FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT Febr uar y 9, 2007 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL 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. 06- 12742 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ B I A N os . A 95- 240- 870 & A 95- 240- 871 F R A N C I S C O H E L A D I O N A T E S , O L G A J U D I T H J I M E N E Z , A N D R E A N A T E S , A L E J A N D R A N A T E S N A T E S , J U D Y H E L E N A H E R R E R A , 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.

________________________ 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

_________________________ ( F e b r u ar y 9, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B A R K E T T an dH U L L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:Nate s’ s f amily arrive d in

theUnite d State s a s non -immi gra nt visitors f

or ple a surein 1 November

28, 2000 with authorization to remain until May 27, 2001. Nates’ s asylum application listed his wife, Olg a Judi th J imenez, and threechildren, 2 Andre a Nates, Alejandra Nates Nate s, and Judy Helena Her rera, as derivative a

pplicants. For

the sake of simpli city, we refer to Nate s as the sole petitioner. 2 H e l a di o N a t e s ( “ N a t e s ” ) pe t i t i ons f orr e vi e w of

the B oa r d of

I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s ’ ( “ B I A ” ) f

i na l or de rde ny i ng hi s m ot i on t o r e ope n pr oc e e di ngs r e ga r di ng hi s a s y l um appl i c a t i on, w 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 o n al i ty A ct(“ IN A ”), an d rel i ef u n d er 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 ortur e ( “ C A T ” ) . A f

t e rr e vi e w , w e de nythe pe t i t i on.

I . B AC KG RO UN D N a t e s , ana t i ve a nd c i t i z e n of C ol om bi a , e nt e r e d the U ni t e d S t a t e s on S e p te m b e r2 9 , 2 0 0 0 a s an o n - im m ig r a n t v is ito rf o rp le a s u r e w ith au th o r iz a tio n to r e m a i n unt i l M a r c h 28, 2001. N a t e s r e m a i ne d i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s be y ond the 1 au th o r i z e d d a t e . O n M a r c h 7 , 2 0 0 2 , N a t e s f i l e da n ap p l i c a t i o n f

o ra s y l u m, w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l , a nd C A T r e l i e f i n w hi c h he c l a i m e d pe r s e c ut i on ba s e d on pol i t i c a l opi ni on a nd m e m be r s hi p i n apa rt i c ul a rs oc i a l gr oup. 2 A . A s y l u m A p p l i c at i on A c c or di ng t o the a s y l um appl i c a t i on a nd he a r i ng t e s t i m ony , N a t e s ow ne d a garm entm anufacturi ng com pany i n the S an V i ce nt e nei gh bo rhoo d o f B og ot a, C ol om bi a. N at es col l aborat ed w i th the l ocal C om m un i ty A ct i on B oard t o i dent i fy3

needy f am i l i es i n the ar ea , and h e e m pl oyed si ng l e m others as se am stre ss es . B as ed o n h is c o m m u n ityin v o lv e m e n t, th e L ib e r a l P a rtyo f C o lo m b iaa s k e dh im to b e c o m e its m a y o r a l c a n d id a te in th e S a n V ic e n te e le c tio n , b u t N a te s u ltim a te lyd id n o t s e e ke le c tio n a f

te rr e c e iv in g th r e a te n in g te le p h o n e c a lls . O n A ugus t7, 1999, a n i ndi vi dua l w ho i de nt i f i e d hi m s e l f

a s am e m be rof

the R evol ut i on ary A rm ed F orce s of C ol om bi a ( “ F A R C ”) ca l l ed N at es and threa t ened t o ki l l hi m f

ori nt e r f e r i ng w i th the F A R C ’ s bus i ne s s i n S a n V i c e nt e . T he f ol l ow i ng w e e k, N a t e s f

l e d t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s a nd r e m a i ne d the r e f orf ourm onths , dur i ng w h ic h tim e F A R C m e m b e r s p e r io d ic a llyc a lle dh is f a m ilya n din q u ir e dab o u t h is l oc a t i on. A f

t e rN a t e s r e turne d t o C ol om bi a , he r e c e i ve d a nothe rde a th thr e a tf r om aF A R C m e m b e ro n M a r c h 1 5 , 2 0 0 0 . F o llo w in g th is p h o n e c a ll, N a te s a g a in tr a ve l e d t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s a nd r e turne d t o C ol om bi atw o m onths l a t e r , butthe th r e a te n in g p h o n e c a lls r e s u m e d in J u ly2 0 0 0 . O n S e pt e m be r26, 2000, f i ve a rm e d m e n pus he d N a t e s i nt o ahous e , a nd a si x th m an i n ci v i l i an cl o th es i n fo rm ed N at es th atth e F A R C w o u l dk i l l h i m u n l ess he s uppl i e d the m w i th ar e gul a rs hi pm e ntof t - s hi rt s . N a t e s s ol d hi s bus i ne s s a nd tr a ve l e d t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s , a nd hi s f a m i l yw a s l e f

