FIL ED U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S EL EVENTHCI RCUI T J ANUARY 27, 2009 THOMAS K. KAH

N CL ERK [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UN ITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ No. 0 8- 13 43 6 Non -Arg um en t Ca le nd ar

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Age nc y No. A9 8- 56 0- 09 2 FENGGUI ZHEN G, Pet it io ne r, ve rs us U.S. ATTO RNEY GENERAL, Res po nd en t.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of aDeci si on of t he Bo ardof I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ (J anua ry 27 , 20 09 ) Befo re DUBINA, BLACK an d B ARKETT, Circu itJu dg es . PER CURI AM:Pet it io ne r Fen gg ui Zhen g, a n at iv e an d c it iz enof C hi na , see ks rev ie w of the

Bo ardof I m

mig rat io n Ap pe al s’ (BIA) d eci si on affi rm in g t he Im m ig rat io n J ud ge ’s (IJ ) or de r of

rem ov al an d d en ia l o f he r ap pl ic at io n o f as y lu m , withh ol di ng of rem ov al , andrel ie f un de r th e Uni te d Nat io ns Co nv en ti on Agai ns t To rtu re an d Oth er Cr ue l, In hu m an , or Deg rad in g Tre atm en t o r Pu ni sh m en t (C AT) andde nyin g he r m ot io n t o re m an d. Onap pe al , Zhen g a rg ue s tha t the BIA an d IJ ’s cred ib il ity fin di ng was n otsupp orte d b y subs tant ia l ev id en ce. Sh e subm it s tha t s he ad equa te ly exp la in eda di sc rep an cy inhe r te st im on y

an d t ha t the BIA an d IJ sh ou ldha ve weig he d a ny tes ti m on ia l i nc on si st en cy inli gh t o f it s s ig ni fic an ce t o th e to ta l co nt ex t o f he r as y lu m cla im . “ W e rev ie w on ly the BIA’s de ci si on , exc ep t t o t he ex te ntth atitex pr es sl y ad op ts th e IJ ’s op in io n.” Na jj ar v. Ash cr of

t , 25 7 F .3d12 62 , 12 84 (11 th Cir . 20 01 ). Whe re, as he re, the BIA ex pr es sl y ad op ts an d a ffi rm s the IJ’s d eci si on an d ad ds it s o wn an al y si s, we re vi ew th e IJ ’s dec is io n a s s up pl em en te d b y th e BIA. Sa vo ur y v. U.S. At t’yGen. , 44 9 F .3d13 07 , 13 12 (11 th Cir . 20 06 ).

“ To the ex te ntth atth e BIA an d IJ ’s dec is io n was ba se d o n aleg al de te rm in at io n, thi s co urt’s re vi ew is de no vo .” D-Muh ume d v . U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 38 8 F .3d81 4, 8 17 (11 th Cir . 20 04 ). The B IA an d IJ ’s factua l d et erm in at io ns , in cl ud in g c red ib il ity

de te rm in at io ns , are re vi ewedun de r th e subs tant ia l ev id en ce

2te st , whi chrequi res us to “ vi ew th e rec or d e vi de nc e in th e li gh t m os t fa vo rab le to

th e [ag en ci es ’] de ci si on an d draw al l re as on ab le in fere nc es infav orof tha t de ci si on .” Ade

fe mi v. As hc ro

ft , 38 6 F .3d10 22 , 10 27 (11 th Cir . 20 04 ) ( en ba nc ). W e wil l af

firm th e BIA an d IJ ’s dec is io n “ if i t i s s up po rte d b y reas on ab le , subs tant ia l, an d p ro ba ti ve ev id en ce o n the reco rdco ns id eredas awho le .” D-Muh ume d , 38 8 F .3dat 8 18 (ci ta ti on om it te d) . “ To re ve rs e th e [ag en ci es ’] fact fin di ng s, we m

us t fi ndth atth e rec or d n oton ly sup po rts rev ers al , bu t co m pe ls it .” Men do za v. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 32 7 F .3d12 83 , 12 87 (11 th Cir . 20 03 ). Pet it io ne rs ab an do n a n i ss ue by fail in g t o ra is e itinth ei r in it ia l b rie f on ap pe al . Rui z v. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 44 0 F .3d12 47 , 12 56 n.6 (11 th Cir . 20 06 ). The BIA an d IJ m

