### F I LE D U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T Januar y 17, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L 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. 05- 13467 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc yN o. A 96- 096- 397 J A I M E S O T O C A R 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

aD e c i s i on of

the B o a r do f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 17, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , A N D E R S O N an dM A R C U S , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: J a im e S o to C a r o , an a tiv e a n dc itiz e n o f C o lo m b ia , th r o u g h c o u n s e l, pe t i t i ons us 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 ’ s ” ) de c i s i on2

a f f i rm i ng the I m m i gr a t i on J udge ’ s ( “ I J ’ s ” ) or de rf i ndi ng hi m r e m ovabl e a nd de ny i ng hi s appl i c a t i on f ora s y l um a nd w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l unde rs e c t i ons 208 a nd 241( b) ( 3) of

the I m m i gr a t i on a nd N a t i ona l i tyA c t , 8 U . S . C . §§ 1158 a nd 12 31 (b)( 3). S ot o C ar o cl ai m ed thathe w as pers ec ut ed by the R evol ut i on ary A rm e dF o r c e s o f

C o lo m b ia( “F A R C ” ) , aC o lo m b ia n g u e rr illag r o u p , b e c au s e o f h is in v o lv e m e n t w ith L ib e r a l P a rtyp o litic s in C o lo m b ia . T h e B I A f o u n dth a t S o to C a r o w a s notc r e di bl e be c aus e he : ( 1) l i ve d i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s , a nd w a s not di r e c t l yi nvol ve d i n C ol om bi a n pol i t i c s , f orm os tof

the thr e e y e a r s pr e c e di ng the t i m e w hen h e c l ai m ed the F A R C began t o threa t en hi m ; (2) t es t i fi ed thathe w as ki dnape d bythe F A R C a nd tha the t ol d hi s w i f e abouti t , a l though s he di d not re po rtthe ki dn api ng i n the j ud i ci al deno un ce m entshe s ub m i tt ed t o the C ol om bi an p o lic e r e g a r d in g th e F A R C ’s th r e a ts a g a in s t th e irf a m ily ; a n d( 3 ) a d m itte dth a t h is hom e w a s va c a ntf

orne a r l ya n e nt i r e y e a rbe f or e F A R C gr a f

f i t i appe a r e d on the b u ild in g , a lth o u g h h e a lle g e dth a t th e g r a f f iti w a s ath r e a t a g a in s t h im . O n appe a l , S ot o C a r o a r gue s tha tthe B I A ’ s a dve r s e c r e di bi l i tyde t e rm i na t i on w a s e rr o n e o u s b e c au s e S o to C a r o p r e s e n te dte s tim o n yth a t w a s b o th in te rn a lly c o n s is te n t a n dc o n s is te n t w ith h is w r itte n ap p lic a tio n , w ith o u t e m b e llis h m e n t. S o to C a r o c o n te n d s th a t th e a d v e r s e c r e d ib ilityf in d in g d idn o t g o to th e h e a rt o f h is asyl u m cl ai m , an dth ath i s t est i m o n y an dth e reco rd est ab l i sh th ath e su ffered p ast3

p e r s e c u tio n a n dth a t it is m o r e lik e lyth a n n o t th a t h e w ill b e p e r s e c u te du p o n h is re turn t o C ol om bi a. O ur re vi ew focuse s s tri ct l y on the B IA ’ s dec i si on , “ exce ptt o the ext entthat i te xpr e s s l ya dopt s the I J ’ s opi ni on. ” A l N a jj a rv. A s hc r of

t , 257 F . 3d 1262, 1284 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 1 ) ( in tern al citati o n s o m itted ). “In so fa r a s th e [ B IA ] ad o p ts th e I J’s r e a s oni ng, w e w i l l r e vi e w the I J ’ s de c i s i on a s w e l l . ” I d. ( i nt e rna l c i t a t i ons om i tt e d) . H e r e , w e r e vi e w the B I A ’ s de c i s i on, a s w e l l a s the I J ’ s , s i nc e aport i on o f th e I J ’s r e a s o n in g w a s in c o rp o r a te din to th e B I A ’s c o n c lu s io n s . T he B IA ’ s “ fi nd i ng s of f ac tar e r evi ew ed un der the subst ant i al evi dence t es t , ” andw e m ustaf