tt o l i ve t e m por a r i l yi n a f r ie n d ’s h o u s e in C o lo m b ia . F A R C m e m b e r s c o n tin u e dto p la c e th r e a te n in g c a lls t o N a t e s ’ s ol d apa rtm e nt , a nd hi s f a m i l yj oi ne d hi m i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s on N o v e m b e r2 8 , 2 0 0 0 , s h o rtlya f te ro n e o f

N a te s ’s f

o rm e re m p lo y e e s , G lo r ia4

S anchez, i nform ed N at es ’ s w i fe thatthe F A R C w er e t ar get i ng hi s daugh t er . In supp ortof hi s a sy l um appl i ca t i on , N at es subm i tt ed, i nt eral i a: (1) asw orn decl ar at i on , dat ed A pri l 12 , 20 04 , fr om N at es ’ s s i st er , M ar i a C on suel o N at es F orer o, st at i ng thatshe r ec ei ved threa t eni ng ca l l s i nt ended for N at es betw ee n Janu ary 200 1 and D ec em ber 200 3; (2) aC om m un i ty A ct i on B oard cert i fi ca t e, da t e d J ul y20, 1999, r e c ogni z i ng N a t e s ’ s c ontr i but i ons i n S a n V i c e nt e ; a nd ( 3) n u m ero u s rep o rt s ab o u tth e F A R C ’ s t arg et i n g o f el ect ed o ffi ci al s, b u si n ess l ead ers, and C om m un i ty A ct i on s B oards throu gh ou tC ol om bi a. T he re cord al so i ncl ud ed th e 2 0 0 2 U n ite d S ta te s D e p a rtm e n t o f S ta te C o u n tryR e p o rt o n H u m a n R ig h ts P r a c t i c e s i n C ol om bi a( “ C ountryR e port ” ) . A c c or di ng t o the C ountryR e port , the F A R C w er e a16 , 50 0-m em ber t errori storgani za t i on thatt ar get ed bu si ness ow ners a n d c a n d id a te s f

o rp o litic a l o f

f ic e . T h e F A R C h a dg r o w n in c r e a s in g lyv io le n t a s it s o u g h t to d is ru p t th e 2 0 0 2 n a tio n a l e le c tio n s . I n r e s p o n s e to th e a s y lu m ap p lic a tio n , th e D e p a rtm e n t o f H o m e la n dS e c u r ity ( “D H S ” ) is s u e d aN o tic e to A p p e a rin A u g u s t 2 0 0 2 , c h a r g in g N a te s w ith re m ov abi l i ty und erIN A § 2 37 (a )( 1)(B ), 8 U . S . C . § 1 22 7(a) (1)( B ). A tthe re m ov al h eari n g , N at es co n ced ed rem o v ab i l i ty. A t h is A p r il 2 0 0 4 a s y lu m h e a r in g , N a te s te s tif ie dth a t h is s is te ro c c u p ie dh is o ldap a rtm e n t b e g in n in g in J a n u a ry2 0 0 1 , a n dth e th r e a te n in g p h o n e c a lls im m ed iately re su m ed an d co n ti n u ed th ro u g h 2 0 0 3 . H e d idn o t rep o rt th e F A R C ’sThe IJalso grante d the re quest for voluntar y depar ture. 3 5 threa t s t o the po l i ce because he bel i eved thatthe F A R C had i nfi l tra t ed the po l i ce de pa rtm e nt . N a t e s ’ s t e s t i m onyw a s c ons i s t e ntw i th hi s a s y l um appl i c a t i on, a nd the Im m ig ra ti o n Ju d g e ( “IJ” ) d eter m in ed th at N ates ’s testim o n y w as cr ed ib le. N ates ’s w i fe al so t es t i fi ed thatS anchez had i nform ed her thatthe F A R C had d es i gn at ed thei r f am i l y a s “ m i l i t ary t ar get s. ” A tth e c o n c l u s i o n o f

th e h e a r i n g , th e I Jd e n i e dth e ap p l i c a t i o n f o ra s y l u m, w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l , a nd r e l i e f