us t o ffersp eci fic an d c og en t re as on s fo r anadve rs e cred ib il ity

fin di ng . For

gu e v. U.S. At t’yGen. , 40 1 F .3d12 82 , 12 87 (11 th Ci r. 20 05 ). The ap pl ic an t h as th e b ur de n t o s ho w th atth e BIA an d IJ ’s “ cred ib il ity de ci si on was n otsupp orte d b y sp eci fic , cog en t re as on s o r was no t b as edon subs tant ia l ev id en ce.” Id. (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s an d c it at io n o mit te d) . “ A cred ib il ity

de te rm in at io n, l ik e an y

factfin di ng , m ay

no t b e o ve rtu rn edun le ss th e reco rdco m

pe ls it .” Id. (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s an d c it at io n o m it te d) . “ In di cat io ns of r el iabl e te st im on y in cl ud e co ns is te nc y

on di rectex am in at io n, co ns is te nc y

with the writte n app li cat io n, an d t he ab se nc e o f em be ll is hm en ts .” 3Rui

z , 44 0 F .3dat 1 25 5. Pu rs ua ntto 8 U.S.C. § 11 58 (b )(1 )(B) (ii i), a s amend edby th e REAL ID Act § 10 1( a)(3 ), a cre di bi li ty det erm in at io n m ay be ba se d o n “ an y in accu raci es or f

al se ho od s i n [t he ap pl ic an t’s] st at em en ts , witho utreg ardto whe th er an in co ns is te nc y , in accu racy, or fal se ho odgo es to th e h eartof t he ap pl ic an t’s cl ai m , or any oth er re le va ntfact or .” Ch en v. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 46 3 F .3d 12 28 , 12 33 (11 th Cir . 20 06 ) (em ph as is om it te d) . Gener al ly, te nabl e ex pl an at io ns fo r im pl au si bi li ti es inanap pl ic an t’s t es ti m on y wil l n otco m

pe l a r eas on ab le fact fin de r to rev ers e a cre di bi li ty det erm in at io n wi th ou t the supp ort o f co rro bo rat in g ev id en ce. Id. Subs tant ia l ev id en ce i n t he reco rdhe re s up po rts th e BIA an d IJ ’s adv ers e cred ib il ity

de te rm in at io n b ecau se Zhen g’s t es ti m on y was i nc on si st en t an d im pl au si bl e, an d h er ex pl an at io ns were n otsupp orte d b y co rro bo rat in g e vi de nc e. Zhe ng furth er ar gu es th atth e BIA an d IJ erre d i n d en y in g h er ap pl ic at io n be cau se sh e su ffer edpa stpe rs ecu ti on an d h ada well -fo un de d fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on . Sh e as se rts th atth e lo cal fam il y pl an ni ng co m

m it te e fo rcedhe r to un de rg o a gyneco lo gi cal ex am in at io n, p ur su an t t o t he go ve rn m en t’s fa m il y pl anni ng po li cy , ag ai ns t h er wi ll . She subm it s tha t s he ig no redit s i ni ti al reque stfor an ex am in at io n, tha t o ffi ci al s fo rci bl y to okhe r to th e h os pi ta l, an d t ha t s he co ns id eredth e ex am in at io n h um il ia ti ng , pai nf ul , andob tru si ve . 4Any alie n wh o i s p hysic al ly pres en t i n t he Uni te d S ta te s m ay ap pl y for as y lu m . Mej ia v. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 49 8 F .3d12 53 , 12 56 (11 th Cir . 20 07 ). The Att orne y Gene ral m ay

gra ntasylu m

if an a li enis a refu ge e. Id. The INA d efi ne s

“ refu ge e” as : [A]ny pe rs onwho is ou ts id e an y co un try of s uc h p ers on ’s nat io na li ty or , inth e cas e o f a p ers on ha vi ng no na ti on al ity , is ou ts id e an y co un try in wh ic h s uc h p ers on las t h ab itua ll y res id ed , andwho is un ab le or u nwi ll in g t o re tu rnto , andis un ab le or unwi ll in g t o a va il hi m se lf o r he rs el f of

