FILED U.S. COURT OF AP PEALS ELEV ENT HC IR C UIT MAY 26 , 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- 14296 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N os . A 78- 600- 770 & A 78- 600- 771 W E N T Z E L C H R I S T O F F E L H E R B S T , C A R O L A N N H E R B S T , 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.

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_________________________ ( M ay 26, 2006) B efo re C A R N E S , 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: W e nt z e l C hr i s t of

fe l H e rbs ta nd hi s w i fe , C a r ol A nn H e rbs t , a r e na ti ve s a nd2

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the w hi t e m i nor i ty . T he y e nt e r e d the U ni t ed S t at es i n D ec em ber 199 9 as non i m m i grantt em po rary ski l l ed w orkers . In J a n u a r y 2 0 0 1 , th e c o u p le w e r e is s u e d N o tic e s to A p p e a r , c h a r g in g th e m w ith r e m ova l forr e m a i ni ng i n the c ountr y l onge rtha n pe r m i tt e d. H e rbs t , on be ha l f of hi m s e l f a nd hi s w i fe a s ade r i va ti ve a ppl i c a nt , a ppl i e d fora s y l um unde rthe I m m i g r a ti o n a n d Na ti o n a l i ty Ac t( I NA ) a n d wi th h o l d i n g o f r e m o v a l u n d e rth e I NA a nd U ni t e d N a ti ons C onve nt i on A ga i ns tT or tur e a nd O the rC r ue l , I nhum a n or D egra di ng T re atm entor P un i shm ent(C A T ). T he Im m i grati on Judg e deni ed H e rbs tr e l i e f , a nd the B oa r d of I m m i gr a ti on A ppe a l s i s s ue d a n opi ni on a dopti ng th e I J ’s d e te r m in a tio n . H e rb s t p e titio n s fo rr e v ie w o f th e B I A ’s d e c is io n . W e r evi ew the B IA ’ s fac tual det er m i nat i on s und erthe subst ant i al evi dence t es t , and w e m ustaf

fi rm the B IA ’ s dec i si on i f i ti s “ supp ort ed by re as on abl e, s u b s t a n ti a l , a n d p r o b a ti v e e v i d e n c e o n th e r e c o r d c o n s i d e r e d a s awh o l e . ” Al N a jj a rv. A s hc r of

t , 257 F . 3d 1262, 1284 ( 11th C i r . 2001) . W e r e vi e w onl y the B I A’ s d e c i s i o n , “ e x c e p tt o th e e x t e n tth a ti te x p r e s s l y a d o p t s th e I J ’ s o p i n i o n . ” Al N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 4 . “I n s o fa ra s th e [ B I A ] a d o p ts th e I J ’s r e a s o n in g , w e w ill r e vi e w the I J ’ s de c i s i on a s w e l l . ” I d. H e rbs ta r gue s tha tthe B I A e rr e d i n uphol di ng the I J ’ s de t e r m i na ti on tha the w a s n o t e n title d to a s y lu m b e c a u s e th e s u b s ta n tia l w e ig h t o f th e e v id e n c e c o m p e ls a c on cl usi on thathe suff er ed pastpers ec ut i on and h as a w el l -fou nd ed fe arof future3

p ersecu ti o n o n acco u n to f h i s race. T o b e el i g i b l e fo r asyl u m , H erb stm u st es t abl i sh thathe has s uffe re d p as tpers ec ut i on or has aw el l -fou nd ed fe arof future p e r s e c u ti o n o n a c c o u n to f h i s r a c e . S e e 8 C . F . R . § 2 0 8 . 1 3 ( b ) . Al th o u g h th e I NA d o e s n o t e x p r e s s ly d e f

in e “p e r s e c u tio n ” fo rp u rp o s e s o f q u a lif y in g a s a“r e f

u g e e ,” s e e 8 U . S . C . § 1101( a ) ( 42) ( A ) , w e ha ve s t a t e d tha t“ [ n] ota l l e xc e pti ona l tr e a tm e nt is p e r s e c u tio n .” G o n z a le z v . R e n o , 2 1 2 F .3 d 1 3 3 8 , 1 3 5 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . “[ P ]e r s e c u tio n is a n e x tr e m e c o n c e p t, r e q u ir in g m o r e th a n afe w is o la te d in c id e n ts o f v e rb a l h a r a s s m e n t o rin tim id a tio n , a n d . . . m e r e h a r a s s m e n t d o e s n o t a m o u n t to pe r s e c ut i on. ” S e pul ve dav. U . S . A tt ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1231 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( in te r n a l q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ) . A l though the e ve nt s tha tH e rbs tha s s uf fe r e d i n S outh A f