unde rC A T i n a n or a l de c i s i on. T he I Jf ound 3 tha tN a t e s w a s s t a tut or i l yi ne l i gi bl e f ora s y l um be c aus e he f

a i l e d t o f i l e the appl i ca t i on w i thi n o ne ye arof arri vi ng i n the U ni t ed S t at es . T he IJal so deni ed w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al af t erdet erm i ni ng thatthe F A R C ’ s verbal threa t s w er e i nsuffi ci entt o est abl i sh a c l ear probabi l i ty of f uture pers ec ut i on base d o n p rot ec t ed g r o u n d s b e c au s e th e th r e a ts w e r e n o t m o tiv a te db yN a te s ’s p o litic a l b e lie f s . F in a lly , th e I Jd is m is s e d th e C A T c la im b e c au s e N a te s n e v e rr e p o rte dth e th r e a ts to pol i c e a nd di d notpr ove tha the f a c e d t ortur e w i th the a c qui e s c e nc e of the g o v e rn m e n t. N at es appeal ed the IJ ’ s dec i si on t o the B IA i n M ay20 04 , cl ai m i ng thatthe IJ e rr e d byf

i ndi ng no thr e a tof

pe r s e c ut i on. O n O c t obe r21, 2005, the B I A i s s ue d a f i na l or de ra dopt i ng a nd a f f i rm i ng the I J ’ s de t e rm i na t i on tha tthe a s y l um appl i c a t i on w a s unt i m e l ya nd tha tthe F A R C ’ s ve rba l thr e a t s di d notr i s e t o the6

l evel of pers ec ut i on . N at es fi l ed a m ot i on for r ec on si dera t i on a m on th l at er , w hi ch w a s de ni e d on D e c e m be r30, 2005. B . M ot i on t o R e op e n P r oc e e d i n gs O n M ar ch 20 , 20 06 , N at es fi l ed a m ot i on as ki ng the B IA t o reopen p r o c e e d in g s b a s e d o n c h a n g e d c o u n tryc o n d itio n s . N a te s a r g u e dth a t n e w ly a va i l abl e e vi de nc e e s t abl i s he d tha tC ol om bi a ’ s c ondi t i ons ha d w or s e ne d, tha tthe F A R C w ou l d l i kel y per se cut e hi m base d o n h i s s t atus as a m i l i t ary t ar get , and that th e FA RC c o n t i n u e d t o ma k e d e a th th r e a t s a g a i n s th i m. In supp ortof thi s m ot i on , N at es subm i tt ed: (1) asi gn ed decl ar at i on , dat ed Janu ary 17, 20 06 , fr om N at es ’ s s i st erand m other s t at i ng thatF A R C m em bers c ont i nue d t o m a ke thr e a t e ni ng c a l l s ; ( 2) as i gne d de c l a r a t i on, da t e d J a nua ry17, 2 0 0 6 , f r o m af r ie n d o f N a te s s ta tin g th a t N a te s ’s f a m ilym o v e din to h is h o u s e in l a t e 2000 a f

t e rr e c e i vi ng s e ve r a l de a th thr e a t s i n the i rol d apa rtm e nt ; a nd ( 3) f i ve ne w s a rt i c l e s de t a i l i ng the F A R C ’ s de s truc t i on of oi l w e l l s a nd vi ol e nta tt a c ks on pol i c e of f i c e r s a nd a rm ys ol di e r s . T he s e a rt i c l e s a l s o r e port e d tha tthe num be rof F A R C m em bers had d ec l i ned t o 1 2, 00 0 i n 2 00 5 d ue t o the go vernm ent ’ s m i l i t ary of f e ns i ve l aunc he d i n 2002. T h e B I A f

o u n d th a t th is m o tio n w a s u n tim e lyb e c au s e it w a s n o t f ile dw ith in n i n ety d ays o f th e fi n al ad m i n i strat i v e o rd er d i sm i ssi n g h i s ap p eal . T h e B IA al so de t e rm i ne d tha tno e xc e pt i on t o the t i m e l yf i l i ng r e qui r e m e ntappl i e d be c aus e theWe reviewthe B IA’s denial of a motion to reopen f or an a buse of discretion. Verano- 4 Ve la sc o v . U .S. Att’ y