th e p ro te ct io n o f, th atco un try becaus e o f pe rs ecu ti on or awell -fo un de d fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on onacco un t o f rac e, rel ig io n, n at io na li ty, m em be rs hi p i n apa rti cu lar so ci al gro up , or po li ti cal op in io n. 8 U.S.C. § 11 01 (a)( 42 )(A). The ali enbe ars th e b ur de n t o d em on st rat e “ (1 ) pa st pe rs ecu ti on on acco un t o f a s ta tu to ril y pro te ct edgro un d o r (2 ) a wel l-f ou nd edfear of futur e p ers ecu ti on on acco un t o f a p ro te ct edgro un d.” Mej ia , 49 8 F .3dat 1 25 6. A well -fo un de d fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on requi res “ a rea so nabl e p os si bi li ty of su ffer in g s uc h p ers ecu ti on if h e o r sh e were t o re turnto th atco un try.” Id. (em ph as is om itte d) (qu ot in g 8 C.F.R. § 20 8.1 3( b) (2 )(i )(B) ). Pro of of p as t pe rs ecu ti on crea te s a p res um pt io n o f a wel l-f

ou nd edfearof f

utur e p ers ecu ti on . Id. at12 57 . An al ie n m

us t s ho w th athi s fe ar o f fu tu re p ers ecu ti on is “ subjec ti ve ly ge nu in e an d o bjec ti ve ly reaso nabl e.” Rui z , 44 0 F .3dat 1 25 7. A wel l-f ou nd edfear of pe rs ecu ti on canbe est ab li sh edby “ sp eci fic , det ai le d fa ct s s ho win g ago od 5reas onto fearth athe wil l b e si ng le d o utforpe rs ecu ti on ” o n a cco un t o f a p ro te ct ed

gr ou nd . Id. at 1 25 8 (c it at io n o m it te d) . As analt ern at iv e to de m on st rat in g t ha t h e wou ldbe si ng le d o utforpe rs ecu ti on , an a li enm ay sh ow a p at te rnor p ract ic e in th e subjec t co un try of p ers ecu ti ng m em be rs of ast atut or il y

de fin edgro up of wh ic h th e al ie n i s a p art . 8 C.F.R. § 20 8.1 3( b) (2 )(i ii )(A).

“ An ap pl ic an t d oe s n otha ve a well -fo un de d fe ar o f pe rs ecu ti on if [h e] cou ld av oi d p ers ecu ti on by relo cat in g t o a no th er p artof [ hi s] cou nt ry of n at io na li ty, . . . if u nd er al l the cir cu m st an ces itwou ldbe reas on ab le to expe ctth e ap pl ic an t t o d o so .” 8 C.F .R. § 1 20 8.1 3( b) (2 )(i i). Where “ th e p ers ecu to r is a go ve rn m en t o r is go ve rn m en t-s po ns or ed , . . . itsh al l b e p res um edth atin te rn al rel oc at io n wo ul d n ot be reas on ab le , un le ss th e [g ov ern m en t] est ab li sh es by a prep on de ran ce o f th e ev id en ce tha t, u nd er al l the cir cu m st an ces , itwou ldbe reas on ab le forth e ap pl ic an t to rel oc at e.” 8 C.F.R. § 12 08 .13 (b )(3 )(i i). Neit he r th e INA no r th e reg ul at io ns de fin e p ers ecu ti on . W e h av e d es cri be d pe rs ecu ti on as a n “ ex tre m e co nc ep t, re qu iri ng m or e th ana few i so la te d i nc id en ts of ve rb al ha ras sm en t o r in ti m id at io n.” Se pu lv ed a v . U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 40 1 F.3 d 1 22 6, 1 23 1 (1 1t h C ir. 2 00 5) (ci ta ti on om it te d) . “ [A]ttem pt edm ur de r is pe rs ecu ti on .” Sa nc he

