FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT JULY 31, 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. 05- 15545 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N o. A 78- 863- 028 Y A N J I N Z A O , P e titio n e r , 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.

________________________ P e t i t i on f orR e vi e w of

a D 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

_________________________ ( Ju l y 31, 2006) B efo re D U B IN A , H U L L an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: Y an Ji n Z ao se eks r evi ew of the B oard of Im m i grat i on A pp ea l s’ (“ B IA ”)2

de c i s i on a f

f i r m i ng the i m m i gr a t i on j udge ’ s ( “ I J ” ) or de rof r e m ova l a nd de ni a l of as yl um and 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 (“ IN A ”), see 8 U . S . C . § § 1 1 5 8 , 1 2 3 1 , an d th e U n i t ed N at i o n s C o n v en t i o n A g ai n st 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 ntorP uni s hm e nt (“ C A T ”) , se e 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 16 (c ). O n app ea l , Z ao ar gu es thatsubst ant i al evi dence does notsupp ortthe IJ ’ s a dv er se cr edi bi l i ty f i nd i ng and t he deni al of her appl i ca t i on s f

or as yl um and w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . B ec ause subst ant i al evi dence s uppor t s the I J ’ s de t e r m i na t i ons , w e de ny Z a o’ s pe t i t i on. I. S tan d ard of R evi ew W he n the B I A i s s ue s a de c i s i on, w e r e vi e w onl y tha tde c i s i on, e xc e ptt o the e x te n t th e B I A e x p r e s s ly a d o p ts th e I J ’s d e c is io n . A l N a jja rv . A s h c r o

ft , 257 F . 3d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 8 4 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 1 ) . “ I n s o f a ra s th e [ B I A] a d o p t s th e I J ’ s r e a s o n i n g , we w i l l re vi ew the IJ ’ s dec i si on as w el l . ” I d. H e r e , the B I A a f

f i r m e d the I J ’ s f

i ndi ngs a n d b r ie f ly c o m m e n te d o n th e I J ’s c r e d ib ility d e te r m in a tio n . T h e r e f o r e , w e w ill r e v i e w th e d e c i s i o n s o f

th e I J a n d B I A. T o the ext entthatthe IJ ’ s a nd the B IA ’ s dec i si on s w er e bas ed on l egal d e te r m in a tio n s , o u rr e v ie w is d e n o v o . D - Muhum e d v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 388 F . 3d 81 4, 81 7 (11 th C i r. 20 04 ). T he IJ ’ s a nd B IA ’ s f ac tual det erm i nat i on s a re re vi ew ed u n d e rth e s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e te s t, a n d w e “m u s t a f f ir m th e B I A ’s d e c is io n if it is supp ort ed by re as on abl e, subst ant i al , and p robat i ve evi dence on t he re cord3

consi dere d as aw ho l e. ” A l N aj j ar , 257 F . 3d a t1283- 84 ( quot a t i ons a nd c i t a t i ons om i tt ed). T here fore , a f i nd i ng of fa ctw i l l be re vers ed “ on l y w hen t he re cord c om pe l s a r e ve r s a l ; the m e r e f a c ttha tthe r e c or d m a y s uppor ta c ontr a ry c onc l us i on i s notenou gh t o j ust i fy a r ever sa l . . . . ” A de fe m i v . A s h c r o

ft , 386 F . 3d 1022, 1027 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) ( e n b a n c ) , ce rt. deni ed , 544 U . S . 1035, 125 S . C t . 2245, 161 L . E d. 2d 1063 ( 2005) . L i ke w i s e , a c r e di bi l i ty de t e r m i na t i on i s r e vi e w e d unde rthe s ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e t e s t , a nd “ thi s c our tm a y nots ubs t i tut e i t s j udgm e ntf ortha tof the B IA w i th res pectt o cre di bi l i ty f i nd i ng s. ” D -M

