FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT AUG 1 , 2006 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- 10559 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc yN os . A 79- 478- 574 A 79- 478- 575 O S C A R H U M B E R T O Z A P A T A , M A R I A I S A B E L D E L O S R I O S , P e titio n e r s - A p p e lla n ts , 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- A p p e lle e .

________________________ 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

_________________________ ( A u gu s t 1, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , M A R C U S an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

O sc arH um bert o Z apat a and M ar i a de l os R i os (“ P et i t i on er s” ) are nat i ves a n d c itiz e n s o f

C o lu m b ia , S .A . T h e ye n te r e d th e U n ite d S ta te s in N e w Y o rkin F e brua ry2000 a s non- i m m i gr a ntvi s i t or s f orpl e a s ur e w i th author i z a t i on t o s t a yf or a per i od no tt o exceed si x m on ths. A ft erarri vi ng i n N ew Y ork, they w orked there f orat i m e a nd the n m ove d t o D a vi e , F l or i da . I n J une 2001, the yw e r e m a rr i e d a nd Z ap a taf ile d a n ap p lic a tio n f

o ra s y lu m . B e c aus e P e t i t i one r s ove r s t a y e d the i rs i x- m onth author i z a t i on, the Im m i grat i on and N atural i za t i on S ervi ce (“ IN S ”) , on A ug ust15 , 20 02 , se rved them w i th a N ot i ce t o A pp ear, char gi ng them w i th rem ai ni ng i n the U ni t ed S t at es w i thoutauthor i z a t i on. P e t i t i one r s the r e a f t e rappe a r e d be f

or e a n I m m i gr a t i on J udge ( “I J ” ) , a d m itte d th e a lle g a tio n s o f th e N o tic e to A p p e a ra n d c o n c e d e d r e m o v ab ility . A tas ubs e que nta s y l um he a r i ng, the I Jc ons i de r e d Z apa t a ’ s a s y l um appl i c a t i on t oge the rw i th hi s r e que s tf orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l unde rthe I m m i gr a t i on a nd N at i on al i ty A ct(“ IN A ”) § 2 41 (b)( 3), 8 U . S . C . § 1 23 1(b)(3), and p rot ec t i on un der th e C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rtu r e ( “C A T ” ) , 8 C .F .R . § § 2 0 8 .1 6 - 1 8 . Z ap a tac o n c e d e d th a t h is a s y lu m ap p lic a tio n w a s u n tim e lya n d a tte m p te d to excuse the fi l i ng del ayby expl ai ni ng thathe had suffer ed som e e m ot i on al p ro b l em s d u ri n g h i s fi rstyear i n th e U n i t ed S t at es. T h e IJ fo u n d th e ex cu se i nsuffi ci ent , and d i sm i ss ed the as yl um appl i ca t i on as un t i m el y. T hen, af t er3

c ons i de r i ng Z apa t a ’ s c a s e , ba s e d m a i nl yon Z apa t a ’ s t e s t i m ony , f orw i thhol di ng of r e m ova l a nd C A T pr ot e c t i on, the I Js t a t e d tha tha d Z apa t a ’ s a s y l um appl i c a t i on b e e n tim e ly , h e w o u ldh a v e d e n ie d it o n th e m e r its b e c au s e Z ap a taf a ile d to dem on stra t e pas tpers ec ut i on or a w el l -f ou nd ed fe arof future pers ec ut i on . S i nce Z apa t af a i l e d t o m a ke outac a s e f ora s y l um , the I Jde ni e d hi s r e que s tf or w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l a nd C A T pr ot e c t i on – w hi c h r e qui r e d as how i ng si g n i fi can t l y g reat er th an th atreq u i red fo r asyl u m –an d o rd ered P et i t i o n ers’ r e m o v a l. P e titio n e r s ap 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 he B I A a f

f i rm e d, a gr e e i ng w i th the I Jtha tZ apa t a ’ s a s y l um appl i c a t i on w a s unt i m e l ya nd i ne xc us abl e a nd tha tP e t i t i one r s ha d f a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h aba s i s f or 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 o rC A T . P e titio n e r s n o w s e e kr e v ie w in thi s c ourt . W e c ons i de rf i r s tthe que s t i on of

the t i m e l i ne s s of

Z apa t a ’ s a s y l um appl i ca t i on , then the deni al of w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al and C A T re l i ef . A n a s y l um appl i c a t i on m us tbe “ f i l e d w i thi n 1 y e a ra f