r i c aa r e di s turbi ng, th e y d o n o t a m o u n t to p a s t p e r s e c u tio n fo rth e p u rp o s e o f q u a lif y in g a s ar e f

u g e e . F i rs t , H erbstpres ent s e vi dence thathe w as shotand h i s father w as st abbed w hen gr oups of

bl a c k m e n tr i e d t o r ob the m on t w o s e pa r a t e oc c a s i ons . T he s e a c t s do no tconst i tut e pas tpers ec ut i on on the basi s of r ac e bec ause there i s no evi dence th atth ey w ere co m m i tt ed b ecau se H erb stan d h i s fath er are w h i t e. S eco n d , H erb st pr e s e nt s e vi de nc e tha thi s m othe rw a s r obbe d a tkni fe poi ntby t w o bl a c k m e n w ho c a l l e d he r“ W hi t e B i t c h. ” T hi s i nc i de ntdoe s nota m ountt o pa s tpe r s e c uti on beca use the “ re as on abl e, subst ant i al , and p robat i ve evi dence on the re cord c ons i de r e d a s aw hol e ” e s t abl i s he s tha tthe a r m e d r obbe r y w a s m oti va t e d by4

g e n e r a l la w le s s n e s s , r a th e rth a n r a c ia l h o s tility . S e e A l N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 4 . T hi r d, H e rbs tha s pr e s e nt e d e vi de nc e tha thi s c a rw i ndow w a s s m a s he d by agr oup o f b l ack s an d th ato n an o th er o ccasi o n h i s car w as st o l en b y a b l ackm an . T h ese a c t s do notc ons ti tut e pa s tpe r s e c uti on be c a us e the y a r e m e r e ha r a s s m e nta nd i nt i m i dat i on . S ee S epul veda, 40 1 F . 3d at12 31 . F urtherm ore, there i s no evi dence tha tthe s e a c t s w e r e m ot i va t e d by r a c e . B e c a us e s ubs t a nti a l e vi de nc e s uppor t s the f in d in g th a t H e rb s t d id n o t s u f fe rp a s t p e r s e c u tio n o n a c c o u n t o f r a c e , th e B I A d id n o t e rrin u p h o ld in g th e I J in th is r e s p e c t. H e rb s t h a s a ls o fa ile d to e s tab lis h aw e ll- fo u n d e d fe a ro f f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n . T o est ab l i sh th atth e feared p ersecu ti o n i s o n acco u n to f h i s race, an al i en m u st pr e s e nt“ s pe c i f

i c , de t a i l e d fa c t s s how i ng agood r e a s on t o fe a rtha the ors he w i l l be s i ngl e d outforpe r s e c ut i on” be c a us e of hi s r a c e . S e pul ve da , 401 F . 3d a t1231 (e m ph as i s om i tt ed). A l t er nat i vel y, an al i en m ay es t abl i sh a w el l -fou nd ed fe ar w i tho utshow i ng thathe w ou l d b e s i ng l ed ou tfor per se cut i on i f the al i en e s t abl i s he s tha t : ( 1) the r e i s apa tt e r n orpr a c ti c e of r a c i a l l y - m oti va t e d pe r s e c uti on of a group of pers on s s i m i l ar l y s i tuat ed t o the al i en; and (2) he i s am em ber of that g r o u p , s u c h th a t h is fe a ro f p e r s e c u tio n is r e a s o n ab le . 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 3 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( iii) . H e rb s t h a s n o t p r e s e n te d s p e c if ic , d e ta ile d fa c ts th a t h e h a s ag o o d r e a s o n to b e lie v e th a t h e w ill b e s in g le d o u t fo rp e r s e c u tio n o n a c c o u n t o f r a c e if h e is retu rn ed t o S o u th A fri ca. S ee S ep u l v ed a, 4 0 1 F . 3 d at1 2 3 1 . A d d i ti o n al l y, H erb st5

ha s notpr e s e nt e d e vi de nc e s how i ng tha ti n S outh A f r i c athe r e i s apa tt e r n or p r a c ti c e o f

