2009 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 6-22-2009 

# I qb al v . Atty Ge n U SA P r e c e de n t i al or N on-P r e c e de n t i al : N on-P r e c e de n t i al D ocke t N o . 07-3918

F o l low thi s a nd a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi l l a no va . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou gh t t o you for f r e e a nd 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 l l a no va U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Re posit or y

. It h as be e n a c c e pt e d for inclusion in 2009 D e c i sion s b y a n author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i l l a no va U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Re posit or y

. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c on t a ct Be n j amin . C a rl s on@l a

w . vi l l a no va . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " I qb al v . Atty Ge n U SA" (2009). 2009 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1164. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi l l a no va . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/1164I MG - 099 N O T P R E C E D E N T

IAL U N I T ED S T AT ES CO U RT

O F A P P EA LS F O RT H E T H IRD C IR C U IT

___________ N os . 07- 3918 & 08- 1900 ( c o ns o l i dat e d) J A V ED I Q BA

L, P et i t i on er v. ATTO RN EY

G EN ERA

L O F T H E U N I T ED S T AT ES P e t i t i o n f

o r R e v i e w o f a n O r de r o f

t he Un ite d S tate s De p a

rtme nt o f J u s tic e B o a rdo f Immi g ratio nA

p p e als ( Ag en cyN o. A79- 728- 970) Im m i g ra t i o nJu d g e: H o n o ra

b l e D o n al d

V . F erl i se

_______________________ S ub m i t t e d P ur s uant t o T hi r d C i r c ui t L A

R3 4 .1 ( a) J un e 17, 2009 B e f o r e : R E N D E L L , G R E E N B E R G a nd V A N A N T W E R P E N , C i r c ui t J udge s ( F i l ed : J un e 22, 2009) OP I NI ON OF T

HE COU RT P E RC U R IAM Jav e d I q b al , a P aki st a n i n at i v e a n d c i t i z e n , p e t i t i o n s fo r rev i e w o f a fi n al o rd e r o f t he B o a r d o f Im m i gr at i o n A

ppe al s ( “ B IA” ) a f f i r m i ng t he de ni al by t he Im m i gr at i o n J udge2

( “ IJ ” ) o f I qbal ’ s a ppl i c at i o n f

o r a s yl um , wi t hho l di ng o f r e m o v al a nd r e l i e f unde r t he C o nv e ntio nAg ain s t To rture (“C AT” ). I q b al also c h alle n g e s th e B IA ’ s d e n ial o f h is m o t i o nt o reop en . F o r t h e fol l o wi n grea son s, we wi l l d enyb o t hp et i t i o n s. I q b al e nte re d

th e Un ite d

S tate s o nJ un e 1 3 , 1 9 9 8 , witha uth o riz atio nto re main unt i l J ul y 1 1 , 1 9 9 8 . In J a nua r y 2 0 0 3 , a f

t e r r e c e i v

i ng a N o t i c e t o A

ppe a r f r o m t he G o v e r nm e nt , I qbal a

ppl i e d f o r a s yl um , wi t hho l di ng o f r e m o v al , a nd pr o t e c t i o n unde r t he C AT . B e fo re th e IJ , I q

b al te s tifie d

th at h e fe a

re d p e rs e c utio nfr o m h is S unn i Mu s lim f am i l y b e c aus e o f

hi s c o nv e r s i o n t o t he S hi i t e s e c t o f I s l am . T he IJ de t e r m i ne d t hat I qb al wa s i n e l i g i b l e fo r a sy l um reli e f b e c a u se h e fai l e d

t o fi l e h i s a

p p l i c at i o nwi t h i no n e y e a r o f hi s ar r i v al i n t he U ni t e d S t at e s . S e e 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( a) ( 2 ) ( B ) . T he IJ al s o f

o un d I qb al i nc r e di bl e due t o t he di s c r e pa nc i e s be t we e n hi s t e s t i m o ny a nd hi s w r i t t e n a s yl um s t at e m e nt . In t he al t e r nat i v e , a s s um i ng t hat I qbal ’ s t e s t i m o ny wa s c r e di bl e , t he IJ f o und t hat he f ai l e d t o pr e s e nt a

ny e v i de nc e t hat he wo ul d be s i ngl e d o ut f o r pe r s e c ut i o n i f

