2006 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 7-27-2006 

# Arsl an v . Atty Ge n U SA P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 05-3578

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2006

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2006 D e c i sion s b y an authori z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

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w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " Ar sl an v . Atty Ge n U SA" (2006). 2006 D e cisio n s . P ape r 687. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2006/687T h e H o n o ra b le E u g e n e E . S iler, S e n io r C irc u it Ju d g e , U n ited S tate s C o u rt o f A p p e a ls * f o r t h e S ix th C ir c u it, s ittin g b yd e s ig n a tio n . NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL

UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT 

### No. 05- 3578 MU ST AF A A RS LAN, Peti ti on er

v. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, Re s ponde nt PETI TI O N FO R R EV I EW O F A D EC I SI O N O F THE B OA RD OF I M M I GR ATI ON APPEALS

A gencyN o. A 95- 833- 769 Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

J une 27, 2006 B efore: B A R R Y , V A N A N T W E R P E N and S ILE R , C i rcui tJudg es * ( O pi ni on Fi l ed: J ul y27, 2006)

OP I NI ONO n M ar ch 1, 2003, the func t i ons of the I N S w er e tr ans ferr ed fr om the D epart m entof 1 J us t i ce t o the D epart m entof H om el and Secur i ty . See H om el and Secur i tyA ctof 2002, P u b . L . N o . 1 0 7 -29 6 , 1 1 0 S tat . 2 1 3 5 (N o v . 2 5 , 2 0 0 2 ). 2 B A R R Y , C i r cui tJ udge M us t afa A r s l an pet i t i ons forr evi ew of a de ci s i on of the B oar d of I m m i gr at i on A ppeal s ( “B I A ”) aff

i r m i ng w i thoutopi ni on the dec i s i on of an I m m i gr at i on J udge ( “I J ”) or der i ng hi s r emoval . A r s l an had appl i ed foras y l um , w i thhol di ng of r emoval , and w ith h o ld in g o f

re m o v a l u n d e r t h e C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rt u re (“ C A T w ith h o ld in g ” ). Be c a u s e th e I J ’ s a d v e r s e c r e d i b i l i tyf i n d i n g wa s s u p p o r t e d b ys u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e , we wi l l d e n yth e p e t i t i o n f

o rr e v i e w. A r s l an i s a nat i ve and c i t i zen of T ur key . H e ent er ed the U ni t ed St at es on J ul y23, 2002 i n M i ami , w i thouta val i d vi s a orentrydocument s . O n A pr i l 23, 2003, the form er Im m igrati o n an d N atura li za ti o n S erv ice (“IN S ”) serv ed h im w ith a N o ti ce to A p p ea r, 1 al l egi ng thathe w as r emovabl e as “[a ] n al i en pr es enti n the U ni t ed St at es w i thoutbei ng a d m itt e d o r p a ro led ,” 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 8 2 (a )(6 )(A )(i), a n d a s a n a lien a rriv in g w ith o u t v a lid en tryd o cu m en ts, id. § 1 1 8 2 (a)(7)(A )(i )(I ). H e c o n ce d ed rem o v ab il ityat a h ea ri n g b ef o re th e IJ o n M a y1 6 , 2 0 0 3 . H e su b m itt e d a n a p p lica tio n f o r a sy lu m , w ith h o ld in g o f re m o v a l, and C A T w i thhol di ng on J ul y10, 2003. In th e a f f id a v it h e a ttac h e d to h is a p p lica tio n , A rsla n a lleg e d th a t h e is a M u slim w ho w as per s ecut ed i n T ur keyon acc ountof hi s r el i gi on and hi s act i vi t i es on behal f of the Fazi l et( “V i r tue”) pol i t i cal party . H e att ended a peac eful demonstr at i on on J une 18,3