Gen. , 4 56F .3 d 1 37 2, 13 76(1 1th Cir . 2 00 6) . Our

review i s limite d to deter mining “whether

therehas been an exerc ise of administrative discretion and whether the matter of ex erc ise has been arbitra ry or ca pricious.” Abdi v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 430 F .3d 1148, 1149 (11th Cir. 2005) (quotation marks a nd citation omitted). 7 pr of f e r e d e vi de nc e w a s notne w orpr e vi ous l yuna va i l abl e a nd the e vi de nc e di d not in d ic a te am a te r ia l c h a n g e in c o u n tryc o n d itio n s s in c e th e a s y lu m h e a r in g d a te . A c c o r d in g ly , th e B I A d e n ie d th e m o tio n to r e o p e n th e p r o c e e d in g s . N a te s tim e ly f ile d ap e titio n f

o rr e v ie w . I I . DI S CUS S I ON O n app ea l , N at es ar gu es thatthe B IA erre d i n d enyi ng the m ot i on t o reopen p r o c e e d in g s . N a te s c o n te n d s th a t h e p r e s e n te dn e w a n dp r e v io u s lyu n a v a ilab le

4 e v id e n c e th a t e s tab lis h e d am a te r ia l c h a n g e in C o lo m b ia ’s c o n d itio n s . A n a l i e n m us tf

i l e am ot i on t o r e ope n r e m ova l pr oc e e di ngs “ no l a t e rtha n 90 da y s a f t e rthe da t e on w hi c h the f i na l a dm i ni s tr a t i ve de c i s i on w a s r e nde r e d i n the p r o c e e d i n g s o u g h tt o b e r e o p e n e d . . . . ” 8 C. F. R. § 1 0 0 3 . 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) ; s e e a l s o 8 U . S. C. § 1229a ( c ) ( 7) ( C ) ( i ) ; A bdi v. U . S . A tt ’ yG e n. , 430 F . 3d 1148, 1150 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( n o tin g th a t th is n in e ty - d a yf ilin g r e q u ir e m e n t is “m a n d a to rya n dju r is d ic tio n a l” ) . T he t i m el y f

i l i ng re qu i re m entdo es no tappl y, ho w ever , i f the al i en es t abl i shes “c h a n g e d c ir c u m s ta n c e s a r is in g in th e c o u n tryo f n a tio n a lity. . . if

s u c h e v id e n c e is m at er i al and w as no tavai l abl e and coul d n othave been di sc ov er ed or pres ent ed at th e p r e v io u s h e a r in g .” 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( c ) ( 3 ) ( ii) ; s e e a ls o 8 U .S .C . §The motion to reconsider, which w as denie d on Dec ember 30, 2005, did not tollthe 5 ninety-day

filing period. See Stone v. I NS, 514 U.S. 386, 405-06, 115 S. Ct . 1537, 1549 (1995) (conc luding that a

motion to reconsider f

iled with the BIA does not render theinitial administrative dec ision non-final and thus does not toll the review period). 8 1229a ( c ) ( 7) ( C ) ( i i ) . B e c aus e the s e r e gul a t i ons pl a i nl ydi s f a vorm ot i ons t o r e ope n, a n a l i e n s e e ki ng t o r e ope n pr oc e e di ngs be a r s ahe a vybur de n of pr ovi ng tha tthe ne w e vi de nc e w oul d a l t e rthe out c om e . A l N a jj a rv. A s hc r of

t , 257 F . 3d 1262, 1 3 0 2 - 0 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . A s an i ni t i al m att er , the B IA corr ec t l y f ou nd thatN at es ’ s m ot i on t o reopen w a s unt i m e l y . B e c aus e the B I A i s s ue d i t s f i na l a dm i ni s tr a t i ve de c i s i on a f f i rm i ng th e I J ’s d e n ia l o f

N a te s ’s ap p lic a tio n o n O c to b e r2 1 , 2 0 0 5 , N a te s h a dto f ile h is m o tio n to r e o p e n w ith in n in e tyd a y s o f th a t d a te . S e e 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( c ) ( 2 ) .

5 B e c aus e N a t e s di d notf i l e hi s m ot i on t o r e ope n unt i l M a r c h 20, 2006, the m ot i on w as u n t i m el y. N at es cont ends thatthe except i on t o the fi l i ng re qu i re m entappl i es , ho w ever , because hi s proff

er ed evi dence w as previ ou sl y unavai l abl e and es t abl i shed c ha nge d c ondi t i ons i n C ol om bi a . S e e 8 C . F . R . § 1003. 2( c ) ( 3) ( i i ) . A f t e rr e vi e w of th e p r o f f e r e d e v id e n c e , w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e B I A d idn o t ab u s e its d is c r e tio n in d e n y i n g N a t e s ’ s c l a i m. F irst, th e d ec lara ti o n fr o m N ates ’s sisteran dm o th erre g ar d in g th e F A R C ’s c ont i nui ng de a th thr e a t s w a s s i m i l a rt o e vi de nc e s ubm i tt e d w i th N a t e s ’ s a s y l um9

