Opinion ID: 2612
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Li's Hearing Testimony

Text: An evidentiary hearing on Li's claims for relief from removal was held before an IJ on April 16, 2003. As in her application, Li cited her past arrest for practicing Falun Gong as the basis for her fear of future persecution. Her testimony about this arrest was not, however, always consistent with her application account. For example, on direct examination Li, who was represented by counsel, testified that when police raided her home she was practicing Falun Gong with more than 10 people, Tr. of Hr'g at 18, not four as reported in her application. Li further testified that only three persons, including herself, were arrested. She explained that the remaining seven persons received only warnings because they were ordinary people. Id. at 22. On cross-examination, Li stated that a total of sixteen Falun Gong practitioners were present in her home at the time of the raid, of which three were arrested. Asked to explain the apparent inconsistency with her written application, which indicated that a total of five persons (counting Li) were practicing Falun Gong in petitioner's home at the time of the raid, all of whom were arrested, Li insisted that her application referenced sixteen practitioners and that her account was consistent. [4] On further cross-examination, Li initially hesitated when asked to explain why she did not obtain an affidavit from her husband, who remains in China, corroborating her arrest and the 10,000 yuan fine paid to secure her release. Eventually, she stated that her husband would submit such an affidavit if she so requested. Asked on cross-examination to describe Falun Gong's organizational structure, Li testified that there were no physical headquarters, that she was assigned to her unpaid position as a station director, and that she reported to a specific individual. With the consent of the parties, the IJ put into the record a dozen pages about Falun Gong that she had downloaded from an Internet site, www.religioustolerance.org. These pages stated, inter alia, that Falun Gong denies being a religion, cult, or sect. Certified Administrative Record in A95 462 260 (CAR), at 93 (emphasis omitted). One of Falun Gong's spokespersons is quoted as saying the group is not involved with politics or against any government. Id. at 97. More to the organizational point, the website reported that [t]here is no leader.... There is no paid staff or clergy. All work is done by volunteers. They do not maintain a list of members' names. Id. (internal quotation marks omitted).