he re turn e d to P akistan . F urth e r, th e IJ fo un d th at I q b al fa ile d to s h o w a p atte rno r p ra c tic e o f p e rs e c utio nag ain s t S h iit e M u s lim s inP akistan . I q b al a p p e ale d to th e B IA

w h ic h a f f i r m e d t he IJ ’ s c r e di bi l i t y de t e r m i nat i o n a nd e nt e r e d a

f i nal r e m o v

al o r de r . I qbal f

i l e d a t i m e l yp e t i t i o nfo r rev

i e w fro m t h at o rd e r. InDe c e mb e r 2 0 0 7 , I q

b al file d a mo tio nto re o p e nwithth e B IA a n d s u b mit te d a ddi t i o nal e v

i de nc e w hi c h he a r gue d de m o ns t r at e d a

pat t e r n o r pr a c t i c e o f

pe r s e c ut i o n o f S h iit e M u s lim s inP akistan . On M a rc h1 2 , 2 0 0 8 , th e B IA , c iti n gI q b al’ s fa ilure to s u

b mitAs pe t i t i o ne r ac kn o wl e dg e s , we l ac k j ur i s di c t i o n t o r e v i e w t he IJ ’ s de t e r m i nat i o n t hat 1 hi s a s yl um a

ppl i c at i o n wa s no t t i m e l y f i l e d. Se e 8 U .S.C . § 1 1 5 8 ( a) ( 3 ) ; Ta r r a wal l y v. As h cr of t , 338 F . 3d

180, 185 ( 3d

C i r . 2003) . 3 ne w o r m at e r i al e v

i de nc e , i s s ue d a

n o r de r de nyi ng t he m o t i o n t o r e o pe n. I qbal al s o f i l e d a t i m e l y p e t i t i o n f

o r r e v i e w f r o m t ha t o r de r . T

he t wo pe t i t i o ns ha

v e be e n c o ns o l i da

t e d. Se e 8 U .S.C . § 1 2 5 2 ( b) ( 6 ) . W e h av e j ur i s d i c t i o np ur s u a

nt t o 8 U . S . C . § 1 2 5 2 ( a) . W e u p h o l d t h e B IA ’s de t e r m i nat i o ns i f

t he y a r e s uppo r t e d by r e a s o na bl e , s ubs t a

nt i al , a nd pr o bat i v

e e v i de nc e o n t h e rec o rd

c o n si d e reda s a

w h o l e . Y u su p o v v. A t t ’ yG e n . , 5 1 8 F . 3 d

1 8 5 , 1 9 7 (3 d

C i r. 2 0 0 8 ) . U nde r t he s ubs t a nt i al e v i de nc e s t a

nda r d, t he B IA ’ s de t e r m i nat i o ns “ m us t be up he l d unl e s s t he e v

i de nc e no t o nl y s up po r t s a c o nt r ar y c o nc l us i o n, but c o m pe l s i t .” A b d i l l e v. Ash croft , 2 4 2 F . 3 d 4 7 7 , 4 8 3 -84 (3d

C i r. 2 0 0 1 ) ( ci t i n gI

N S v. E l i a s- Z a cari a s, 5 0 2 U . S . 4 7 8 , 4 8 1 n . 1 (19 9 2 )) . Wh ere t h e B IA su b st a nt i al l ya d o p t s t h e fi n d i n g s of t h e I J, we r e v i e w t he de c i s i o ns o f

bo t h t he IJ a

nd t he B IA . H e C hun C he n v. As hc r o f t , 3 7 6 F.3 d 2 1 5 , 2 2 2 (3d

C i r. 2 0 0 4 ). We rev

i ew t h e d en i al o f a

m o t i o nt o reop enfor a

na b u se o f di s c r e t i o n. L i u v. A

t t ’ y G e n., 5 5 5 F.3 d 1 4 5 , 1 4 8 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 9 ) . To b e e l i g i b l e for wi t hh o l d i n go f r em o v al , I q b al m u st d em o n st ra

t e t h at “ t h ere i s a gr e at e r - t ha

n- f i f t y- pe r c e nt c ha

nc e o f pe r s e c ut i o n”i n P aki s t a n ba s e d o n a

pr o t e c t e d gr o und. Se nat hi r a j a h v. I N S, 1 5 7 F.3 d 2 1 0 , 2 1 5 ( 3 d C i r . 1 9 9 8 ) ; s e e al s o 8 U .S.C . § 1 2 3 1 ( b) ( 3 ) ( C ) . Fo r r e l i e f