z Ji men ezv. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 49 2 F .3d12 23 , 12 33 (11 th Ci r. 20 07 ). In c on tra st , m en aci ng tel ep ho ne th reat s, wi th ou t m or e, do no t ri se to 6th e le ve l o f pa stpe rs ecu ti on . Se e Se pu lv ed a , 40 1 F .3dat 1 23 1. Th e “ cu m ul at iv e effe ct s” of t he all eg edin ci de nt s o f pe rs ecu ti on m us t am ou ntto pa stpe rs ecu ti on or a wel l-f ou nd edfearof f

utur e p ers ecu ti on . Delg ado v . U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 48 7 F.3 d 8 55 , 86 1- 62 (11 th Cir . 20 07 ). In Liv. Ash cr of

t , 35 6 F .3d11 53 (9t h C ir. 2 00 4) ( en ba nc ), th e Nin thCir cu it he ldth ata pe ti ti on er es tabl is he d p as t p ers ecu ti on wher e fam il y pl an ni ng off

ic ia ls , aft er ac cu si ng he r of

co habi ta ti ng with h er b oyfrien d a ndbe co m in g p reg nant , ph y si cal ly force d h er t o und erg o a30 -m inut e, “ rap e li ke ” g yne co lo gi cal ex am in at io n, thr eat en edhe r with fo rcedab orti on an d s te ril iz at io n i f sh e sh ou ld be co m e p reg nant , andis su eda warrantforhe r arre st . Id. at 1 15 6. In Hua ng v. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 42 9 F .3d10 02 (11 th Cir . 20 05 ), un li ke th e cas e in Li, fam il y pl an ni ng off

ic ia ls requi redth e p et it io ne r to att en d ast at e-o rd ered , 20 -m in ut e gyneco lo gi cal ex am

as p artof a n e du cat io n p ro gr am reg ard in g fam il y

pl anni ng . Id. at 1 00 9- 10 . W e n ot edth atth e “ ex am was n otord eredas t he res ul t o f so m e al te rcat io n b etween[th e p et it io ne r] anda vi ll ag e o ffi ci al .” Id. at 1 01 0. Fu rth er,

“ [a]ltho ug h h er . . . exa m cau se d h er p ai n, s he di d n otde sc rib e itas ‘rap e-l ik e,’” an d “ [s ]he was no t . . . ph y si cal ly restrai ne d b y ot he r m enor t hr eat en edwith ab orti on or s te ril iz at io n i f sh e b ecame preg na nt .” Id. Whi le th e p et it io ne r was de ta in edfor20 da y s as a res ul t o f he r refu sa l t o a tt en d asubs eque ntex am in at io n, 7“ [s ]he d idno t i nd ic at e th atsh e h ad , inan y way , bee n fo rci bl y

m is tre at edor res tra in edwhi le a gyneco lo gi cal ex am in at io n was pe rfo rm ed .” Id. “ [A]n adve rs e cre di bi li ty det erm in at io n d oe s n otall ev ia te th e [BI A and ] IJ ’s du ty to co ns id er o th er ev id en ce p ro du cedby an as y lu m ap pl ic an t.” For

gu e , 40 1 F.3 d a t 1 28 7. Th e BIA an d IJ “ m us t s ti ll co ns id er al l

ev id en ce i nt ro du cedby the ap pl ic an t.” Id

. “ If the ap pl ic an t p ro du ces no ev id en ce o th er tha n h is tes ti m on y , an adve rs e cre di bi li ty det erm in at io n i s al on e su ffi ci en t t o s up po rt t he de ni al of a n as y lu m ap pl ic at io n.” Id. “ If, h owe ve r, th e ap pl ic an t p ro du ces ot he r ev id en ce o f pe rs ecu ti on , what ev er fo rm itm ay tak e, th e [BI A and ] IJm

us t co ns id er tha t ev id en ce, an d i t i s n otsu ffi ci en t fo r th e [BI A and ] IJto rel y so le ly on an a dv ers e cred ib il ity

de te rm in at io n i n t ho se in st an ces .” Id . W e co nc lu de fro m

th e rec or d t ha t s ub st an ti al ev id en ce s up po rts th e BIA an d IJ ’s fin di ng th atZhen g fa il edto est ab li shhe r cl ai m forasylu m

