e n he rt e s t i m ony , a s y l um appl i c a t i on, a nd a dde ndum t o he ra s y l um appl i c a t i on. I n pa r t i c ul a r , the I J f ound tha tM a r tha( 1) f a i l e d t o m e nt i on the f

a c ttha ts he w a s r ape d i n he ri ni t i a l a s y l um appl i c a t i on; ( 2) t es t i fi ed thaton e m an raped h er , bu tst at ed i n h eraddend um thatthree m en raped he r ; a nd ( 3) t e s t i f

i e d i nc ons i s t e nt l y w i th he ra dde ndum by one w e e k a s t o the l ength o f t i m e s he spentho spi t al i ze d aft erthe att ac k. M artha al so i ntrodu ce d c orr obor a t i ng e vi de nc e of the r ape i n the f

orm of as hor tl e tt e rf

r om adoc t orf

r i e nd st at i ng thata physi ca l exam i nat i on of M artha abou ta m on th aft erthe att ac k s h o w e d b ru is e s o n h e rb o d y a n d c le a rs ig n s o f s e x u a l ab u s e . T h e I J d is c r e d ite d th is7

l e tt e rba s e d on M a r tha ’ s unw i l l i ngne s s t o s ubm i tt o af ul l e xa m i na t i on by the d o c to r . A ftera c ar ef

u l rev iew , w e c o n clu d e th at th e r ec o rd su p p o rts th e I J’s fi nd i ng s. A s m ent i on ed abov e, w e do n otsubst i tut e our j ud gm entfor thatof the IJ w ith re sp ec t t o cr ed ib il ity f in d in g s. G iv en th e I J’s e n u m er atio n o f M ar th a’s in co n sisten cies , w h ich ar e m ater ial an d su p p o rted b y th e r ec o rd , as w ell as th e I J’s c ons i de r a t i on a nd r e

j e c t i on of

M a r tha ’ s c orr obor a t i ng e vi de nc e , a l s o s uppor t e d by th e reco rd , w e co n cl u d e th atsu b st an t i al ev i d en ce su p p o rt s th e IJ’ s ad v erse c r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n . B ecau se th e IJ d i scred i t ed M arth a’ s t est i m o n y, th e IJ refu sed t o fi n d p ast p e r s e c u tio n , a n d u ltim a te ly c o n c lu d e d th a t M a r th af a ile d to m e e t h e rb u r d e n in de m ons tr a t i ng tha ti ti s m or e l i ke l y tha n nottha ts he w i l l s uf f e rpe r s e c ut i on upon r e m o v a l . Ap p l y i n g th e s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e t e s tt o th i s f a c tu a l d e t e rm i n a t i o n , we deny M artha’ s pet i t i on , as the IJ ’ s det erm i nat i on i s s up po rt ed by re as on abl e, subst ant i al , and p robat i ve evi dence on the re cord consi dere d as aw ho l e. In part i cul ar , w i tho uta c re di bl e c l ai m of rape, w e c anno tconcl ud e thati ti s m ore lik e ly th a n n o t th a t M a r th aw o u ld b e p e r s e c u te d o rto r tu r e d u p o n h e rr e tu rn to C o lo m b ia .8

A s t o M a r i a ’ s appl i c a t i on, the I J f ound tha ts he f

a i l e d t o i ntr oduc e a ny evi dence of pastpers ec ut i on , and thather a l l egat i on s onl y a l l eged att em pt ed e x to r tio n . T h e r e c o r d s u p p o r ts th e s e f in d in g s , a s M a r ia , in h e rap p lic a tio n a s w e ll a s dur i ng he rt e s t i m ony , onl y a l l e ge d tha tthe F A R C thr e a t e ne d he rf ori nf orm a t i on a n d f o rm o n e y . U n d e re s tab lis h e d p r e c e d e n t, s u c h a lle g a tio n s d o n o t a m o u n t to p er se cu ti o n fo r w ith h o ld in g o f r em o v al p u rp o se s. T h u s, in li g h t o f M ar ia’s t e s t i m ony , w e c a nnotc onc l ude tha ti ti s m or e l i ke l y tha n nottha tM a r i aw i l l be p e r s e c u te d o rto r tu r e d u p o n h e rr e tu rn to C o lo m b ia . B e c a us e the pe t i t i one r s ha ve f a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h the i rbur de n of pr oof f or w i th h o l d i n g o f rem o v al p u rp o ses, w e d en y th ei r p et i t i o n s. PETI TI O N S D EN I ED .