# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No . 1 8 -3 3 03

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Ak o i Sam o l u

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pet i t i o n er

v

.

W i l l i am P. Barr, At to rn ey

Gen eral o f t h e Un i t ed St at es

l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll Res

po n den t

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _

No . 1 8 -3 6 94

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Ak o i Sam o l u

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pet i t i o n er

v

.

W i l l i am P. Barr, At to rn ey

Gen eral o f t h e Un i t ed St at es

l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll Res

po n den t

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Pet i t i o n fo r Rev i ew o f an Ord er o f t h e

Bo ard o f Im m ig rat i on Ap peal s

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Su b m i t t ed : Sep t em b er 3 , 2 0 1 9

Fi l ed : Oct ob er 8 , 2 0 19

[Un pu b l is h ed ]

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re BENTON, SHEPHERD, an d KELLY, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

PER CURIAM

.

In t h es e co n s o li d at ed m at t ers

, Li b eri an ci t i zen A k o i Sam o lu p et i t i o n s fo r

rev i ew o f an o rd er o f th e Bo ard o f Im m ig rat i on Ap p eal s (BIA) d is m i s s i n g h i s ap p eal

fro m t h e deci s i o n o f an i m m i g rat i o n j u d g e (IJ ), wh i ch d en i ed as y lu m

, wi t h h o l d i n g o f

rem o v al

, an d rel i ef unde r the C onve ntion A g ai ns t To rt u re (CAT). Hav i n g j u ri s d i ct i o n

u n d er 8 U.S.C. § 1 2 5 2 , t h i s co urt fi n d s n o b as i s fo r rev ers al

.

Sam o lu w as ad m i t t ed t o t h e Un it ed S t a t e s a s a lawfu l p erm an en t res i d en t in

Sep t e m b e r 2 0 1 5. In J u n e 2 0 1 6

, a M i n n es ot a co u rt i s s u ed a two -y ear o rd er o f

p ro t ect i o n t o Sam o lu ’ s m o t h er an d s i s ter, wh o were i n im m ed i at e d an g er o f d o m es t i c

ab u se fro m Sam o lu

, an d en jo i n e d h i m fro m go i n g near o r en t eri n g t h ei r res i d en ce,

o r co n t act i n g t hem

. In Decem b er 2 0 1 7, Sam ol u p l ed g u il t y t o v i o l at in g t h e p ro t ect i o n

o rd er. T h e Dep art m en t o f H o m el an d Secu ri t y s erv ed h i m w i t h a N o t i c e t o Ap p ear

(NTA), ch arg i n g h i m wi t h b ei n g rem o v ab l e. S ee 8 U.S.C. § 1 2 2 7 (a)(3 )(E)(i i ) (“ [a] ny

al i en wh o at an y t i m e aft er ad m i s s i o n i s en jo in ed u n d er a p ro t ect i o n o rd er i s s u ed by

a co u rt an d wh o m t he co urt d e t e r m i n e s has en g ag ed i n co n d u ct t h at v i o l at es t h e

p o rt i on o f a p ro t e c t i o n o rd er t h at i n v o l v es p ro t ect i on ag ai n s t cred i bl e t h reat s o f

v i o l en ce, rep eat ed h aras s m en t , o r b od i ly i n j u ry ” i s d ep o rt ab le).

Sam o lu ad m i t t ed t h e ch arg e i n t h e NTA an d ap p l i ed fo r as y l u m

, w it hh o l d i n g

o f rem o v al

, an d rel i ef u n d er CAT b as ed o n hi s m em b ers h i p i n t h e Nat i o n al Pat ri o t i c

Fro n t o f Li b eri a (NPFL), t h e as s au l t an d t o rt u re b y m em b ers of t h e L i b eri an Dru g

-2

-En fo rcem en t Ag en cy (LDEA), an d a fear of p ers ecu t io n as a g ay m an an d gay ri g h t s

act i vi s t

.