unde r t he C AT , I qbal m us t de m o ns t r at e t hat i t i s m o r e l i ke l y t ha n no t t hat he wo u l d b e t o rt uredi f remov

e d t o P aki st a

n . S e e 8 C . F . R . § 2 0 8 . 1 6 (c)(2 ). 1B e c a

us e I qbal f

i l e d hi s a ppl i c at i o n pr i o r t o M a

y 1 1 , 2 0 0 5 , t he e f

f e c t i v e dat e o f t he 2 R E A L ID Ac t o f

2 0 0 5 , t he IJ ’ s c r e di bi l i t y de t e r m i nat i o n “ m us t i nv o l v e t he he a r t o f t he a s yl um c l ai m .”Se e C a

us hi v. A t t ’ y G e n., 4 3 6 F.3 d 2 2 0 , 2 2 9 & n.5 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 6 ) (cit at i o na

n d i nt e rn al qu o t at i o nm a

rk s o m i t t e d). Al l c i t at i o ns t o t he Adm i ni s t r at i v e R e c o r d a

r e t o t he R e c o r d f

i l e d i n C .A . N o . 0 8 - 3 1900. 4 T he B IA ’ s f

i ndi ng t hat I qbal ’ s t e s t i m o ny wa s no t c r e di bl e i s s uppo r t e d by s ub s t ant i al e v

i de nc e . S e e S ukwanput r a v. G o nzal e s , 4 3 4 F .3 d 6 2 7 , 6 3 6 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 6 ) ( an a dv e r s e c r e di bi l i t y de t e r m i nat i o n i s a ppr o pr i at e l y ba s e d o n i nc o ns i s t e nt s t at e m e nt s a nd c o nt r a d i c t o r ye v

i d e n c e ) . T

h e IJ p o i nt e d

o ut t h at t h e “

m o s t g l a r i n gd i s c r e p a

n c y ”b e t we e n 2 I qbal ’ s t e s t i m o ny a

nd hi s w r i t t e n a s yl um s t at e m e nt wa s t hat , i n hi s t e s t i m o ny, he di d no t me ntio nth at h is un c le a n d c o u s ins h o t at h im t hre e o r f o ur time s w

h e nth e yc ame to h is ho us e i n K ar ac hi . ( A .R . 2 7 0 .) T he o m i s s i o n g o e s t o t he he ar t o f t he c l ai m i nas m uc h as 3 I q b al a s s e rts th at h e fe a

rs re turn in gto P akistanb e c a u s e o f v io le nt re p ris als f

ro m h is famil yme mb e rs . F urth e r, th e IJ d id n o t b e lie v

e I q b al’ s e xp la

n atio nth a

t h e fo rg o t to te s tifyto th is k e yfa c t w h e nh is law

y e r in iti allyqu e s tio n e d

h im. On a p p e al, I q b al a s s e rts o n lyth at h e th o u g ht h e me ntio n e d th e s h o o tin ga

n d th at h e “ imp lie d ”th e s h o o tin ginh is di r e c t t e s t i m o ny– pr e s um a bl y by s t at i ng t hat hi s unc l e a nd c o us i n we r e ho l di ng guns w he n t h e yc am e t o h i s h o u se . T h e se e xp l a

n at i o n s d o n o t c o m p e l a d i ffere nt res u l t a

n d a re t he r e f o r e no t s uf

f i c i e nt t o o v

e r c o m e t he IJ ’ s a dv

e r s e c r e di bi l i t y de t e r m i nat i o n. Se e e .g., E z ea g w uv. Muk a sey , 5 3 7 F . 3 d

