FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT NOV 09, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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. 07- 11288 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc yN o. A 77- 927- 887 B A O C H A I L I N , 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 d o f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 9, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , D U B IN A an d B A R K E T T , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: P et i t i on erB ao C hai L i n (“ L i n”), throu gh coun se l , se eks r evi ew of the B oard2

of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s ’ ( “ B I A ” ) de c i s i on a f f i rm i ng w i thoutopi ni on the I m m i gr a t i on J udge ’ s ( “ I J ” ) r e m ova l or de ra nd de ni a l of he rappl i c a t i ons f

ora s y l um and w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al un der the Im m i grat i on and N at i on al i ty A ct(“ IN A ”) , a n d r e lie f

u n d e rth e U n ite d N a tio n s C o n v e n tio n o n T o rtu r e a n d O th e rC ru e l, I nhum a n orD e gr a di ng T r e a tm e ntorP uni s hm e nt( “ C A T ” ) , 8 U . S . C . §§ 1158, 1 2 3 1 , 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 6 ( c ) . L in a r g u e s th a t th e I Je rr e d b e c au s e th e I J( 1 ) e rr e d in m a ki ng a n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty f i ndi ng; a nd ( 2) de ni e d he rappl i c a t i ons w i thout c o n s id e r in g a ll o f

th e e v id e n c e p r e s e n te d ; a n d ( 3 ) d e n ie d h e rap p lic a tio n s d e s p ite the f a c ttha ts he e s t abl i s he d he re l i gi bi l i tyf ora s y l um , w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l , a nd C A T re l i ef

. A dv e rs eCr e dib ility

“ W e r e vi e w [ our ] s ubj e c tm a tt e rj ur i s di c t i on de no vo . ” See G onz alez - O r opez a v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 3 2 1 F .3 d 1 3 3 1 , 1 3 3 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . W e l a c k j ur i s di c t i on t o c ons i de rc l a i m s r a i s e d i n ape t i t i on f orr e vi e w unl e s s the p e titio n e re x h au s te d h e ra d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s w ith r e s p e c t to th o s e c la im s . See 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 5 2 ( d ) ( 1 ) ; Sundarv . I . N . S. , 32 8 F . 3d 13 20 , 13 23 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). In order t o exh austal l adm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es , an al i en m ustra i se her c l ai m s bef ore th e B I A . Sundar , 3 2 8 F .3 d a t 1 3 2 3 ; A m ay a-A r tunduaga v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 463 F . 3d 12 47 , 12 50 (11th C i r. 20 06 ). B ecau se th e reco rd d em o n strat es th atL i n fai l ed t o ch al l en g e th e IJ’ s ad v erse3

cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on i n h erappeal t o the B IA , w e l ac k j uri sdi ct i on t o con si der th a t c la im . A m ay a-A r tunduaga , 463 F . 3d a t1250. A c c or di ngl y , w e di s m i s s the p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w a s t o th i s c l a i m. T h e I J’s c on sideration of L in ’s E viden ce B e c aus e the B I A s um m a r i l ya f f i rm e d the I Jw i thoutopi ni on, w e r e vi e w the I J ’s o p in io n . 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .1 ( e ) ( 4 ) ; Me ndoz a v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 327 F . 3d 1283, 1284 n. 1 ( 11th C i r . 2003) . “ T o the e xt e nttha tthe [ I J ’ s ] de c i s i on w a s ba s e d on a l eg al d et erm i n at i o n , [o u r] rev i ew i s de no vo . ” D -Muhum e d v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 388 F . 3d 814, 817 ( 11th C i r . 2004) . “ T he I J ’ s f i ndi ngs of

f a c ta r e r e vi e w e d unde rthe subst ant i al evi dence t es t , ” and w e ‘ m ustaf fi rm the IJ ’ s dec i si on i f i ti s s up po rt ed b y reaso n ab l e, su b st an t i al , an d p ro b at i v e ev i d en ce o n th e reco rd co n si d ered as a w ho l e. ’ ” A nt i

pov a v . U

. S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 392 F . 3d 1259, 1261 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ( quot i ng A l