fi rm the B IA ’ s dec i si on “ i f i ti s s up po rt ed by re as on abl e, subst ant i al , and p robat i ve evi dence on the re cord consi dere d as aw ho l e. ” A nt i povav. U ni t e d S t a t e s A tt orne yG e ne r a l , 392 F . 3d 1259, 1261 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ( quot a t i on om i tt e d) . L i ke w i s e , w e r e vi e w c r e di bi l i tyde t e rm i na t i ons unde rthe s ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e t e s t . F or gue v. U ni t e d S t a t e s A tt orne yG e ne r a l , 401 F . 3d 12 82 , 12 86 (11th C i r. 20 05 ). S ub st ant i al evi dence i s l ac ki ng on l y i n tho se ca se s w he r e the pe t i t i one rc a n c a rrythe bur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng tha tthe e vi de nc e of r e c o r dw a s “s o c o m p e llin g th a t n o r e a s o n ab le f a c t f in d e rc o u ld[ h a v e ] f

a il[ e d ] to f i nd” the pe t i t i one rqua l i f i e d f ora s y l um a nd w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l . I . N . S . v. E lia s - Z a c a r ia s , 5 0 2 U .S . 4 7 8 , 4 8 3 - 8 4 , 1 1 2 S .C t. 8 1 2 , 8 1 7 ( 1 9 9 2 ) .4

“T h e tr ie ro f

f a c t m u s t d e te rm in e c r e d ib ility , a n d[ w e ] m a yn o t s u b s titu te [our] j ud gm entfor thatof the IJw i th res pectt o cre di bi l i ty f i nd i ng s. ” D -M uh um ed v . U n i t ed S t at es A tt o rn ey G en eral , 3 8 8 F . 3 d8 1 4 , 8 1 8 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 4 ). A d v erse cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on s m ustbe m ade e xp l i ci t l y. S ee Y ang v . U ni t ed S t at es A tt o rn ey G en eral , 4 1 8 F . 3 d1 1 9 8 , 1 2 0 1 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ). “ O n ce an ad v erse cr ed ib il ity f

in d in g is m ad e, th e b u rd en is o n th e ap p li ca n t ali en to sh o w th at th e I J’s c r e di bi l i tyde c i s i on w a s nots upport e d by‘ s pe c i f i c , c oge ntr e a s ons ’ orw a s not base d o n sub st ant i al evi dence. ” F orgu e, 40 1 F . 3d at12 87 (c i t at i on s om i tt ed). A s an i ni t i al m att er , S ot o C ar o ci t es se vera l new pi ec es of evi dence, de s c r i bi ng c ondi t i ons i n C ol om bi a , f orthe f i r s tt i m e on appe a l . W e m a ynot c o n s i d e re v i d e n c e o u t s i d e th e a d mi n i s tr a t i v e r e c o r d . I N A § 2 4 2 ( b ) ( 4 ) ( A ) , 8 U . S. C. § 1 25 2(b)(4)(A ). T here fore , w e do n otconsi der S ot o C ar o’ s new evi dence. S o t o C aro arg u es o n ap p eal th ath e p resen t ed ev i d en ce o f p o l i t i cal act i v i ty, a n dr e s u ltin g th r e a ts a g a in s t h im b yth e F A R C , th a t w a s s u f f ic ie n t to d e m o n s tr a te pastpers ec ut i on on ac coun tof hi s pol i t i ca l op i ni on s and a w el l -f ou nd ed fe arthat hi s pol i t i ca l op i ni on s w ou l d cause future per se cut i on i f he r eturned t o C ol om bi a. An a l i e n m a yo b t a i n a s y l u m i f h e i s ar e f

u g e e wi th i n th e m e a n i n g o f I NA § 1 01 (a )( 42 )( A ). IN A § 2 08 (b)( 1)(A ), 8 U . S . C . § 1 15 8(b)(1)(A ). A “ re fugee” in c lu d e s a n yp e r s o n w h o is u n w illin g to r e tu rn to , a n dis u n ab le o ru n w illin g to5