1999 t o pr ot es tthe Turki s h governm ent ’ s cl os ur e of I s l ami c s chool s . T he pol i ce a rr i ved, beatup pr ot es t er s , and arr es t ed A r s l an and other s . A tthe pol i ce s t at i on, he w as s tr i pped n a k e d , s p ra y e d w ith c o ld w a te r, a n d b e a te n , b e f o re b e in g re le a s e d w ith o u t b e in g c h a rg e d . H e cont i nued t o att end Fazi l etm eet i ngs unt i l the governm entbanned the partyi n J une, 2 0 0 1 . Hi s s i s t e rwa s b a n n e d f r o m a t t e n d i n g c o l l e g e b e c a u s e s h e wo r e a h e a d s c a r f. On A pr i l 11, 2002, he att ended a notherdemonstr at i on on behal f of a new r el i gi ous fr eedom p o lit ica l p a rty , S o u d e t. A g a in , h e a n d o th e rs w e re a rre ste d , strip p e d , sp ra y e d w ith c o ld w at er , and bea t en. H i s bos s then fi r ed hi m beca us e of hi s r el i gi ous bel i efs . A l though he sto p p e d g o in g to p o lit ica l m e e tin g s, th e p o lice c a m e to h is h o u se o n M a y3 1 , 2 0 0 2 to ques t i on hi m abouta Soudetr al l y . H e had notatt ended, butthe pol i ce w arned hi m thathe w oul d be i n “verydanger ous tr oubl e” i f he di d nots t op goi ng t o demonstr at i ons . H e then d e c i d e d t o c o me t o th e Un i t e d S t a t e s b e c a u s e o f i t s r e p u t a t i o n f

o rr e l i g i o u s f

r e e d o m. A r s l an t es t i fi ed ata hea r i ng befor e the I J on February25, 2004. A n i nt erpr et er w a s p re se n t, an d A rsla n tes tifie d in a m ix tu re o f T u rk ish a n d E n g lish . H e re p e a ted ly ans w er ed ques t i ons abouthi s per s onal exper i ence s w i th pr ot es t at i ons of conf us i on, m o s tly d ir e c te d a t th e re a s o n s f o r t h e T u rk is h a u th o ri tie s ’ a lle g e d a c tio n s a g a in s t h im . A f e w e x c e rp t s i l l u s tr a t e th e f o r m a n d s u b s t a n c e o f

h i s t e s t i m o n y: M R. RO T HM AN T O M R. AR S L AN Q . W hattype of r el i gi ous s chool di d y ou att end? A . It w a s a re g u lar sc h o o l, bu t itw a s a re lig io u s s c h o o l. J UDGE T O M R. AR S L AN Q . W h a t d o y o u m e a n b ya re lig io u s s c h o o l? A . I don’ tknow w hattheyw er e thi nki ng, that ’ s how they4 a c c e p ted th a t. Q . W h o a c c e p ted th a t, w h a t ar e y o u talk in g a b o u t? A . W h a tev e r le ss o n s th e yw e re g e tti n g , w e w e re g e tti n g a s w e ll. Q . W h o is th e y , w h o a re y o u talk in g a b o u t? A . I don’ tunder s t and?

. . . Q . N ow s i r , l etm e tryand under s t and. Y ou s ai d y ou w ent

to a re lig io u s s c h o o l. W h a t k in d o f re lig io u s s c h o o l is this ? A . It’s ju st n a m e d , it ’s a re lig io u s s c h o o l, 99 p e rc e n t, i t’s M u slim i n T u r k e y. Q . W h at w as 9 9 p erc en t M u sli m , sir ? A . T he m aj ori tyi s M usl i m . T heyare s ay i ng that s cho ols , r el i gi ous s chool s , w hat everl es s ons w e w er e l earni ng – Q . S ir– A . It ’s ca ll ed a re li g iou s sch o o l or w h atev er, I sti ll , w e d o n ’t under s t and.