8 3 6 , 8 3 9 -40 (8t hC i r. 2 0 0 8 ) ( u p h o l d i n ga dv

erse c r e di bi l i t y f

i ndi ng w he r e pe t i t i o ne r “

f o r go t ”t o m e nt i o n hi s de t e nt i o n a nd a bus e .) ; C he n,W hi l e t he C o ur t i n Val di v i e z o - G al dam e zwa s r e f

e r r i ng t o pe r s e c ut i o n i n t he c o nt e xt 4 o f a na sy l um c l ai m , t h e sam e sub st a nt i v e c ri t e ri a a p p l yt o d e t e rm i n i n gp e rse c ut i o nfo r p urp o se s o f w

i t hh o l d i n go f remov

al . W akk a

ryv. H o l d e r, 5 5 8 F . 3 d

1 0 4 9 , 1 0 5 3 (9 t hC i r. 2 0 0 9 ). 5 3 7 6 F . 3 d at 2 2 2 (c ita

tio no mit te d) ( “

W e a re re qu ire d

to s u s taina

na dv e rs e c re d ib ili ty de t e r m i nat i o n ‘ unl e s s . . . no r e a s o na bl e pe r s o n’ wo ul d hav

e f o und t he a

ppl i c a nt i nc r e di bl e .”) S u b st a nt i al e v i d e n c e al so su

p p o rt s t h e IJ’ s d e t e rm i n at i o nt h at I q b al fai l e d t o p ro v e p a s t o r f uture p e rs e c utio n . I q

b al’ s c laims o f p e rs e c utio na re b a s e d o nh is f e a r th at h is fa m i l ywi l l t ryt o h a

rm h i m b e c a

u se o f h i s re l i g i o n . (A . R . 2 6 8 . ) To b e e l i g i b l e fo r wi t hho l di ng o f

r e m o v al , t he al l e ge d pe r s e c ut i o n m us t be “ c o m m i t t e d by t he go v

e r nm e nt o r byf o r c e s t he go v

e r nm e nt i s un abl e o r unwi l l i ngt o c o nt r o l .” Val di v i e zo - G al dam e z v. A t t ’ y G e n., 5 0 2 F.3 d 2 8 5 , 2 8 8 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 7 ) ( c i t at i o n a nd i nt e r nal quo t at i o n m a r ks o mit te d). He re , I q

b al h a s p re s e nte d

n o e v id e n c e th at th e g o v

e rnme nt o f P akistanwo u ld 4 be unwi l l i ng o r una

bl e t o pr o t e c t hi m f

r o m hi s f am i l y. I qbal a c kno wl e dge s t hat he ne v e r s o u g ht h e lp fr o m th e p o lic e , e v e na fte r h is un c le a

n d c o u s inthre ate n e d

h im, b e c a

u s e h is fri e n d a dv i se d h i m t h at t h e p o l i c e we re S unn i a n d wo u l d p ro b a b l yki l l h i m . (A . R . 2 5 2 . ) Wh i l e I q b al o ff ers v a ri o u s r ep o rt s a

n d a rt i cl es o nsect a

ri a nv i o l en ce i nP aki st a

n , t h ese do c um e nt s de s c r i be v

i o l e nc e pe r pe t r at e d by r a di c al gr o ups a nd do e s no t o f

f e r e v i de nc e t h at t h e p o l i c e a

re “ un a b l e o r unwi l l i n g ”t o c o nt ro l p ri v at e i n d i v i d u al s’ c o n d

u c t . C f. Val di v i e z o - G al dam e z , 5 0 2 F.3 d at 2 8 9 ( i m m i gr at i o n j udge i gno r e d e v i de nc e t hat t he6

g o v e rnme nt wa s unwill in go r un a b le to p ro te c t th e re s p o n d e nt w h e re th e re s p o n d e nt file d f i v e po l i c e r e po r t s a

nd t he po l i c e t o o k no a c t i o n.) T hus , t he B IA ’ s f

i ndi ng t hat “

t he r e c o r d was de v

o i d o f t he r e qu i s i t e go v

e r nm e nt ac qu i e s c e nc e ” i s s up po r t e d b y s ub s t ant i al e v i de nc e . ( A .R . 1 3 1 .) F o r s i m i l a

r r e a s o n s , t h e B IA a

n d IJ ’ s d e t e r m i n at i o nt h at I q b al f ai l e d t o s h o w a pat t e r n a nd pr a c t i c e o f

pe r s e c ut i o n o f

Shi i t e M us l i m s i n P aki s t a n i s s uppo r t e d by su b st a nt i al ev i d en ce . T