be cau se sh e d idno t de m on st rat e p as t p ers ecu ti on or t ha t s he ha d awell -fo un de d fe ar o f futu re pe rs ecu ti on . Zhen g aba nd on edhe r cl ai m s fo r withh ol di ng of r em ov al an d C AT rel ie f be cau se sh e fai le d t o arg ue th e is su es inhe r in it ia l b rie f on ap pe al . Fi na ll y , Zhen g a rg ue s tha t the BIA ab us edit s d is cret io n b y de nyin g h er m ot io n t o re m an d b as edon th e subm is si on of n ew ev id en ce re ga rd in g h er re cen t m arri ag e to a Ch in es e ref ug ee an d h er p reg na nc y . She ass ert s tha t ev id en ce o f he r

8hu sb an d’s re fu ge e st atus was re le va ntto he r cl ai m forasylu m

be cau se itsh owe d th atsh e wil l fa ce an in crea se d l ik el ih oo d o f pe rs ecu ti on if re tu rn edto Ch in a. W e, li ke th e BIA, treatm ot io ns to rem an d a s ei th er p artof t he ap pe al or a s m ot io ns to reo pe n. Na

jj ar , 25 7 F .3dat 1 30 1. “ [I]f a m ot io n t o re m an d s eek s t o in tro du ce ev id en ce tha t h as no t p rev io us ly beenpre se nt ed , itis ge ne ral ly treat edas a m ot io n t o re op en .” Id. W e rev ie w “ th e BIA’s d en ia l o f a m ot io n t o re op enfor anab us e o f di sc ret io n.” Abdi v. U.S. Att’ y Gen . , 43 0 F .3d11 48 , 11 49 (11 th Ci r. 20 05 ). “ [R]evi ew is li m it edto de te rm in in g wh ethe r th ere h as be enan ex erci se of a dm in is tra ti ve di sc ret io n a ndwhet he r th e m at te r of ex erci se ha s b een arb itrary or cap ric io us .” Id . (ci ta ti on om it te d) . “ A m ot io n t o re op enpro ceed in gs sh al l n otbe gra nt edun le ss . . . [th e] ev id en ce s ou gh t t o b e o ffer edis m at eri al an d was no t av ai labl e an d c ou ldno t h av e be endi sc ov eredor p res en te d a t the form er h eari ng .” 8 C.F .R. § 1 00 3.2 (c)( 1) . A m ot io n t o re op enis di sf

av or edesp eci al ly in re m ov al pro ceed in gs “ whe re, as a ge ne ral m at te r, ev ery de lay work s t o t he adva nt ag e o f th e [re m ov ab le ] al ie n wh o wis he s m erel y

to rem ai n i n t he Uni te d S ta te s.” INS v. Doh er ty , 50 2 U.S. 31 4, 3 23 , 11 2 S . Ct. 7 19 , 72 4- 25 , 11 6 L. Ed. 2 d 8 23 (19 92 ). The m ov an t h as th e “ he av y

burd en ” o f “pr es en t[i ng ] ev id en ce o f su cha na tu re tha t . . . if [the ] pr oc eed in gs . . . were re op en ed , with a ll att en da ntde lay s, the ne w evi de nc e 9of

fere d wo ul d l ik el y

ch an ge th e res ul t i n t he cas e.” Aliv. U.S. Att ’y Gen . , 44 3 F.3 d 8 04 , 81 3 (1 1t h C ir. 2 00 6) (ci ta ti on om it te d) . The BI A “ha s d is cret io n t o d en y a m ot io n t o re op enev enif the pa rty m ov in g h as m ad e o uta pr ima fa ci e cas e fo r rel ie f.” 8 C.F.R. § 10 03 .2(a ) (em ph as is ad de d) . W e co nc lu de fro m

th e rec or d t ha t the BIA d idno t ab us e it s d is cret io n b y de nyin g Zh en g’s m ot io n t o re m an d b ecau se th e ev id en ce d idno t s up po rt h er cl ai m s fo r as y lu m , withh ol di ng of r em ov al , andCAT rel ie f. Acco rd in gl y , we den y th e p et it io n fo r rev ie w. PETI TI ON DENI ED.

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