2005 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 3-4-2005 

# B ruc i 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 . 03-2126

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_2005

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 2005 D e c i sion s b y an author i 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

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

w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " B r uc i v . Atty Ge n U SA" (2005). 2005 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1478. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2005/1478C ap ti o n am en d ed p u rsua n t t o F ed . R . A p p . P . 4 3 (c). 1 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

___________ N o. 03- 2126

___________ REYHEP BRUCI P eti ti o n er, v. ATTO RN EY G ENER AL O F THE UN I TED STATES , 1 R es pondent

___________ O n P eti ti o n fo r R ev iew o f a n O rde r o f th e B o a rd o f

Im m ig ra tio n A p p e a ls ( B I A N o. A 78- 415- 983)

___________ Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL . A . R . 34. 1( a)

February10, 2005 B e f o re : B A R R Y , F U E N T E S , a n d V A N A N T W E R P E N C ir c u it J u d g e s .

( O pi ni on Fi l ed: M ar ch 4, 2005)

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OP I NI ON

________________________ FU E N T E S, C i r cui tJ udge:“A gr antof as y l um al l ow s an otherw i s e- r emovabl e al i en t o s t ayi n t he U ni t ed St at es . ” 2 A bdul ai v. A s hcr oft , 239 F. 3d 542, 545 ( 3d C i r . 2001) . O n t he otherhand, w i t hhol di ng of re m o v a l m e re lyc o n f

e rs th e rig h t n o t to b e d e p o rte d to a p a rticu lar c o u n try , as o p p o se d to t he r i ghtt o s t ayi n t hi s countr y . I d. W her e, as her e, t he fi nal or derof the B I A s um m ar i l yaff i r m s ordefe r s t o t he dec i s i on 3 of the I J , t hi s C our t“mustr evi ew t he I J ’ s deci s i on. ” A bdul ai v. A s hcr oft , 239 F. 3d 542, 5 4 9 n . 2 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ). 2 Pet i t i onerR eyhep B ruci ( “B ruci ”) s eeks r evi ew of the B oar d of I m m i gr at i on A p p e a ls’ (“ B IA ” ) d e c isio n a f f irm in g th e Im m ig ra tio n Ju d g e ’s ( “ IJ” ) d e n ial o f h is appl i cat i on foras y l um , w i t hhol di ng of r emoval , and pr ot ect i on underA r t i cl e 3 of the C onvent i on A gai ns tT or tur e ( “C A T ”) . I n s o rul i ng, the B I A aff i r m ed w i t houtopi ni on 2 t he fi ndi ngs of the I J t hatB ruci l acke d cr edi bi l i t ybas ed on i ncons i s t ents t at ement s m ade i n hi s t es t i m onyand i n hi s w r i t t en as y l um appl i cat i on and hi s fai l ur e t o corr obor at e many o f t h e e v e n t s h e d e s c r i b e d i n s u p p o r to f h i s a p p l i c a t i o n . F o rth e r e a s o n s th a tf o l l o w, we wi l l d e n yBru c i ’ s p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w. 3 I. F a c ts Bru c i wa s b o r n o n Oc t o b e r7 , 1 9 7 1 , a n d i s a n a t i v e a n d c i t i z e n o f Al b a n i a . He cl ai m s t hathe and hi s fami l yar e mem ber s of the A l bani an D emocr at i c Par t yand thathe w as a n o p p o n en t of

the A lban ian C o m m u n istreg im e p ri o r t o 1 9 8 9 . T w o o f B ruc i’ s br ot her s , i n par t i cul ar , w er e mem ber s of the D emocr at i c Par t ybefor e B ruci w as an ac t i ve m e m b e r a n d h a v e a lw a y s b e e n m o re a c tiv e in th e P a rt yth a n B ru c i. B ruci cont ends t hatbeca us e of hi s pr e- 1989 oppos i t i on s t atus , he w as tr eat ed as an3

e n e m yo f th e S ta te . In 1 9 9 1 -9 2 , B ru c i w a s c o m p le tin g h is c o m p u ls o ry m ilita ry se rv ic e . D u rin g th is tim e h e p ro tes ted a g a in st th e ru lin g p a rty , an d in su p p o rt o f th e D e m o c ra tic Par t y . H e cl ai m s t hathe w as det ai ned bythe mi l i t aryon one occ as i on and w as w arned th a t if h e c o n tin u e d s u p p o rt in g th e D e m o c ra tic P a rt y , h e c o u ld e n d u p in ja il. In M a rc h o f