. . . M R. RO T HM AN T O M R. AR S L AN Q . A nd w hat type o f act i vit i es w ou l d y ou be involved in as a m em b er? A. W e we r e b e i n g r e s tr i c t e d a s f a ra s o u ri n d e p e n d e n c e , f r e e d o m. J UDGE T O M R. AR S L AN Q . Si r , the ques t i on w as , w hattype of a ct i vi t i es di d y ou part ake i n? A . W hatI l i ke aboutthe partyw as r el i gi ous l yonl yr el i gi ous fre ed o m o f p eo p le be ca u se T u rke yis a M u sli m n ati o n , there w as no pr es s ur es on that , butthi s Par ty , notonl yforthe M us l i m s butgener al l yforal l peopl e, and i f I ’ m a human b e in g , I w o u ld lik e to b e a m e m b e r o f a c o u n tryth a t ac c e p ts peopl e as hum an bei ngs . I w oul d l i ke t o have w or ked under Par tyl eade r s thathad thati n m i nd.

. . . M R. RO T HM AN T O M R. AR S L AN Q . C an y ou t el l us aboutthe pr ot es tw hi ch y ou att ended? A . Y es. Q . W h a t d id y o u d o d u rin g th e p ro tes t? A . T h e re is P a rt y , a F a c ile t P a rt y(i n d is c e rn ib le ) i n th e s e p ro te s ts . T he governm enthad cl os ed thatPar ty , the r eas on i s , w e have no i dea.5 Q . W e re y o u a t th e p ro tes t? A . I w as there, y es. J UDGE T O M R. AR S L AN Q . O k ay , so w h at ha p p en ed , w h en d id this oc cu r? A . I thappene d i n T or o. W e w er e hol di ng s om e pl aques up. Q . W hat dat e w as this , si r? S i r, y ou ’r e t est i fy i ng half i n E ng l i sh and hal f i n T ur ki s h, forthe r ecor d. A. I twa s a d a t e I d o n ’ tk n o w.

. . . M R. RO T HM AN T O M R. AR S L AN Q . Y ours i s t er( i ndi s cerni bl e) A . M ys i s t er ? M ys i s t erhad one of the uni ver s i tyexams, but b ec au se h er h air w as c o v ere d itw as v eryd ifficu ltto, I ca n ’t even t el l y ou al l thi s her e. Q . W h at, if an ything , d id y o u -- J UDGE T O M R. AR S L AN Q . W el l w her e i s i tthaty ou thi nk y ou’ r e goi ng t o t el l m e? A . T hi s i s s om ethi ng thatcan’ tbe expl ai ned, i thas t o be l i ved. Q . O k a ysir, w e ll th is is y o u r g o ld e n o p p o rtu n ityto e x p lain it t o m e so I c a n u n d e rsta n d it. Y o u c a n ’t e x p e c t m e to g o liv e it. A . T hat ’ s w hatI ’ m try i ng t o expl ai n. N obody ’ s doi ng thi ngs by the rul es . T heyw er e r eal l ypr es s ur i ng us , then w e pr ot es t ed and i tw as over , theyt ook us i ns i de, the pol i ce, beat i ng us up, pu t t i ng cold w at er on us – Q . W h en d id this oc cu r? A . A ft er this prot est Q . W h en d id this oc cu r? A . ‘ 98. Q . I n ‘ 98? A . N o, i t ’ s not‘ 98. Q . W h en w as it , sir ? A . I know the y ear, so I don’trem em ber the m on ths. Q . Y ou know the y ear , buty ou don’ tr emem berthe mont h, for th e re c o rd h e ’s s p e a k in g in E n g lish . N o w sir, w h e th e r it’s in E ngl i s h orT ur ki s h, can y ou t el l m e w hen thi s arr es toccurr ed o r th is d e ten tio n th a t y o u ’re try in g to tell m e a b o u t? Y o u sa id i t ’s no ti n 1 99 8, so do y ou kn ow w hen i tw as? A . 2001, i thappene d. I tw as J une 16th ors o.

