T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by9th C i r . R . 36- 3.

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# FI LED DE C 28 2009 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALSN ED / Res ea r ch 08- 70797 2 un der the C on vent i on A gai nstT orture ( “ C A T ”) . W e have j uri sdi ct i on un der 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 5 2 . W e r e v ie w d e n o v o q u e s tio n s o f law , C er ez o v. Mukasey , 512 F . 3d 1163, 1166 ( 9th C i r . 2008) , e xc e ptt o the e xt e nttha tde f e r e nc e i s ow e d t o the B I A ’s d e te rm in a tio n o f

th e g o v e rn in g s ta tu te s a n dr e g u la tio n s , Si m eono v v . A s h c r o ft , 371 F . 3d 532, 535 ( 9th C i r . 2004) . W e r e vi e w f a c tua l f i ndi ngs f or s ub s tan tia l e v id e n c e . Zehat ye v. G on zales , 45 3 F . 3d 11 82 , 11 84 -85 (9th C i r. 2 0 0 6 ) . We d e n yth e p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w. W e r ej ec tA l vara do ’ s c l ai m thathe i s e l i gi bl e f or w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al b asedo n h i s m em b ersh i p i n a p art i cu l ar so ci al g ro up , n am el y, sm al l b u si n ess o w n e r s in E l S a lv a d o rw h o f e arb e in g h arm e db yg an g s if th e yr e p o rt th e m to p o lic e . See O choa v. G on zales , 4 0 6 F . 3 d1 1 6 6 , 1 1 7 0 (9 th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ) (rej ect i n g as a part i c ul ars oc i a l gr oup “ bus i ne s s ow ne r s i n C ol om bi aw ho r e j e c t e d de m ands by n ar c o - tr a f

f ic k e r s to p artic ip a te in ille g a l a c tiv ity ” ) ; Sa ntos-L em us v. Mukasey , 542 F . 3d 73 8, 74 5-46 (9th C i r. 20 08 ) ( re j ec t i ng as a part i cul arsoci algrou p “ youn g m en i n E l S al vado r r es i st i ng gang vi ol ence ”) (i nt ernal qu ot at i on om i tt ed). A cc ordi ng l y, because A l vara do fa i l ed t o d em on strat e thathe w as pers ec ut ed on a c c ountof

apr ot e c t e d gr ound, w e de nythe pe t i t i on a s t o hi s w i thhol di ng of r e m o v a l c la im . See B arri os v. H older , 58 1 F . 3d 84 9, 85 6 (9th C i r. 20 09 ).N ED / Res ea r ch 08- 70797 3 S ub st an t i al ev i d en ce sup p o rt s th e ag en cy’ s d en i al o f C A T rel i ef b ecau se A lv ar a d o d idn o t e s tab lis h alik e lih o o do f to rtu r e b y , a t th e in s tig a tio n o f , o rw ith th e c o n s e n t o ra c q u ie s c e n c e o f th e E l S a lv a d o r an g o v e rn m e n t. See Zhengv. A s h c r o ft , 33 2 F . 3d 11 86 , 11 94 (9th C i r. 20 03 ). P E T I T I ON F OR RE V I E W DE NI E D.