h e rec o rd

i n d i cat es “

t h at p ri v at e p a rt i es, n o t g o v

ernm ent o ff

i ci al s, a r e t he pr e do m i na

nt c a us e o f ha r a s s m e nt a

nd v i o l e nc e .”Si o e T

j e n W o ng v. A

t t ’ y G e n., 5 3 9 F.3 d 2 2 5 , 2 3 3 - 3 4 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 8 ) . In f a c t , a c c o r di ng t o t he 2 0 0 3 St at e D e pa r t m e nt C o untryR e p o rt, th e P akistan i g o v e rnme nt h a s ta

k e ns te p s to p ro te c t th e S h iit e c o mmun ity a n d h a s b a rredg ro u p s i nv o l v e d i nse c t a ri a nki l l i n g s. (A . R . 3 6 7 . ) N o r do e s t he r e c o r d s ho w t hat I qbal wo ul d l i ke l y be t o r t ur e d by o r wi t h t he a c qui e s c e nc e o f

a P aki s t a ni o f f i c i al . T he r e f o r e , he i s no t e l i gi bl e f

o r pr o t e c t i o n unde r t he C AT . Si l v

a - R e ngi f o v. A t t ’ y G e n., 4 7 3 F.3 d 5 8 , 6 4 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 7 ) . Fur t he r , t he B IA

di d no t a bus e i t s di s c r e t i o n i n de nyi ng I qbal ’ s m o t i o n t o r e o pe n. To wa r r a nt r e o pe ni ng, I qbal wa s r e qui r e d t o s ubm i t ne w , m at e r i al e v i de nc e t hat wa s no t av ai l abl e at t he t i m e o f

hi s he ar i ngbe f

o r e t he IJ . S e e 8 C .F .R . § 1 0 0 3 .2 ( c ) ( 1 ) ; F i l j a v. Go n z ale s , 4 4 7 F . 3 d

2 4 1 , 2 5 3 (3 d

C ir. 2 0 0 6 ). S e v

e ra l o f th e d o c ume nts I q b al sub mit te d

in su p p o rt o f h i s m o t i o np red at e d h i s 2 0 0 6 h e a

ri n g , a n d a re th e refo re n o t “

n e w . ”Mo reo v

e r, t he do c um e nt s a

r e no t m at e r i al a s t he y f ai l t o s ho w

“s ys t e m i c , pe r v

a s i v e , o r o r ga

ni z e d”7

pe r s e c ut i o n o f

Shi i t e s i n P aki s t a

n. L i e v. As hc r o f

t , 3 9 6 F.3 d 5 3 0 , 5 3 7 ( 3 d C i r . 2 0 0 5 ) ( c i t at i o n a

nd i nt e r nal quo t at i o n m a r ks o m i t t e d) . T

he do c um e nt s I qbal s ubm i t t e d s ho w t hat t he r e i s s e c t a

r i a n v i o l e nc e i n P aki s t a

n a nd t hat c e r t ai n m i l i t a

nt gr o ups t a

r ge t Shi i t e s . Ho we v e r, th e re is n o e v

id e n c e th at th e P akistan i g o v e rnme nt c o mmi tte d

o r a c qu ie s c e d

in t he s e a c t s o f

v i o l e nc e . F in ally , I q

b al’ s c o nte ntio nth at th e B IA fa ile d to re ma n d th e c a s e to th e IJ to e v al uat e t he m e r i t s o f

hi s m o t i o n t o r e o pe n i s m e r i t l e s s . T he pr o v i s i o n o n w

hi c h I qb al r e l i e s f o r t hi s a r gum e nt a

ppl i e s t o f

a c t f i ndi ng “ i n t he c o ur s e o f

de c i di ng a

ppe al s ,”no t w h ent h e B IA

co n si d ers m o t i o n s t o reop en . S ee 8 C . F . R . § 1 0 0 3 . 1 (d)( 3 )( i v ); see a l so 8 C . F . R . § 1 0 0 3 . 2 (c )( 1 ) ( “ A mo tio nto re o p e np ro c e e d in g s s h all n o t b e g rante d un le s s it a p p e a rs t o t h e B o a

rd t h at e v i d e n c e so u g ht t o b e o ffere d i s m at e ri al . . . ) (emp h a si s a d d e d). F o r t h e f o r e g o i n gr e a s o n s , we wi l l d e nyI q b al ’ s p e t i t i o n s f

o r r e v i e w.