. . . M R. RO T HM AN T O M R. AR S L ANW e h av e jurisdicti o n p u rsua n t t o 8 U . S . C . § 1 2 5 2 . W h ere , as h ere , the B IA 2 su m m aril yaf

firm s the d ec isi o n o f a n IJ, w e re v iew the d ec isi o n o f th e IJ a s tho u g h itw ere the d ec isi o n o f th e B IA . Jishiash v il i v. A tt o rne yG en era l, 4 0 2 F . 3 d 3 8 6 , 3 9 1 (3d C ir . 2005) . W e r evi ew fac tual fi ndi ngs , i ncl udi ng cr edi bi l i tydet erm i nat i ons , fors uppor tby 6 Q . H ow oft en di d the pol i ce c om e t o y ourhous e? A . I don’ t , di dn’ tw antt o go t o the part i es and al l of the ac t i vi t i es of m yPar tybeca us e of I w as fee l i ng veryfr i ght ened. T hey w er e thr eat eni ng. Q . W hat ki nd of thr eat s? A . Y o u ’ll n e v e r b e a b le to se e y o u r f a m ilya g a in . I d o n ’t w a n t to u n d e rsta n d th is, I d o n ’t. Q . W hat , i f anythi ng el s e, w oul d the pol i ce do be s i des ( i ndi s cerni bl e) A . If I k n e w th e a n sw e r to th a t. A tthe cl os e of the hea r i ng, i n an or al opi ni on, the I J deni ed A r s l an al l r el i ef. She concl uded thathe had notm ethi s bur den of pr oof, fi ndi ng hi m “notcr edi bl e nor per s uas i ve i n t he l eas tbi t . ” She found hi s t es t i m ony“i nart i cul at e and de voi d of any r at i onal bas i s t o s uppor ta cl ai m foras y l um ” and c i t ed s ever al s peci fi c i ns t ance s of vaguene s s and eva s i on. She m ent i oned, forexampl e, hi s i nabi l i tyt o cl ar i fyw hyhe ca l l ed h is h ig h sc h o o l a “ re lig io u s s c h o o l” a n d h is d if f icu ltyin se ttl in g o n th e d a te o f th e p ro tes t, i n the end na m i ng a dat e di ffe r entfr om the one he named i n hi s aff i davi t . She al s o found sig n if ica n t th e lac k o f

su p p o rtin g a f

f id a v its f ro m f a m ilym e m b e rs in T u rk e yw h o c o u ld have c orr obor at ed hi s s t or i es of the var i ous i nci dent s . She deni ed hi s r eques t s forr el i ef and or der ed hi m r emoved. A r s l an appe al ed t o the B I A , w hi ch af fi r m ed i n a s i ngl e-

j udge o p in io n o n J u n e 2 8 , 2 0 0 5 , u n d e r i ts s tr e a m lin in g re g u la tio n s . S e e 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 . 1 ( e ) ( 4 ) . Ar s l a n f

i l e d a t i me l yp e t i t i o n f

o rr e v i e w. 2s ubs t ant i al evi dence . I d. at392. Such fi ndi ngs w i l l be uphel d i f “s uppor t ed by

r eas onabl e, s ubs t ant i al and pr obat i ve evi dence on the r ecor d cons i der ed as a w hol e. ” T arr aw al l yv. A s hcr oft , 338 F. 3d 180, 184 ( 3d C i r . 2003) ( i nt ernal quot at i on m arks om i t t ed) . T heym ayonl ybe overturned i f “a nyr eas onabl e adj udi cat orw oul d be c o m p e lled to c o n c lu d e to th e c o n tra ry .” 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 5 2 (b )(4 ). A d v e rse c re d ib ili ty det erm i nat i ons m us tbe “s uppor t ed bys peci fi c coge ntr eas ons . ” G ao v. A s hcr oft , 299 F . 3 d 2 6 6 , 2 7 6 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 2 ). 7 T h e A tto rn e yG e n e ra l m a yg ra n t a s y lu m to a “ re f u g e e .” 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 (b )( 1 ). A re f u g e e is d e f