uh um ed , 3 8 8 F .3 d a t 8 1 8 . I I . A dv e r s e C r e di bi l i t y Fi ndi ng Z a o a r gue s tha tthe I J ’ s a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty de t e r m i na t i on w a s e rr one ous b e c a u s e th e I J im p r o p e r ly r e lie d o n s ta te m e n ts f r o m Z a o ’s a irp o r t in te r v ie w to i m peac h Z ao’ s hea ri ng t es t i m on y. C i t i ng ca se l aw fr om the S ec on d C i rc ui t , Z ao cont ends that , before re l yi ng on the ai rportst at em ent , the IJ had t o con du ctan anal ys i s t o d et erm i ne thatst at em ent ’ s r el i abi l i ty. S he m ai nt ai ns thatthe IJ fa i l ed t o c onduc ts uc h a n a na l y s i s , a nd, thus , the I J ’ s r e l i a nc e on the a i rpor ts t a t e m e nta nd u ltim a te c r e d ib ility d e te r m in a tio n w e r e e rr o n e o u s . T h e te s tim o n y o f

a n ap p lic a n t, if

f o u n d to b e c r e d ib le , is a lo n e s u f f ic ie n t to e s tab lis h e lig ib ility f

o ra s y lu m . I

d. a t818- 19. H ow e ve r , i nc ons i s t e ntor e m b e llis h e d te s tim o n y c o u ld le a d to a n a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility f in d in g . D ai l i de v . U

. S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 3 8 7 F . 3 d 1 3 3 5 , 1 3 4 3 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 4 ) (affirm i n g th e B IA ’ s ad v erseTh eSe c on d Circuit a dopte d th efo llo wingfac tor s: 1 Fi rs t , a r ec o rdo f th e i nt erv i ew th at m er el y s umm ari z es o r p ar ap hra s es th e a l i en 's state mentsis inh e rently

le ss re lia

bletha n a verb atim account or

trans c ript. 4 cr ed ib il ity d eter m in atio n , w h ich w as b as ed u p o n it s f in d in g th at th e a p p li ca n t’ s t e s t i m ony c onf

l i c t e d w i th hi s a ns w e r s t o i nt e rr oga t or i e s , a f f i da vi t , de pos i t i on, a nd othe rdoc um e nt a ry e vi de nc e ) . A l though unc orr obor a t e d butc r e di bl e t e s t i m ony ma y b e s u f

f i c i e n tt o s u s t a i n a n ap p l i c a n t ’ s b u r d e n o f p r o v i n g e l i g i b i l i ty f

o ra s y l u m,

“ [ t ] he w e a ke ra n appl i c a nt ’ s t e s t i m ony [ ] the gr e a t e rthe ne e d f orc orr obor a t i ve evi dence. ” Y

ang v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 4 1 8 F .3 d 1 1 9 8 , 1 2 0 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . H o w e v e r , “a n a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility d e te r m in a tio n d o e s n o t a lle v ia te th e I J ’s d u ty to c ons i de rothe re vi de nc e pr oduc e d by a n a s y l um appl i c a nt , ” a nd the I J m us tpr ovi de “s p e c if ic , c o g e n t r e a s o n s ” f

o rh e rc r e d ib ility f

in d in g . For

gue v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 4 0 1 F .3 d 1 2 8 2 , 1 2 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . H e r e , th e I J s e t f

o r th s p e c if

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

o rh e ra d v e r s e c r e d ib ility f i ndi ng. T he I J ba s e d he ra dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty f i ndi ng i n pa r ton i nc ons i s t e nc i e s a nd om i s s i ons f

ound i n Z a o’ s a i rpor ts w orn s t a t e m e nt . Z a o a r gue s tha tthe I J di d not a s s e s s th e r e liab ility o f

th e a irp o r t s ta te m e n t b e f o r e c o n c lu d in g th a t it a c c u r a te ly rep resen t ed Z ao ’ s st at em en t s. Z ao ci t es R a m s a m e a c h ir e v . A s h c r o ft , a S e c ond C i rc ui tdeci si on , t o sup po rther a rgum entthatthe IJ m usteval uat e s ever al fa ct ors t o de t e r m i ne i f

a n a l i e n w a s e nt i r e l y f

or thc om i ng i n a n i ni t i a l i nt e r vi e w . 357 F . 3d 1 6 9 , 1 8 0 ( 2 0 0 4 ) . W e h a v e n e v e rh e ld th a t it is r e v e r s ib le e rr o rf o ra n I J to f