At h i s heari n g

, Sam o lu cl ai m ed h e w as as sau l t ed b y L DEA ag en t s an d i n ju red

s o s e v erel y h e req u i red h o s p i t al i zat i o n

. Sam o l u o ffered i n co n s i s t en t d at es fo r h i s

act i vi t i e s a n d t h e t h reat s ag ai n s t h i m

, co n fl i ct i ng s o u rces o f t h o s e t h reat s

,

co n trad i ct o ry d es cri p t i o n s of h is p art i ci p at i o n i n t h e NPFL, an d co n fl i ct i n g d et ai l s o f

t h e at tack b y LDEA ag en t s

. Hi s d es cri p ti o n s o f t h e res u l t i n g in ju ri es an d t reat m en t

were c o nt rad i ct ed b y t h e m ed i cal reco rd an d fo u n d i m p l au s i b l e b y t h e IJ

. Sam o lu

s t at e d h e h as a g i rl fri en d i n Li b eri a wi t h wh o m h e h as a ch i l d an d a co n t i n u i n g

rel at i o n s h i p

. He al s o t es t i fi ed h e i s a g ay m an wh o has h ad sex u al rel at i on s h i p s wi th

m en , an d was a g ay

ri g h t s act i vi s t . Sam o l u cal l ed h i m s el f a “ swi n g er.”

Bas ed o n Sam o l u ’s d e m ean o r, res p o n si v en es s

, h i s m an y i n co n s i s t en t an d

co n trad i ct o ry s t at em en t s

, t h e t o t al i t y o f th e ci rcu m s t an ces

, an d l ack of co rro b o rat i n g

ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt h i s cl ai m s

, t h e IJ fo un d Sam o l u t o t al l y u n rel i ab l e an d h i s

t es t i m o ny n o t cred ib l e. Th e I J co n cl u d ed t h at Sam o l u “ can ’ t k eep i t s t rai gh t ” an d

“ ap p eared t o b e m ak i n g i t u p as h e g o es

. ” Th e IJ d en i ed rel i ef an d o rd ered Sam o l u ’ s

rem o v al

. Th e B I A affi rm ed

, ho l d i n g t hat i n th e ab s en ce o f cred i b l e t es t i m o n y an d

s p eci fi c co rro b o rat i n g ev i den ce, Sa m o lu fai l ed t o m eet h i s b u rd en t o es t ab l i s h

el i g i b i l i t y fo r as y l u m , wi t h h ol di n g o f rem o v al an d p ro t ect i o n u n d er CAT.

Th i s co u rt rev i ews ad m i n i s t rat i v e f i n d i n g s o f fact

, i n cl u d i n g cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at i o n s, u n d er t h e s ub s t an t i al -ev i d en ce s t an d ard

, affi rm in g u n l es s “ an y

reas on ab l e ad

ju d i cat or wo u l d b e co m

p el l ed t o co n cl u d e t o t h e co n t rary .” F es eh a ye v.

Ho l der

, 6 0 7 F.3 d 5 2 3

, 52 6 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 0 ) (b u rd en o f p ro o f as to el i g ib i l i t y f o r

as y l um m ay b e s at i sfi ed th ro u g h ap p l i can t ’ s tes t i m on y

, b u t o n l y i f ap p l ican t s at i s fi es

t h e t ri er o f fact t h at tes ti m on y i s cred ib l e an d p ers u as i v e). An IJ wh o s ees t h e wi t n es s

wh i le t es ti fy i n g i s i n th e b es t p o s i t i o n t o m ak e cred i b i l i t y fi n d i n g s

. R.K.N. v. Ho l d er

,

7 0 1 F.3 d 5 35

, 5 3 8 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 2 ). W h en t he BIA h as ad o pt ed an d affi rm ed t h e IJ ’ s

-3

-ad v ers e cred i b i l i t y fi nd i n g s

, t h i s co u rt d efers t o t h o s e fi n d i ng s i f t h ey are s u p p o rt ed

b y s p eci fi c, co g en t reas o n s fo r d i s b el ief. Id

. An IJ m ay b as e a cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at i o n on t h e d em ean o r, can d o r

, or res p o ns i v en es s o f t h e ap p l i can t o r wi t n es s ;

t h e in h eren t p l au s i b i l i t y o f t h e ap pl i can t ’ s acco u n t ; an d t h e co n s i s t en cy bet ween t h e

ap p li can t ’ s s tat em en t s an d t h e i n t ern al co ns i s ten cy o f su ch s t at em en t

, wi t h o u t reg ard

t o wh et her an i n co ns i s t en cy

, i n accu racy

, o r fal s eh oo d go es t o t he h eart o f t h e

ap p li can t ’ s cl ai m

. S

ee Ch a kh o v v. Lyn ch

, 8 3 7 F.3 d 8 4 3

, 84 6 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 6 ); 8 U.S.C.