in e d , in r e lev a n t p a rt, as o n e “ w h o is u n a b le o r u n w ill in g to re tu rn to , an d is u n ab le or u n w il li n g to av ail h im self o r he rself o f th e p rotec ti o n o f, [h is ho m e] c o u n try beca us e of pe r s ecut i on ora w el l - founded f earof per s ecut i on on acc ountof r ace , r el i gi on, n a tio n a lity, m e m b e rs h ip in a p a rt ic u la r s o c ia l g ro u p , o r p o litic a l o p in io n .” 8 U .S .C . § 1101( a) ( 42) . W i thhol di ng of r emoval i s s i m i l ar : A n al i en maynotbe r emoved t o a countryw her e the al i en’ s l i fe orfr eedom w oul d m or e l i kel ythan notbe thr eat ened on one of thes e fi ve enumer at ed gr ounds . 8 U . S. C . § 1231( b) ( 3) ; I N S v. St evi c, 467 U . S. 407, 4 2 9 (1 9 8 4 ). U n d e r C A T w ith h o ld in g , an a lien m a yn o t b e re m o v e d to a c o u n tryw h e re it i s m or e l i kel ythan notthathe ors he w oul d be t or tur ed. 8 C . F. R . § 1208. 16( c) ( 1) . T he app l i cant bears the b urden o f proo f of est abli shi ng that he qu al i fi es und er one o f t hese s t andar ds . 8 C . F. R . §§ 1208. 13( a) , 1208. 16( b) , 1208. 16( c) ( 2) . “The t es t i m onyof the appl i cant , i f cr edi bl e, m aybe s uffi ci entt o s us t ai n the bur den of pr oof w i thout corr obor at i on. ” I d. ; s ee I n r e M

— — D

— — , 21 I . & N . D ec. 1180, 1182 ( B . I . A . 1998) ( “[W ] her e an a l i en' s t es t i m onyi s the onl yevi dence avai l abl e, i tcan s uffi ce w her e the t es t i m onyi s bel i evabl e, cons i s t ent , and s uffi ci ent l ydet ai l ed t o pr ovi de a pl aus i bl e and8

co h ere n t acc o u n t of

the b asis o f th e a li en ' s all eg ed fe ar.”). A r s l an ar gues thatthe r eas ons the I J ci t ed forheradver s e cr edi bi l i tydet erm i nat i on w ere i m proper. H e blam es hi s i nart i culat e perform ance a tthe h eari ng on his nervou sness and obj ect s thatthe di s cr epanc yi n the dat es of hi s arr es tw as “a mi nori ncons i s t ency ” that does not , i n ourw or ds , “i nvol ve the hea r tof the as y l um cl ai m . ” G ao, 299 F. 3d at272 ( i nt ernal quot at i on m arks om i t t ed) . W e bel i eve, how ever , thatthe I J ’ s s t at ed r eas ons

“ be a ra l e gi t i mat e ne xu s t o the [a dv e r s e c r e di bi l i ty ] fi nd i ng , ” Bal a s ub r a manr i m v. I N S, 143 F. 3d 157, 162 ( 3d C i r . 1998) . W hi l e i n otherci r cumst ance s w e mi ghtnotpl ace s uch reli an ce o n su ch see m ing lym ino r m att ers a s an inco n sist en t date a n d the p eti ti o n er’s i n a b i l i tyt o e x p l a i n f