N aj j arv . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 2 5 7 F .3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 8 3 - 8 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) ) . In addi t i on , w e w i l l on l y r ever se the IJi f w e f i nd thatthe re cord com pel s that c o n c lu s io n . Fahi m v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 2 7 8 F .3 d 1 2 1 6 , 1 2 1 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . H ow ever , an i ss ue i s aband on ed i f an app el l antdo es no tar gu e the i ss ue i n h er b r ie f . Se pulv e da v . U

. S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 4 0 1 F .3 d 1 2 2 6 , 1 2 2 8 n .2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . A n a l i e n w ho a rr i ve s i n, ori s pr e s e nti n, the U ni t e d S t a t e s m a yappl yf or a s y l um . I N A § 208( a ) ( 1) , 8 U . S . C . § 1158( a ) ( 1) . T he A tt orne yG e ne r a l or S e c r e t a ry of

the D e pa rtm e ntof

H om e l a nd S e c ur i tyha s di s c r e t i on t o gr a nta s y l um4

i f th e a l i e n me e t s th e I N A ’ s d e f i n i t i o n o f a“ r e f u g e e . ” I N A § 2 0 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) , 8 U . S. C. § 1 15 8(b)(1). A “ re fugee” i s def i ned i n the IN A as a n y p e r s o n w h o is o u ts id e a n yc o u n tryo f s u c h p e r s o n ’s n a tio n a lity. . . a nd w ho i s unabl e orunw i l l i ng t o r e turn t o, a nd i s unabl e orunw i l l i ng t o a va i l hi m s e l f

orhe r s e l f

of the pr ot e c t i on of

, tha tc ountrybe c aus e of pers ec ut i on or a w el l -f

ou nd ed fe arof pers ec ut i on on ac coun tof ra ce , 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 pol i t i c a l opi ni on. I N A § 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( A ) , 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 0 1 ( a ) ( 4 2 ) ( A ) . T h e I N A a ls o p r o v id e s th a t, ape r s on w ho ha s be e n f or c e d t o abortapr e gna nc yort o unde r go i nvol unt a ry s t e r i l i z a t i on, orw ho ha s be e n pe r s e c ut e d f orf a i l ur e or r e f us a l t o unde r go s uc h apr oc e dur e orf orothe rr e s i s t a nc e t o a coer ci ve po pu l at i on control prog ra m , shal l be deem ed t o h ave been p ersecu t ed o n acco u n to f p o l i t i cal o p i n i o n , an d a p erso n w h o h as a w e l l f ounde d f e a rtha the ors he w i l l be f or c e d t o unde r go s uc h a pr oc e dur e ors ubj e c tt o pe r s e c ut i on f ors uc h f a i l ur e , r e f

us a l , or r e s i s t a nc e s ha l l be de e m e d t o ha ve aw e l l f ounde d f e a rof pe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof

pol i t i c a l opi ni on. IN A § 1 01 (a )( 42 )( B ), 8 U . S . C . § 1 10 1(a) (42)(B ). T o qua l i f y f orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l unde rthe I N A , a n a l i e n m us ts how tha ti f r e turne d t o he rc ountry , the a l i e n’ s l i f e orf r e e dom w oul d be thr e a t e ne d 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 po l i t i ca l op i ni on . IN A § 2 41 (b)( 3), 8 U . S . C . § 1 23 1(b)(3). T o b e e nt i t l ed t o rel i ef unde rC A T , a n appl i c a ntm us te s t abl i s h tha ti ti s “ m or e l i ke l ytha n nottha the or s h e w o u l d b e t o rtu r e d i f r e mo v e d t o th e p r o p o s e d c o u n tryo f r e mo v a l . ” 8 C. F. R. § 2 08 . 16 (c )( 2).5