p e r s e c u ti o n o f

w h i t e s o n a c c o u n to f

th e i rr a c e . Se e 8 C. F. R. § 2 08 . 13 (b)( 2)(i i i ). Inst ea d, the evi dence i n the re cord supp ort s afi nd i ng that w hi t e s a r e ha r m e d a nd ha r a s s e d a s ar e s ul tof ge ne r a l i z e d l a w l e s s ne s s a nd cr i m i nal i ty. E ven tho ug h the 20 01 U ni t ed S t at es S t at e D epar tm entcoun try re po rt ac kn ow l edges the ra ci al t ensi on s i n the coun try , the re po rtem ph as i ze s ageneral s t a t e of i ns e c ur i ty pl a gui ng both bl a c ks a nd w hi t e s . T he r e por ta l s o l i s t s the nu m er ou s m ea sure s the go vernm enthas t aken t o curb g ener al vi ol ence and raci al te n s io n s , in c lu d in g th e im p le m e n ta tio n o f th e S o u th A f

r ic a n H u m a n R ig h ts C o m m is s io n a n d a d o p tio n o f th e P r o m o tio n o f

E q u a lity a n d P r e v e n tio n o f U n fa ir D is c r im in a tio n A c t. A d d itio n ally, H er b st ar g u es th at th e B IA er re d in u p h o ld in g th e I J’s det er m i nat i on thathe w as no tent i t l ed t o asy l um beca use the go vernm entoffe re d no oppos i ti on t o H e rbs t ’ s c a s e a nd c hos e nott o c r os s e xa m i ne H e rbs tdur i ng the pr oc e e di ng be for e the I J . T he bur de n i s on H e rbs tt o e s t abl i s h tha the i s e l i gi bl e for as yl um beca use he s uffe re d p as tpers ec ut i on or has aw el l -fou nd ed fe arof future pe r s e c ut i on. S e e 8 C . F . R . § 208. 13( b) . H e rbs tdi d notm e e thi s bur de n. T hus , the B I A d id n o t e rrin u p h o ld in g th e I J ’s d e te r m in a tio n th a t H e rb s t w a s n o t e n title d to a s y lu m irr e s p e c tiv e o f

w h e th e rth e g o v e r n m e n t p r e s e n te d e v id e n c e in s u p p o r t o f its c a s e o rc r o s s e x a m in e d H e rb s t.6

F i na l l y , H e rbs ta r gue s tha tthe B I A e rr e d i n uphol di ng the I J ’ s de t e r m i na ti on th ath e i s n o ten ti t l ed t o w i th h o l d i n g o f rem o v al u n d er th e IN A an d C A T b ecau se H e rb s t h a s s h o w n th a t h e w ill m o r e lik e ly th a n n o t b e p e r s e c u te d o n a c c o u n t o f h is ra ce i f force d t o return t o S ou th A fr i ca . T he B IA ’ s fac tual det er m i nat i on thatan a l i e n i s note nt i t l e d t o w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l m us tbe uphe l d i f i ti s s uppor t e d by s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e . A l N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 8 3

– 8 4 . A n a lie n is e n title d to w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l unde rthe I N A i f he c a n s how tha thi s l i fe orf r e e dom w oul d be thr e a t e ne d on a c c ountof hi s r a c e . S e e M e ndoz av. U . S . A tty . G e n, 327 F .3 d 1 2 8 3 , 1 2 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) ; s e e a ls o 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 3 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) . I f a n a p p lic a n t is u n ab le to m e e t th e w e ll- fo u n d e d fe a rs ta n d a r d fo ra s y lu m , h e is g e n e r a lly prec l ud ed fr om qu al i fy i ng for w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . A l N ajj ar , 25 7 F . 3d at 1292–93. T o o b t ai n rel i ef u n d er th e C A T , th e b u rd en i s o n th e ap p l i can tt o est ab l i sh 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) . “ T he bur de n of pr oof fora n a ppl i c a nts e e ki ng w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l unde rthe [ C A T ] , l i ke tha tfora n a ppl i c a nts e e ki ng w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der the [I N A ] , i s hi gh erthan the bu rden i m po se d o n an a s y lu m a p p lic a n t.” A l N a jja r , 2 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 3 0 3 . B e c a u s e H e rb s t h a s fa ile d to e s t ab l i s h aw e l l - fo u n d e d fe a ro f p e r s e c u ti o n s u f

f i c i e n tt o s u p p o r th i s a s y l u m c l a i m, w e f i nd thathe has notes t abl i shed hi s e l i gi bi l i ty for w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der7

the IN A and C A T . T he B IA di d n oterr i n u ph ol di ng the IJ ’ s det er m i nat i on that H e rb s t is in e lig ib le fo rw ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l. P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.