t e rthe da t e of

the al i en' s arr i val i n the U ni t ed S t at es . ” I N A § 2 08 (a )( 2)(B ), 8 U . S . C . § 1 15 8(a) (2)( B ). A n unt i m e l yappl i c a t i on “ m a ybe c ons i de r e d. . . i f the a l i e n de m ons tr a t e s t o the sa t i sf ac t i on of the A tt orney G ener al ei ther 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 tthe appl i cant ' s e l i gi bi l i ty f or as yl um or extra ordi nary4

c i r c u m s t a n c e s r e l a t i n g t o th e d e l a yi n f i l i n g a n ap p l i c a t i o n . . . . ” I NA § 2 08 (a )( 2)(D ), 8 U . S . C . § 1 15 8(a) (2)( D ). S ec t i on 11 58 (a )( 3) “ di vest s [ thi s] C ou rt of j ur i s di c t i on t o r e vi e w ade c i s i on r e ga r di ng w he the ra n a l i e n c om pl i e d w i th the o n e-year ti m e l i m i to r est ab l i sh ed ex trao rd i n ary ci rcu m st an ces th atw o u l d ex cu se hi s unt i m el y f

i l i ng . ” M endo zav. U . S . A tt ’ y G en. , 32 7 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). F urther, the R E A L ID A ctof 20 05 , P ub . L . N o. 10 9-13 , 11 9 S t at . 23 1, do es notc ha nge thi s j ur i s di c t i ona l rul e . C ha c on- B ot e r o v. U . S . A tt ’ yG e n. , 427 F . 3d 9 5 4 , 9 5 7 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ) (ex p l ai n i n g th atw e“ can n o trev i ew th e IJ’ s an d B IA ’ s deni al of [pet i t i on er ’ s] as ylum cl ai m , even consi deri ng the changes i n the R ea l ID A ct ” bec ause “ [t ] he t i m el i ness of an as yl um appl i ca t i on i s nota c on st i tut i on al c la im o rq u e s tio n o f

la w c o v e r e d b yth e R e a l I D A c t’s c h a n g e s ” ) . B e c aus e w e l a c k the author i tyt o r e vi e w the de t e rm i na t i on tha ta n a s y l um appl i c a t i on i s unt i m e l y , the port i on of the i ns t a ntpe t i t i on s e e ki ng r e vi e w of Z apat a’ s c l ai m for a sy l um i s di sm i ss ed. W e c on si der now w hether P et i t i on er s s h o u ldh a v e b e e n g r a n te d w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l o rC A T r e lie f

. P et i t i on er s c on t end thatZ apat a’ s t es t i m on y dem on stra t ed thathe had suff er ed pastpers ec ut i on by the C ol om bi an R evol ut i on ary A rm ed F orce s (“ F A R C ”) du e t o the threa t s m ade a gai nsthi m because he c am pai gn ed for a L i bera l P arty c andi dat e. T hey c on t end thatbecause i ti s w el l - docum ent ed that5

C ol om bi a i s “ saturat ed” by the F A R C , Z apat a w as ent i t l ed t o a pres um pt i on that h is lif e w o u ldb e th r e a te n e d u p o n h is r e tu rn . 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 ly 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 ). “ In so far as th e [B IA ] ad o p t s th e IJ’ s reaso n i n g , w e w i l l rev i ew th e IJ’ s d ec isio n as w ell. ” I d . H er e, b ec au se th e B IA ex p re ss ly ag re ed w ith th e I J’s de c i s i on, w e r e vi e w both de c i s i ons . S e e i d. T o the e xt e nttha tthe I J ’ s a nd the B I A ’ s de c i s i ons a r e ba s e d on al e ga l de t e rm i na t i on, ourr e vi e w i s de novo. 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 ). F ac tual det erm i nat i on s, ho w ever , ar e r evi ew ed un der the “ hi gh l y def er ent i al subst ant i al e v id e n c e te s t,” w h ic h r e q u ir e s u s to “v ie w th e r e c o r d in th e lig h t m o s t f a v o r ab le to the [I J] ’ s dec i si on and d raw al l re as on abl e i nfer ence s i n favor of thatdeci si on . ” A d e f e m i v . A s h c r o f

t, 3 8 6 F .3 d 1 0 2 2 , 1 0 2 6 - 2 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) ( e n b a n c ) , c e rt. de ni e d, 125 S . C t . 2245 ( 2005) . W e “ m us ta f f i rm the B I A ’ s [ a nd the I J ’ s ] de c i s i on i f i ti 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 c o n s id e r e d a s aw h o le .” A l N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 4 ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . W ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l m a yb e g r a n te d if th e a lie n e s tab lis h e s th a t, if re turned t o h i s c ou ntry , hi s l i fe or fr ee do m w ou l d b e threa t ened on ac coun tof ra ce , re 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, as P et i t i on er s6