av ai l h i m sel f o f th e p ro t ect i o n o f, th e co u n try o f h i s n at i o n al i ty o r w h ere h e l ast habi tua l l yr e s i de d, be c aus e of pe r s e c ut i on oraw 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, na t i ona l i ty , m e m be r s hi p i n apa rt i c ul a rs oc i a l gr oup, or p o litic a l o p in io n . I N A § 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( A ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( A ) . A n a lie n is en t i t l ed t o asyl u m i f h e can est ab l i sh , w i th sp eci fi c an dcred i b l e ev i d en ce: (1 ) p ast pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof pol i t i c a l opi ni ons orothe rs t a tut or i l yl i s t e d f a c t or ; or( 2) a“ w e l l - f ounde d f e a r ” tha thi s pol i t i c a l opi ni ons orothe rs t a tut or i l yl i s t e d f a c t or w i l l cause f

uture pers ec ut i on . 8 C . F . R . §§ 20 8. 13 (a ), (b); A l N ajj ar , 25 7 F . 3d at 12 87 . N ei ther the IN A no r the re gu l at i on s def i ne “ pers ec ut i on . ” W e have i nd i ca t ed that“ pers ec ut i on i s an extre m e c on ce pt , re qu i ri ng m ore than a few i sol at ed i nci dent s of verbal hara ss m entor i nt i m i dat i on , and thatm er 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 p e r s e c u tio n .” S e p u lv e d av . U .S . A tto rn e yG e n e r a l, 4 0 1 F .3 d1 2 2 6 , 1 2 3 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) ( q u o ta tio n s o m itte d ) . I f a n a lie n is u n ab le to m e e tthe “ w e l l - f

ounde d f e a r ” s t a nda r d f

ora s y l um , “ he i s ge ne r a l l ypr e c l ude d f r om qu al i fy i ng for e i ther a sy l um or w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al . ” A l N ajj ar , 25 7 F . 3d at 1 2 9 2 - 9 3 ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . S ot o C a r o’ s or a l t e s t i m onya nd w r i tt e n e vi de nc e w e r e i nc ons i s t e ntr e ga r di ng h is c la im th a t h e w a s p e r s e c u te db e c au s e o f h is p o litic a l a c tiv itie s in C o lo m b ia . G i ve n the I J ’ s c a l c ul a t i on tha tS ot o C a r o s pe ntthe m a j or i tyof the t i m e dur i ngAn alien s hall not b eremov e d toa c ountr y if hislif eor fre e do m w ould b ethre atene d in 1 such country

on acc ount of rac e, re ligion, nationality, membership in a pa rticular soc ial group, or political opinion. I

NA § 241(b) (3), 8 U.S.C. § 1231(b)( 3). I f an alien is unable to meet the “we ll-founded f

ear” standa

rd for asylum, “he is g enerally

prec luded from qualifying f or either asylum or withholding of [removal].” Al Na jjar, 257 F .3d at 1292-93 (c itation omitted). 6 w hi ch he cl ai m ed t o b e per se cut ed i n C ol om bi a a ctual l y r es i di ng i n the U ni t ed S t at es , the al l eged perse cut i on se em s unl i kel y. T he l ac k o f c orrobo ra t i ng evi dence, eith erin th e f

o rm o f a p o li ce re p o rt o r o th ertestim o n y, su p p o rtin g S o to C ar o ’s al l eged ki dn api ng and the supp osed threa t s i n g ra ff i t i m ade a thi s hom e, al so bel i es hi s c l ai m of pers ec ut i on . S ub st ant i al evi dence s up po rt s the B IA ’ s f ac tual d e te rm in a tio n s a n dth e f in d in g th a t S o to C a r o w a s n o t c r e d ib le . I n lig h t o f

th e B I A ’s a d v e r s e c r e d ib ilityf in d in g s r e g a r d in g m u c h o f S o to C ar o’ s t es t i m on y, the re m ai ni ng evi dence does notcom pel a f i nd i ng thatS ot o C ar o w as threa t ened by the F A R C , as a r es ul tof hi s pol i t i ca l ac t i vi ty, ata l evel that w ou l d q ual i fyas pastpers ec ut i on or es t abl i sh a w el l -f ou nd ed fe arof future pe r s e c ut i on. B e c aus e S ot o C a r o ha s f a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h ac l a i m of a s y l um on the m e r its , h e n e c e s s a r ilyf

a ils to e s tab lis h e lig ib ilityf o rw ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l. 1 Up o n r e v i e w o f

th e r e c o r da n dc o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th e p a rt i e s ’ b r i e f

s , we di s c e rn no r e ve r s i bl e e rr or . A c c or di ngl y , S ot o C a r o’ s pe t i t i on i s de ni e d. P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.