I f c r e d ib le , a n a lie n ’s te s tim o n ym a yb e s u f f ic ie n t, w ith o u t c o rr o b o r a tio n , to s u s ta in h e rb u r d e n o f

p r o o f in e s tab lis h in g h e re lig ib ilityf o rr e lie f f r o m r e m o v a l. For gue v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 40 1 F . 3d 12 82 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 05 ). “ C on vers el y, an a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty de t e rm i na t i on a l one m a ybe s uf f i c i e ntt o s upportthe de ni a l of an as yl um appl i ca t i on . ” I d. H ow ever , “ an adverse cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on do es nota l l e vi a t e the I J ’ s duty t o c ons i de rothe re vi de nc e pr oduc e d bya n a s y l um appl i cant . ” I

d. I f a n appl i c a ntpr oduc e s e vi de nc e be y ond he rt e s t i m ony , “ i ti s not su ffi ci en tfo r th e IJ t o rel y so l el y o n an ad v erse cred i b i l i ty d et erm i n at i o n i n th o se i nst ance s. ” I

d. A s lo n g a s a ll th e e v id e n c e s u b m itte d b yth e ap p lic a n t is c ons i de r e d, how e ve r , the I Jdoe s notne e d t o a ddr e s s s pe c i f i c a l l ye ve rypi e c e of e v id e n c e p r e s e n te d . T

an v . U . S. A t t ’ yG e n. , 44 6 F . 3d 13 69 , 13 74 (11th C i r. 20 06 ). A s an i ni t i al m att er , L i n’ s argum ent s on app ea l al l re l at e t o h ercl ai m that s he f e a r s tha ts he w i l l be pe r s e c ut e d be c aus e , byha vi ng tw o c hi l dr e n s i nc e c om i ng t o the U ni t ed S t at es , she has vi ol at ed C hi na’ s f am i l y l aw s. T here fore , she has aba ndone d the c l a i m s s he m a de be f or e the I Jtha ts he w i l l be pe r s e c ut e d be c aus e of o th e rg r o u n d s . See Se

pulv e da , 4 0 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 2 8 n .2 . I n a d d itio n , a s p r e v io u s ly d i scu ssed , L i n can n o tch al l en g e th e IJ’ s ad v erse cred i b i l i ty d et erm i n at i o n b ecau se s h e f a ile d to r a is e th a t c la im b e f o r e th e B I A . D e s p ite th is a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility f in d in g , h o w e v e r , th e I Js till m u s t c o n s id e ra ll o f th e e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d a n d , in th is c a s e , th e I Jf

a ile dto d o s o . See For

gue , 401 F . 3d a t1287.6

L i n sub m i tt ed supp ort i ng do cum ent ary e vi dence t o the IJi n the form of a copy of the P op ul at i on and F am i l y P l anni ng L aw of C hi na, 20 02 C on gres si on al t e s t i m ony of

J ohn A i r d on C hi na ’ s F a m i l yP l a nni ng L a w , a nd a n a rt i c l e f r om the W orl d S oci al i stW eb S i t e. In hi s dec i si on , ho w ever , the IJst at ed, “ O ther than h er or a l t e s t i m ony , [ L i n] ha s notpr oduc e d s upport i ng doc um e nt a t i on ore xpl a i ne d the ab s e n c e o f

s u c h d o c u m e n ta tio n .” B a s e d o n th is , it ap p e a r s th a t th e I Jn o t o n ly fa i l ed t o con si der L i n’ s s up po rt i ng do cum ent ary e vi dence, bu tal so base d h i s deni al of L i n’ s c l ai m s i n p arton hi s i ncorrec tbel i ef thatshe had no tsubm i tt ed any s uch e vi de nc e . T hus , s ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e doe s nots upportthe I J ’ s de c i s i on t o de ny L in ’s ap p lic a tio n f

o ra s y lu m , w ith h o ld in g o f r e m o v a l, a n dC A T r e lie f . See For

gue , 40 1 F . 3d at12 87 . A cc ordi ng l y, w e vac at e and re m and the IJ ’ s dec i si on for f urther consi dera t i on w i th res pectt o L i n’ s c l ai m thatshe f ears she w i l l be pers ec ut ed b ecau se sh e h as h ad tw o ch i l d ren w h i l e i n th e U n i t ed S t at es. P E T I T I ON DI S MI S S E D I N P AR T , GR AN T E D I N P AR T , AN D RE MAND E D.