u r th e rth e me a n i n g o f

th e p h r a s e “ r e l i g i o u s s c h o o l , ” h e r e we f i n d t wo f a c to rs p a rticu lar lysig n if ica n t. F irst, A rsla n ’s d e ten tio n s f o r ta k in g p a rt in p o lit ica l p ro tes ts w e re c e n tra l to h is cl ai m s of i nt i m i dat i on and r et al i at i on. T heyi nvol ved the mosts ever e mi s tr eatm enthe a lleg e d , an d th e yw e re th e p ro x im a te c a u se o f th e a u th o rities ’ in ter e st in h im a n d h is f a m ily . A s s u c h , the yw e re a t th e “ h e a rt” o f h is c laim s, a n d it w a s re a so n a b le f o r th e IJ to expec thi m t o des cr i be thos e eve nt s . Second, and perhaps m or e i m por t ant l y , as des cr i bed a b o v e , A rs la n ’s te s tim o n yw a s b ytu rn s e lu s iv e , in c o h e re n t, n o n re s p o n s iv e , a n d c o n f u s e d . H ad he be en more det ai l ed i n the r emai nderof hi s t es t i m ony , s uch mat t er s as the y earand d a te o f a n a rre st m ig h t n o t h a v e lo o m e d so lar g e in th e c a se . A s it w a s, th e d a te o f h is arr es tw as the mosts peci fi c mat er i al fac tei therhi s ow n l aw y erorthe I J coul d el i ci tfr omA rsla n a lso a rg u e s th a t th e IJ im p ro p e rlyn o ted th a t h is f a m ilyd id n o t su p p ly 3 c o rro b o ra tin g e v id e n c e . A s h e d id n o t ra ise th is iss u e b e f o re th e B IA , h e h a s n o t p ro p e rly ex h au sted it , an d w e m ayn o t con side r i t. 8 U . S . C . § 1 2 5 2 (d)(1 ). 9 hi m . A s A r s l an coul d nott es t i fycons i s t ent l yei theraboutm att er s centr al t o hi s cl ai m or w h e n h e w a s a t h is m o st s p e c if ic, th e IJ ju stif

iab lyd isc o u n ted th e re m a in d e r o f h is te s tim o n y . St at ed s om ew hatdi ffe r ent l y , the I J ’ s adver s e cr edi bi l i tydet erm i nat i on depende d nots o m uch on s peci fi c i ncons i s t enci es i n A r s l an’ s t es t i m onyas on the I J ’ s concl us i on thathi s t es t i m onyw as not“s uffi ci ent l ydet ai l ed t o pr ovi de a pl aus i bl e and c oher ent acc ount ” of the al l eged pe r s ecut i on he s uffe r ed. I n r e M

— — D

— — , 21 I . & N . D ec. at 1 1 8 2 . W h ere , as h ere , itis no t, the a p p li ca n t has sim p lyfa il ed to p rov ide th e n ec essa ry evidence to subst anti at e his cl ai m , w hetheror not this fai l ure i s t erm ed an “adv ers e cr edi bi l i tydet erm i nat i on. ” A r s l an di d notorcoul d notexpl ai n i n anycoher entdet ai l w hy he w as pr event ed hi m fr om att endi ng col l ege, w hathe meantby“r el i gi ous s chool , ” w hat act i vi t i es he w as i nvol ved i n as a mem berof Fazi l et , w hathe di d atthe pr ot es t s , w hen the pr ot es t s w er e, w hathappene d t o hi m aft erhi s arr es t , the natur e of hi s w or k as an acc ount ant , how oft en the pol i ce c ame t o hi s hous e, orthe natur e of the thr eat s theym ade a g a in st h im . W e d o n o t re q u ire a n IJ to b e m o re sp e c if ic in d e sc rib in g in c o n sis ten c ies in a p e t i t i o n e r ’ s t e s t i m o n y t h a n th e p e t i t i o n e rh i m s e l f h a s b e e n i n t e s t i f

yi n g . A c c o r d i n g l y, w e conc l ude thatthe I J ’ s adver s e cr edi bi l i tydet erm i nat i on w as s uppor t ed bys ubs t ant i al evi dence . 310

We wi l l d e n yth e p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w.