appl i ca t i on . A l tho ug h thi s dec l ar at i on addres se d threa t eni ng ca l l s r ec ei ved aft er th e a s y l u m h e ar i n g , N a t e s s u b mi tt e das i mi l a rs i g n e dd e c l a r a t i o n f r o m th i s s a me s i s t e rw i th hi s a s y l um appl i c a t i on s t a t i ng tha tthr e a t e ni ng c a l l s c ont i nue d up t o a fe w m on ths before the A pri l 20 04 as yl um hear i ng . F urtherm ore, the new si gn ed decl ar at i on di d n otes t abl i sh thatthe F A R C ’ s threa t s c arri ed a great erri sk of ac tual h a rm th a n th e e ar lie rd e a th th r e a ts c o n s id e r e din th e 2 0 0 4 a s y lu m h e a r in g . A cc ordi ng l y, the decl ar at i on fr om N at es ’ s s i st erand m other w as no tm at er i al evi dence of changed ci rc um st ance s i n C ol om bi a. S e c ond, N a t e s f

a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h tha tthe de c l a r a t i on f r om hi s f r i e nd w a s not p re v io u sly a v ailab le ev id en ce . T h is d ec lara ti o n so lely ad d re ss ed N ates ’s fa m il y’s m ove outof

the i rapa rtm e nti n l a t e 2000, a nd N a t e s pr ovi de d no e xpl a na t i on f or w hythi s de c l a r a t i on c oul d notha ve be e n s ubm i tt e d pr i ort o the A pr i l 2004 a s y l um he a r i ng. M or e ove r , thi s de c l a r a t i on w a s m e r e l yc um ul a t i ve of N a t e s ’ s he a r i ng t es t i m on y thathi s f

am i l y l i ved w i th fri ends fol l ow i ng hi s departure t o the U ni t ed S t at es i n S ept em ber 200 0. T hi s dec l ar at i on concerned no events thatt oo k p l ac e aft er th e h eari n g , an d i tw as n o tm at eri al ev i d en ce o f an y ch an g ed ci rcu m st an ces. F in ally, th e n ew s a rticles o n C o lo m b ia o n ly es tab li sh ed th e F A R C ’s cont i nu ed vi ol entac t i vi ty, no tany c hang e i n C ol om bi a’ s c on di t i on s. T hese art i cl es w e r e m e r e lyc u m u la tiv e o f th e r e p o rts s u b m itte dw ith th e a s y lu m ap p lic a tio n in d e s c r ib in g th e F A R C ’s v io le n t a s s au lts o n m ilita ryta r g e ts a n dp o lic e o f f ic e r s .10

M ore i m po rt ant l y, these art i cl es di d n otconst i tut e m at er i alevi dence thatN at es fa ce d any great erri sk of harm af t erthe 20 04 as yl um hear i ng du e t o chang ed c ir c u m s ta n c e s in C o lo m b ia . T h e s e a rtic le s d o c u m e n te dth e F A R C ’s a tta c k s in rura l ar ea s f

arfr om N at es ’ s nei gh bo rhoo d i n B og ot a. E ven tho ug h N at es ’ s w i fe t est i fi ed th atth e F A R C co n si d ered th ei r fam i l y t o b e “ m i l i t ary t arg et s, ” th ese a rtic le s c o n c e rn e d a tta c k s o n p o lic e o f f ic e r s a n du n if

o rm e ds o ld ie r s , n o t c iv ilia n s . A ddi t i ona l l y , s e ve r a l a rt i c l e s not e d tha tthe F A R C ’ s r a nks ha d de c l i ne d t o 12, 000 m e m be r s i n 2005 f

ol l ow i ng agove rnm e ntof f e ns i ve , as i gni f

i c a ntw e a ke ni ng of

the F A R C f r om the 16, 500 r e be l s not e d i n the 2002 C ountryR e ports ubm i tt e d i n the a s y l um he a r i ng. A cc ordi ng l y, no ne of the proffer ed evi dence es t abl i shed changed c ir c u m s ta n c e s in C o lo m b iaa f te rN a te s ’s a s y lu m h e a r in g , a n dN a te s f a ile dto s a t i s f ythe e xc e pt i on t o the t i m e l yf i l i ng r e qui r e m e nt . W e thus c a nnots a ytha tthe B IA ab u sed i t s d i scret i o n i n d en yi n g h i s m o t i o n t o reo p en p ro ceed i n g s. P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.