a il to 1Second, similarly less reliableareinterviews in which the questions aske d are no t des igne d to elic it the de tails of an a sylum

c laim, or theI NS o ff ic e r f ails to ask follow-up que stions that would aid the al i en in deve loping his or her acc ount. Third, an interview may be deemed less re liab l e if the alien a ppear s to have be en re luctant to reve al information to I NS officials be causeof prior i nt e r ro g at i o n s e s s i o n s o r o th e r c o e rc i v e e xp e ri e n c e s i n h i s o r h e r h o m ec o untr y. Fin all y , if

thealien' s ans wersto t

hequ e sti on s p os e d s ug g e st t hat th ealien did n o tun d er s t an d

En gl i s ho r th e tran s l at i o n s p ro v i d edb y th e i nt er p re t er , th e a l i en 's statements should be considered less re liable. Id. at 180 (c itations and quotations omitted). 5 e va l ua t e a n a i rpor ts t a t e m e ntus i ng the s e f a c t or s . F ur the r m or e , Z a o pr e s e nt s no a r gum e nttha the ra i rpor ts t a t e m e ntw a s unr e l i a bl e i n l i ghtof the s e f a c t or s , a nd no thi ng i n the re cord sugg es t s thather a i rportst at em enti s notsuff i ci ent l y r el i abl e. G iv en th e in co n sisten cies an d o m issio n s th ro u g h o u t th e r ec o rd an d Z ao ’s f a ilu r e to p r o v id e a d d itio n a l c o rr o b o r a tiv e e v id e n c e , th e I J ’s a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility f in d in g is s u p p o r te d b y s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e .

I I I . A s y l u m an d W i t h h ol d i n g of R e m oval Z a o a r gue s on appe a l tha tthe I J ’ s de ni a l of he rappl i c a t i ons f

ora s y l um a nd w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al w er e notsupp ort ed by subst ant i al evi dence because the IJ base d tho se deni al s on the cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on , w hi ch Z ao ar gu es w as e rr one ous . Z a o f

ur the rm a i nt a i ns tha tno r e a s ona bl e f a c t f i nde rw oul d ha ve c o n c lu d e d th a t Z a o d id n o t h a v e a w e ll- f o u n d e d f e a ro f f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n if r e tu rn e d to C h in a . A s a n i ni t i al m att er , Z ao di d n otra i se her c l ai m for C A T re l i ef i n h erappeal before the B IA or i n h erbri ef before thi s C ou rt . T here fore , Z ao abando ned t hat6

is s u e . Se e Se

pulv e da v . U

. S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1228 n. 2 ( 11th C i r . 2005) (percuri am ) ( ho l di ng that , w here an appel l antfa i l s t o rai se ar gu m ent s r egar di ng an i ss ue on appeal , thati ss ue i s dee m ed abando ned). T o e s t a bl i s h e l i gi bi l i ty f ora s y l um , a n appl i c a ntha s the bur de n of pr ovi ng th a t h e is a “r e f

u g e e ,” w h ic h is d e f

in e d a s : any per son w ho i s out si de any c ou ntry of such pers on ’ s nat i on al i ty or, in th e c a s e o f

a p e r s o n h a v in g n o n a tio n a lity , is o u ts id e a n y c o u n try in w hi c h s uc h pe r s on l a s tha bi tua l l y r e s i de d, a nd w ho i s una bl e or unw i l l i ng t o r e turn t o, a nd i s una bl e orunw i l l i ng t o a va i l hi m s e l f or hers el f of the prot ec t i on of, thatcoun try because of per se cut i on or a w e l l - f ounde d f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof r a c e , r e 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 po l i t i ca l o p in io n . . . . 8 U .S .C . § § 1 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( A ) , 1 1 5 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) ; For gue , 40 1 F . 3d at12 86 (app l i ca nthas th e b u r d e n ) . A dd i t i on al l y, t o est abl i sh as yl um el i gi bi l i ty throu gh a w el l -f ou nd ed fe ar , an appl i c a ntm us tpr ove tha thi s s t a tut or i l y pr ot e c t e d s t a tus w i l l c a us e ha r m or s u f f e r in g th a t r is e s to th e le v e l o f p e r s e c u tio n . For