1 9 9 2 , the D e m o c ra tic P a rtyw o n A lb a n ian e lec tio n s. D u rin g th e ru le of the D emocr at i c Par t y , B ruci ’ s fami l yopened a bakeryand s t art ed a c ons t ruct i on com pan y . H ow ever, i n the Sp ri ng of 1 99 7, the S ocial i stP arty(for m er C om m un i st s) r egai ned pol i t i cal contr ol . T he maj or i t yof B ruci ’ s al l egat i ons i n s uppor tof hi s var i ous cl ai m s ar os e dur i ng t he ens ui ng per i od. B ruci s pecul at es that , atthi s j unctur e, the rul i ng par t yexac t ed r etr i but i on bybur ni ng hi s bakeryt o t he gr ound and bygener al l ythw art i ng hi s fami l y ’ s bus i nes s i nt er es t s . H e bas es thi s al l egat i on on t he fa ctthatw hen he r epor t ed t hathi s bakeryhad bee n des t r oy ed, the pol i ce di d nott ake w hathe bel i eved t o be appr opr i at e ac t i ons . I n addi t i on, B ruci cl ai m s thatats om e poi ntbetw een M ayand J une of 1999, w hi l e he a nd one of hi s br other s w er e per form i ng cert ai n cons t ruct i on w or k, pol i ce of fi cer s r eques t ed thatt heypr oduce pe r m i t s thatw er e r equi r ed t o engage i n s uch w o rk . U p o n p ro v id in g th e d o c u m e n ts, B ru c i cla im s o n e p o lice o f f ice r e rro n e o u sly char act er i zed the document s as fal s i fi cat i ons . B ruci ’ s br otherar gued w i t h t he pol i ceman and both B ruci and hi s br ot herw er e hi tand/ orthr eat ened. A ddi t i onal l y , i n M ayof 2000, B ruci al l eges , t he pol i ce de t ai ned hi m al ong w i t h otherD emocr at i c Par t yact i vi s t s i n or der t o p r e v e n tt h e m f

r o m a t t e n d i n g a p o l i t i c a l r a l l y.4

N ext , i n J ul yof 2000, B ruci cont ends thats hor t l yaft erhe r egi s t er ed vot er s on behal f of the D emocr at i c Par t y , t he pol i ce c ame t o hi s hous e and t ook hi m i n for ques t i oni ng. B ruci al l eges t hatw hen he ove r head one offi cers ugges tthathe s houl d be h a n d c u f f e d , h e ra n a w a yw h ile th e p o lice sh o t g u n f ire in h is d ire c tio n . A t th is p o in t, B ru c i c la im s th a t h e re s o lv e d to f le e A lb a n ia a n d s e e k p ro te c tio n in th is c o u n tr y . I n A ugus tof 2000, B ruci at t empt ed t o ent erthe U ni t ed St at es w i t h a fr audul ent G r eek pa s s por t . W hen he a r r i ved i n thi s countr y , he t ol d t he ai rpor ti ns pect or s thathe w a s c o m in g to th e U n ited S tate s to p u rsu e b e tter e m p lo ym e n t o p p o rtu n iti e s. B ru c i d id n o t i n d icate tha t anyo f h is fam il yrem ainin g in A lban ia, inclu d ing h is bro thers, w ere bei ng per s ecut ed fort hei rpol i t i cal bel i efs . W e now turn t o t he I J ’ s deci s i on thatB ruci was n o te n t i t l e d t o a s y l u m, wi t h h o l d i n g o f r e mov a l o rp r o t e c t i o n u n d e rth e CA T. I I . D i s cus s i on W e r evi ew t he I J ’ s deci s i on underthe s ubs t ant i al evi dence s t andar d. See G ao v. A s hcr oft , 299 F. 3d 266, 272 ( 3d C i r . 2002) . T hus , the age ncy ’ s fi ndi ng of fa ctw i l l be uphel d s o l ong as t he evi dence does notcompel a contr aryconcl us i on. A bdi l l e v. A s hcr oft , 242 F. 3d 477, 483 ( 3d C i r . 2001) . A n adver s e cr edi bi l i t yfi ndi ng m us tbe uphel d unl es s a “r eas onabl e adj udi cat orw oul d be compel l ed t o concl ude t o t he contr ary . ” 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 5 2 (b )( 4 )( B ); s e e G a o , 2 9 9 F .3 d a t 2 7 2 . B ruci pr es ent s no evi dence , noreven s peci fi cal l ycl ai m s , thathe w as t or tur ed or t hati ti s m or e l i kel yt han nott hathe w i l l be t or tur ed i f r eturned t o A l bani a. T her efor e,5