cont end h er e, po l i t i ca l op i ni on . IN A § 2 41 (b)( 3); 8 U . S . C . § 1 23 1(b)(3). A dd i t i on al l y, an al i en m ayre ce i ve w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al base d o n an i m pu t ed p o litic a l o p in io n n o t a c tu a llyh e ldb yth e a lie n . S e e S a n c h e z v . U .S . A tt’yG e n ., 39 2 F . 3d 43 4, 43 8 (11 th C i r. 20 04 ) ( “ T o q ual i fyfor w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al base d on pers ec ut i on by a gueri l l a group on ac coun tof a pol i t i ca l op i ni on , [pet i t i on er ] m u s t e s tab lis h th a t th e g u e r illa s p e r s e c u te d [ h im ] o rw ill s e e kto p e r s e c u te [ h im ] in the f utur e be c aus e of

he ra c tua l ori m put e d pol i t i c a l opi ni on. ” ) . T he bur de n of p r o o f is o n th e a lie n to s h o w h is e lig ib ilityf o rw ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l. 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 6 ( b ) . A n a lie n is e n title d to w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l if

h e c a n e s tab lis h , w ith s pe c i f i c a nd c r e di bl e e vi de nc e : ( 1) apa s tthr e a tt o l i f e orf r e e dom thr ough pr oof

of pa s tpe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof apr ot e c t e d gr ound, or( 2) af utur e thr e a tt o l i f

e or fr ee do m i f i t“ i s m ore l i kel y than n ot ” thatthe prot ec t ed grou nd w i l l cause f uture pe r s e c ut i on. 8 C . F . R . § 208. 16( b) ( 1) , ( 2) . I f a n a l i e n e s t abl i s he s pa s tpe r s e c ut i on, he i s pr e s um e d t o ha ve aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on, unl e s s the g o v e rn m e n t c a n r e b u t th e p r e s u m p tio n w ith e v id e n c e o f c h a n g e d c ir c u m s ta n c e s in th e a lie n ’s c o u n try , o rth a t th e a lie n c o u ldr e lo c a te w ith in h is c o u n trya n d th a t it w ou l d b e r ea sonabl e t o exp ec thi m t o d o so. 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 16 (b)( 1)(i ). If , how e ve r , a n a l i e n doe s note s t abl i s h pa s tpe r s e c ut i on, he be a r s the bur de n of s h o w in g aw e ll- f

o u n d e d f e a ro f f u tu r e th r e a t to lif

e o rf r e e d o m b ys h o w in g th a t it is7

m ore l i kel y than n otthathe w i l l suff erpers ec ut i on on the basi s of the prot ec t ed g r o u n d , a n d h e c o u ldn o t a v o idp e r s e c u tio n b yr e lo c a tin g to a n o th e rp a rt o f h is c o u n try , if

, u n d e ra ll o f

th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s , it w o u ldb e r e a s o n ab le to e x p e c t h im to do so. 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 16 (b)( 2).

“ ‘ [P ] er se cut i on ’ i s an ‘ extre m e c on ce pt , ’ re qu i ri ng ‘ m ore than a few i sol at ed i nci dent s of verbal hara ss m entor i nt i m i dat i on , ’ and that‘ [m ] er e har as sm entdo es nota m ountt o pe r s e c ut i on. ’ ” S e pul ve dav. U . S . A tty . G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1231 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . S u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e s u p p o rts th e I J ’s d e te rm in a tio n th a t Z ap a taf a ile d to m e e thi s bur de n of

s how i ng tha the m or e l i ke l ytha n notw oul d s uf f e rpe r s e c ut i on up on re turni ng t o C ol om bi a. T he cand i dat e f or w ho m Z apat a had camp ai gn ed w as ki l l e d i n 1999, a nd he a nd hi s f a m i l ythe r e a f

t e rl i ve d i n C ol um bi aunha rm e d f or ei gh tm on ths. Z apat a’ s onl y e vi dence of pers ec ut i on w as hi s c on nect i on w i th that c a ndi da t e . T he c a ndi da t e ’ s de a th e l i m i na t e d tha tc onne c t i on a nd thus the ba s i s f or th e a lle g e d p e r s e c u tio n . W e th e r e f o r e d e n yth e in s ta n t p e titio n w ith r e s p e c t to P e t i t i one r s ’ r e que s tf

orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l a nd C A T pr ot e c t i on. PETI TI O N D I SM I SSED , I N PA RT; D EN I ED , I N PA RT