§ 1 1 5 8 (b )(1 )(B)(i ii ) (cred ib il i t y s t an d ard fo r as y l u m cl ai m ); 8 U.S.C. § 1231( b) ( 3) (C)

(s am e fo r wi t h h ol di n g of rem o v al ). Th e ag en cy w as n o t req u i red t o accep t Sam o l u ’ s

al t ern at e ex p l an at io n s fo r an y d i s crep an ci es i n hi s tes t im on y

. S ee Keg eh v. S

es s i o n s

,

8 6 5 F.3 d 9 9 0, 9 9 6 (8 t h C i r

. 2 0 1 7 ) (ag en cy was no t req u i red t o accep t p et i t i o n er’ s

a lte r na te ex p lan at i o n s fo r i n co n s i s ten ci es i f an o t her ex p l a na tion w a s r e a sona b le )

. T he

ad v ers e cred i b i l i ty d et erm i n at i o n was s u ffi c i e n t l y s u p p ort ed

, an d n o reas o n ab l e

ad ju d i cat o r wo u l d b e co m

p el led t o reach a co n t rary co n cl u s i o n

. 1

Ap p eal N o

. 1 8 -3 6 9 4 ad dres s es a 2 8 U.S.C. § 2 2 4 1 p et i t i o n fi l ed i n t h e d i s t ri ct

co u rt an d t ran s ferred t o t h i s c o u r t a s a p et i t io n fo r rev i ew o f t h e fi n al o rd er o f

rem o v al

. In it

, Sam o l u ch al l en g es h i s co n t i n u ed d et en t i o n

. T h i s co u rt l ack s

ju ri s d i ct i o n t o c o n s i d er Sam ol u ’ s co n t i nu ed d et en t io n

. S ee 8 U.S.C. § 1 25 2 (a)(5 )

(“ s o l e an d ex cl u s i v e m ean s ” fo r ju di ci al rev i ew o f an ord er o f rem o v al i s p et i t i o n fo r

rev i ew fi l ed wi t h a co urt o f ap p eal s); Ba h v. Ca n g emi

, 5 4 8 F.3 d 6 8 0, 6 8 3 n .3 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 0 8 ) ( R EAL ID Act “ d oes no t affect a d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s ju ri s di ct i o n o v er h ab eas

p et i t i o n s ch al l en g i n g t h e d et en t i o n as s o ci at ed wi th a rem o v al o rd er”). T o t h e ex t en t

S a m olu’ s tr a n sf

e r r ed s ect i o n 2 2 4 1 p et i t i o n s eek s t o ch al l en g e h i s co n t in u ed d et en t ion,

i t i s rem an d ed to t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt fo r co n s id erat i o n i n t h e fi rs t i n s t an ce. Th i s co u rt

ex p res s es n o v i ews o n t h e m eri t s o f an y s u ch p et i ti o n

.

1 Th e s e p a r a t e op i n i o n ci t es S h a h i n a j v. Go nz a l es

, 48 1 F.3 d 1 0 2 7

, 1 0 2 9 (8 th

Ci r. 2 0 07 ). Th ere, t h is co u rt rel i ed o n t h e BIA’ s fai l u re to ex pl ai n t h e IJ ’ s cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at i o n an d h o w i t was s u p p o rt ed

. Id

. Here, t h e BIA d i d ex p l ai n t h e cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at i o n

, d et ai l i n g m an y fact s s u p po rt i n g i t.

-4

-Th e p et i t i o n fo r rev i ew in Ap p eal No . 1 8 -3 3 0 3 i s den i ed

. In Ap p eal No

. 1 8

-

3 6 9 4

, t h e co u rt rem an d s t he po rt i o n s o f t h e t r a n s f erred pet i ti o n ch al l en g i n g t h e

d et en t i o n as s o c i at ed wi t h t h e rem o v al p ro ceed i n g s o r rem o v al o rd er to t h e d i s t ri ct

co u rt fo r i t s co n s i d erat i o n i n t h e fi rs t i n s t an ce.