h is c laim u n d e r th e C A T m u st f a il. W i t h r es pectt o hi s pet i t i on foras y l um and w i t hhol di ng of r emoval , B ruci ar gues that the IJ’s d ec isi o n w as n o t sup p o rt ed b ysu b stan ti al ev iden ce b ec au se: (1) the IJ’s credi bil i t ydeterm i nati on s w ere unfo un ded ; and , (2) the record bef ore the IJ otherw i se su p p o rte d B ru c i’s a p p lica tio n s f o r a sy lu m a n d w ith h o ld in g o f re m o v a l. I n hi s deci s i on, th e IJ to o k in to a c c o u n t th e f a c t th a t B ru c i p re se n ted a lm o st n o c o rro b o ra tin g e v id e n c e to s uppor thi s cl ai m s . A bdul ai v. A s hcr oft , 239 F. 3d 542, 554 ( 3d C i r . 2001) ( not i ng that

“ th e B IA m a yso m e tim e s re q u ire [ a p p lica n ts] to su p p lyc o rro b o ra tin g e v id e n c e in o rd e r to m e e t th e ir b u rd e n o f

p ro o f ” ). T h e IJ s p e c if

ica llyc o n sid e re d th e lac k o f d o c u m e n tatio n to sh o w o w n e rsh ip o r e x iste n c e o f th e b a k e ry , the c o n stru c tio n c o m p a n y , the f a c t o f h is arr es t s , and medi cal t r eatm entforhi s i nj ur i es . H e al s o not ed thatB ruci di d notpr es ent a f f id a v its f ro m h is f a m ily , ev e n th o u g h B ru c i h a s b e e n in re g u lar c o n tac t w ith h is f a m ily s i nce he arr i ved i n t he U ni t ed St at es . See i d. ( s t at i ng thati ti s r eas onabl e t o expec tan ap p li ca n t t o p rod u ce co m m u n icati o n s fro m fa m il ym em b ers rem ainin g in the ap p li ca n t’ s h o m e c o u n try ). In f

ac t, there is a t o tal lack o f d o cu m en tat ion in the rec o rd to su p p o rt B ru c i’ s c la im s , e x c e p t f o r a f e w g e n e ra l n e w s re p o rt s . A n o ther f

ac t r eli ed o n b ythe IJ is th at, ev en tho u g h B ruc i’ s fa m il ym em b ers a re al s o al l eged t o be mem ber s of the A l bani an D emocr at i c Par t y , as of the t i m e of the h e a rin g th e ya p p a re n tlystill l iv e d in A lb a n ia a n d w e re n o t b e in g p e rse c u ted f o r th e ir p o lit ica l o p in io n s. T h is s u p p o rts th e IJ’ s c o n ten tio n th a t B ru c i co u ld re sid e in A lb a n ia6

s a f e l y. O ther a sp ec ts of

B ruc i’ s testi m o n yw ere also fo u n d to b e inc red ible. F ir st, the IJ doubt ed B ruci ’ s t es t i m onyr egar di ng hi s encount erw i t h t he A l bani an pol i ce w hen he cl ai m s t o have e s cape d. T he I J expl ai ned thathe “f ound i thar d t o bel i eve thatfourpol i ce o f f ice rs, in c lu d in g tw o w h o a re a p p a re n tlyd e tec tiv e s o r w o re p lain c lo th e s, w o u ld a c c o mp a n ya p r i s o n e rb ywa l k i n g t h r e e t o f i v e y a r d s b e h i n d h i m r a t h e rth a n h a v e two w al k in fr on t , or on the si de, or even ho l d h i s arm s, ” t hu s enabli ng B ruci t o escap e. A l so n o ted w a s B ru c i’s te stim o n yth a t ju st b e f o re th is in c id e n t, he m a d e a b u sin e ss trip to G r eec e. I n fac t , w hetherB ruci everr eturned t o A l bani a fr om G r eec e, and w hetherhe w as i n fac ti n A l bani a i n l at e J ul y/ A ugus tof 2000 w hen the “f i nal ” i nci dentw i t h t he pol i ce al l egedl yoccurr ed, w er e both ar eas w her e the I J fel tB ruci w as notcr edi bl e. T he I J w as s kept i cal of B ruci ’ s acc ountbeca us e s i x w eeks aft erB ruci tr avel ed t o G r eec e, he arr i ved in N e w Y o rk o n a f