gue , 40 1 F . 3d at12 86 . “ In or de rt o de m ons tr a t e a s uf f i c i e ntc onne c t i on be tw e e n f utur e pe r s e c ut i on a nd the pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty , a n a l i e n i s r e qui r e d t o pr e s e nts pe c i f i c , de t a i l e d f

a c t s s how i ng a go od re as on t o fea r thathe or she w i l l be s i ngle d out f orpe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof such a prot ec t ed ac t i vi ty. ” I d. ( quot a t i on a nd c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . “ E s t a bl i s hi ng a hi st ory of pas tpers ec ut i on cr ea t es a pre sum pt i on thatan al i en has aw el l -f ou nd ed7

f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on, a l though tha tpr e s um pt i on c a n be r e butt e d by the go vernm ent . ” I

d. ; see a l so 8 C . F . R . § 2 08 . 13 (b)( 1). I n f in d in g th a t a p e titio n e rh a d n o t c a rr ie d h is b u r d e n to s h o w h is e lig ib ility for a sy l um , w e have re ce nt l y hel d that , w here a pet i t i on erw as det ai ned u nh arm ed f orf i ve da y s a nd t e r m i na t e d f r om hi s e m pl oy m e ntbe c a us e he pr a c t i c e d F a l un G ong, he ha d nots uf

f i c i e nt l y s how n pa s tpe r s e c ut i on. Zhe ng v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 , __F .3 d __ , ( N o . 0 5 - 1 2 8 1 8 , J u n e 1 4 , 2 0 0 6 ) ( p e rc u r ia m ) . W e f ur the rf ound tha tthe pe t i t i one ri n Zhe ng di d note s t a bl i s h a w e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on be c a us e the pe t i t i one rc oul d r e l oc a t e w i thi n C hi na , a nd, m or e ove r , the 2002 C ountry R e por ti ndi c a t e d tha tthe C hi ne s e gove rnm e nt ge ne r a l l y r e s e r ve d the ha r s he s tpuni s hm e ntf orF a l un G ong l e a de r s , w hi c h the p e titio n e rw a s n o t. I

d. H e r e , th e I J ’s c r e d ib ility d e te r m in a tio n is s u p p o r te d b y s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e . M o r e o v e r , th e r e m a in in g r e c o r d e v id e n c e d o e s n o t c o m p e l r e v e r s a l. Se e A de f e mi , 38 6 F . 3d at10 27 . E ven i f Z ao’ s t es t i m on y had been cre di bl e, w e a gree w i th the IJ tha tZ a o’ s na m e be i ng on a bl a c kl i s ta nd tha tthe pol i c e w e r e l ooki ng f orhe rdo not ri se t o the l evel of pers ec ut i on suff i ci entfor a sy l um . A dd i t i on al l y, the evi dence that(1) Z ao’ s par ent s a nd si st erre m ai n saf el y i n C hi na, (2) the 20 04 C ou ntry R ep o rti n d i cat ed th atF al u n G o n g “ co re l ead ers” received p art i cu l arl y h arsh tr e a tm e nt , a nd ( 3) Z a o di d noti ndi c a t e tha ts he w a s a “ c or e l e a de r ” of the F a l un8

G ong, s ugge s t s tha tZ a o c a nnote s t a bl i s h a w e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on i f s he r e tur ne d t o C hi na . T he r e f or e , the I J ’ s de t e r m i na t i on tha tZ a o di d not e s t a b l i s h h e re l i g i b i l i ty f o ra s y l u m i s a l s o s u p p o r t e d b y s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e . An appl i c a ntw ho i s una bl e t o m e e tthe s t a nda r d f ora s y l um i s a l s o una bl e t o m e e tthe m o r e s tr in g e n t s ta n d a r d f o rw ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l. H

uang v . U

. S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 429 F . 3d 1002, 1011 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( pe rc ur i a m ) . B e c a us e Z a o f a i l e d t o m e e tthe a s y lu m s ta n d a r d , h e rc la im f o rw ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l m u s t f

a il a s w e ll. Ac c o r d i n g l y , we d e n y th e p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w. P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.