KELLY, Ci rcu i t J u d ge, co n cu rri n g i n p art an d d i s s en t i n g i n p art

.

T o es t ab l i s h h is el i gi b i l i t y fo r as y l u m

, Sam o l u was req u i red t o s ho w t h at h e

was u n w i l l in g t o ret u rn to L i b eri a b ecau s e of p as t p ers ecu t io n

, or a wel l -fo u n d ed fear

o f fu t u re p ers e c u t i o n

, o n acco u n t o f race, rel i g i o n

, n at i on al i t y

, m em b ers h i p i n a

p art i cu l ar s o ci al g ro u p

, o r p o l i ti cal o p i n i o n

. 8 U.S.C. § § 11 0 1 (a)(4 2)(A), 1 1 58 (b )(1 ).

Sam o l u as s ert ed t h at h e sat i sfi ed t h i s req ui rem en t b as ed on : (1 ) h i s p as t m em b ers h ip

i n t h e NPFL, (2 ) h i s p as t as s au l t an d t o rt u re b y m em b ers o f t h e LDEA, an d (3 ) h i s

fear o f pers ecu t i o n as a g ay m an an d a g ay -ri g h t s act i v is t

. I ag ree t h at

, as t o t h e fi rs t

t wo cl ai m s

, t h e IJ ’ s ad v e r s e c r e d i b i l i t y det erm in at i o n s were b as ed o n “ s p eci fi c,

co g en t ” reas on s t h at are “ co n v i n ci n g en o u g h th at a reas o n ab le ad ju d i cat o r wo u l d n ot

b e co m p el led t o reach t h e co n t rary co n cl u s io n.” Si n g h v . Go n zal es , 4 9 5 F.3 d 5 5 3,

5 5 7

– 5 8 (8 th Ci r. 2 00 7 ). 2 Bu t I fi n d t h e IJ ’ s reas o n i n g as to t he t h i rd cl ai m m o re

t ro u b l i n g

.

Th e IJ an d t h e BIA fo u n d Sam o l u ’ s cl ai m t h at h e feared p ers ecu t i on as a g ay

m an an d g ay -ri g h t s ad v o cat e i n cred i b l e b ecau s e h e “ was u n ab l e to r e c o n c i l e t h e

t i m i ng o f h is cl ai m ed ho m o s ex u al rel at i o n s h i p w i t h t h e t i m i n g o f h i s cu rren t

rel at i o n s h i p t o t he m o t h er o f h i s ch i l d.” Bu t earl y on i n th e as y l u m h eari n g

, Sam o lu

ex p lai n ed t h at h e h ad m

u lt i p l e s ex u al p referen ces

. An d wh en t h e IJ l a t e r p res s ed

Sam o l u o n t h i s i s s u e, h e ex pl ai n ed

,

2 I al s o ag ree t h at t h is co u rt l ack s ju ri s d ict i o n t o co n s i d er Sam o lu ’ s ch al l en g es

t o h i s co n t i n u ed d et en t i o n i n A pp eal No

. 1 8 -3 6 9 4

, an d I co n cu r i n t h e rem an d o f t h at

p o rt i on o f t h e t ran s ferred p et i t i o n

.

-5

-a s a g a y i n Afri ca, y o u can ’ t o p en u p wh o y o u are. Y o u g o t t o fi n d a

way t o co v er u p y o u r

- - yo u ’v e g ot t o fi n d a w ay t o co v er u p al l y o u r

s e x u al i t y

. . . . [T] h e eas i es t way i s t o hav e a k i d an d a w i fe

- - o r a

g i rl fri en d l i v in g wi t h y o u

. An d t hat way

, t h ey wi l l n o t l o o k at y o u as

g ay . Th ey

wi ll n o t t h i n k o f y o u as g ay

.