lig h t f ro m B a rc e lo n a , S p a in , b e a rin g a f a lse G re e k p a ss p o rt. W h ile it i s conce i vab l e t hat B ruci t ravel ed to G reece, returned to A l ban i a, pu rchased his fal se document s i n A l bani a and then tr avel ed t o Spai n fr om ther e, the r ecor d i s m or e cons i s t ent w i t h t he theoryt hatB ruci t r avel ed t o G r eec e, pur chas ed a f al s e G r eek pa s s por tther e and th e n c ro ss e d th e o p e n in ter n a l b o rd e rs o f th e E u ro p e a n U n io n to S p a in . W h ile th e IJ d id notfi nd as a mat t erof fa ctt hatB ruci ’ s tr i p t o t he U ni t ed St at es w as pl anned orexec ut ed in th is m a n n e r, th e p lau sib ili tyo f th is re a d in g o f

th e re c o rd h e lp s to a ss u re u s th a t a7

reas on able fact fi nd er w ou l d rej ectB ruci ’s ow n acco un tof the even t s. T he I J al s o not ed i ncons i s t enci es betw een Bruc i ’ s ans w er s t o ques t i ons po sed byan airpo rti nterview er and h i s t est i m on ydu ri ng the h eari ng . O n A ug ust 13, 2000, upon hi s arr i val t o t he U ni t ed St at es , B ruci s t at ed t o an i m m i gr at i on offi ci al att he ai rpor tt hatnei t herhe norany one i n hi s fami l yhad eve rbeen a r r es t ed ort hr eat ened w i t h per s ecut i on ori m pr i s onm ent . I ns t ead, he s t at ed thathe w as comi ng t o t hi s countr yt o w or k beca us e he w as l ooked dow n upon and pr es s ur ed due t o t he el ect or al vi ct or yof the Soci al i s tpart yi n A l bani a, w hi ch ther eby di m i ni s hed hi s economi c pr os pect s t her e. T hes e ambi guous decl ar at i ons contr adi ct ed B ruci ’ s t es t i m onydur i ng t he hea r i ng thathe ca m e t o t hi s countr yfor fea rof hi s l i fe, as w el l as t he t es t i m onythatB ruci w as det ai ned on s ever al occa s i ons , w as t hr eat ened w i t h i m pr i s onm entbeca us e of hi s s uppor tof the D e m o c ra tic P a rty , an d w a s a rre ste d a n d h it w ith stic k s in S e p tem b e r o f 1 9 9 8 a n d in M ayof 2000. W hi l e w e have hel d t hatai rpor ti nt ervi ew s m ays om et i m es be i nacc ur at e, and ther efor e s houl d notbe undul yr el i ed upon, B al as ubr amanr i m v. I . N . S. , 143 F . 3 d 1 5 7 , 1 6 2 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 8 ), the IJ’s a d v erse cre d ibil ityfin d ing s in this ca se w ere al so based on t he o t her w eakn esses and i nco nsi st encies i n B ruci ’s t est i m on y . T hese fi ndi ngs w er e furt hers uppor t ed byt he s t ark abs ence of corr obor at i ng evi dence an d /or af fid av it s fro m B ruc i’ s fa m il ym em b ers, an d the f ac t th at B ruc i’ s m o re8

p o lit ica llya c tiv e b ro th e rs r e m a in in A lb a n ia a p p a re n tlyw ith o u t ev e n t. I I I . C oncl us i on Foral l of the for egoi ng r eas ons , the I J ’ s deci s i on w as bas ed upon s ubs t ant i al e v i d e n c e . T h e r e f

o r e , we wi l l d e n yt h e p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w.