Th i s t es t i m o n y i s co n s is t en t w i t h a co u n t ry rep o rt

, p ro v i d ed t o t h e IJ b efo re t h e

h eari n g

, s t at i n g t h at “ [t ] h e l aw p ro h i bi t s c o n s en s u al s am e-s ex s ex u al act i v i t y ” in

Li b eri a an d t h at “ d i s cri m i nat i o n ag ai n s t LGBTI p ers o n s is p rev al en t t h ro u g h o u t t h e

s o ci et y

, an d vi o l en ce ag ai n s t th e co m m u n i t y co n ti n u e[s ] t o b e a co n cern .” Th e rep o rt

n o t es t h at

, fo r t h i s reas o n

, “ LGBTI p ers o n s were cau t io u s ab o u t rev eal i n g t h ei r s ex u al

o ri en t at i o n o r gen d er i den t i t i es .” To t h e ex t en t t h at t h e IJ fo u n d Sam ol u ’ s t es t i m o ny

i n c r e d i bl e b as ed o n n o t hi n g m o re t h an hi s own vi ew t h at a g ay m an co u l d n o t b e

i n v o l v ed i n a rel at io ns h ip wi t h a wo m an

, I can n o t s ay t h at t he IJ ’ s co n cl u s i o n was

s u p p ort e d b y “ s p eci fi c, co gen t reas o n s .” See Ti an v

. Barr, 9 3 2 F.3 d 6 6 4, 6 6 9 (8 th

Ci r. 2 01 9 ) (ad v ers e cred i b i l i t y d et erm i n at io n b as ed o n t h e IJ ’ s “ p ers o n al bel i efs an d

p ercei v ed co m

m o n k no w l ed g e” was n o t s up p ort ed b y sp e c i f i c, co g en t reas o n s );

Sh ah i n aj v

. Go n zal es

, 4 81 F.3 d 1 0 2 7

, 1 0 2 9 (8 t h Ci r. 2 00 7 ) (ad v ers e cr e d i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at i o n b as ed o n “ t h e IJ ’ s p er s o n a l an d i m p ro p er o p i n i o n ” t h at t h e ap p l i can t

“ d i d n ot d res s o r sp eak l i k e o r ex h i b it t h e m a n n e r i s m s o f a h o m os ex u al ” was n ot

s u p p ort ed b y

s p eci fi c, co g en t reas o n s ).

Th e co u rt affi rm s t h e cred i b i l i t y d et erm i n at i o n b as ed on t h e IJ ’ s s t at em en t s t h at

Sam o l u’ s t es t i m o ny was “ t o t al l y u n rel i ab l e” b ecau s e h e “ c[o u l d no t ] k eep i t s t rai g h t ”

an d “ ap p eared t o be m ak i ng i t u p as h e g o es

. ” Bu t t hes e s t at em en t s are al s o wi t h o ut

ad eq uat e s u pp o rt

. T h e I J s ai d t h at Sam o l u “ can ’ t keep it s t rai g h t ” i n referen ce to

Sam o l u’ s t es t i m o ny ab o ut a ro m an t i c rel at i o n s h i p h e h ad wi t h a m an n am ed Ol i v er.

Al t h o u g h t h e IJ b el i ev ed Sam o l u ’ s t es ti m o n y ab o u t t h i s rel at ionship w a s in co n s i s t en t

,

t h e r e c o r d s h o ws t h at t h e t es t i m o n y wa s co n s i s t en t an d t he IJ ’ s co nt rary b el i ef

s t em m ed fro m t h e IJ ’ s o wn m i s ap p reh en s i o n o f Sam o l u ’ s t es t i m on y

. Si m il arl y

, t h e

IJ p ro v i d ed o n l y

o n e ex am

p l e o f wh ere h e t h o u g h t Sam o lu “ ap p eared t o b e m ak i n g

-6

-i t u p as h e g o es ”— Sam o l u ’ s t es t i m o n y “ ab o u t ch urch es b ei n g st o n e d a s t h ey h el d

m arri ag es fo r g ay co u p les

, ” wh i ch t h e IJ fo u n d was “ n o t co n s i s t en t w i t h cu rren t

co u nt ry co n d i t i o n s .” Ho wev er, t h e IJ di d n o t ex pl ai n t h e b as i s fo r t hi s co n cl us i o n an d

i t co n t rad i ct s t h e co u n t ry rep ort i n t h e reco rd

.

Fo r t h es e reas on s

, I can n o t ag ree th at th e IJ ’ s cred i b i l i t y as s e s s m en t o n t h i s

cl ai m was “ s u ffi ci en t l y

s u p p o rt ed .” I wo ul d g ran t t h e p et i ti o n

.

__ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _

-7

-