Opinion ID: 2973015
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: background and statement of case

Text: Mr. Volaj was born in Broje, Albania on June 10, 1961. (Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) at 59). Mr. Volaj is an Albanian citizen. On November 14, 2000, Mr. Volaj and his family entered the United States in Orlando, Florida on false documents from Slovenia. (J.A. at 68-73). At the airport, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (“INS”)1 conducted credible fear interviews with Mr. and Mrs. Volaj. Mrs. Volaj testified that she came to the United States for a better life and freedom. She did not express any fear about the Albanian government or police. She simply stated that she 1 Pursuant to the implementing regulations of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the functions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service have been transferred to the Department of Homeland Security. 68 F.R. § 9824 (Feb. 28, 2003). Volaj v. Gonzales Case No. 04-3900 Page 2 of 11 wanted to be in the United States because she had a poor life in Albania. While interviewing Mr. Volaj, he attested that he left Albania because of a land dispute with his neighbor. On June 28, 2002, Mr. Volaj filed an application for asylum. (J.A at 86-99). Mr. Volaj’s story in his application for asylum differed from the story he and his wife gave to the immigration officials at the airport. In his asylum application, he stated that he was seeking asylum based on his membership in a particular social group (J.A. at 90), and he alleged that he was afraid of being beaten or murdered by the Albanian government if he returned and attempted to retrieve his land (J.A.at 91). On April 18, 2003, an immigration judge in Detroit, Michigan held a hearing on Volaj’s petition for asylum.2 The immigration judge consolidated Volajs’ asylum petitions into one case. (J.A. at 47). During the hearing Mr. Volaj testified that he came from a large, wealthy family that owned half of the land in his village before the Communist Party took over. He testified further that when the communist party took over, it confiscated his family’s land and converted it into a commune. At the end of the communist regime, Mr. Volaj’s family members recouped their land. Mr. Volaj, however, did not obtain any of his land. In attempting to reacquire his land, Mr. Volaj alleges that the Albanian police beat and harassed him. Id. Mr. Volaj recounted three incidents where the police beat and harassed him. On September 14, 1998, when he attempted to retrieve his land the police allegedly beat him with rubber sticks on the back of his head and fingers. (J.A. at 62). He was hospitalized from the beating. (J.A. at 62-64). Mr. Volaj submitted medical records to support his injury from the police beating. On June 20, 1999 2 On July 11, 2001, venue was changed from Orlando, Florida to Detroit, Michigan. Volaj v. Gonzales Case No. 04-3900 Page 3 of 11 and September 18, 2000, Mr. Volaj also made attempts to have his land returned. On both occasions the police beat him. (J.A. at 66-67). In addition to the beatings, he was threatened by civilians working as secret police. (J.A. at 68). Over the course of three years, Mr. Volaj apparently made seven attempts to get his land back. In an attempt to corroborate his testimony, Mr. Volaj proffered three exhibits. The first exhibits were affidavits and certificates verifying the Volajs’ membership in the Society of ExPolitically Persecuted Persons. The second exhibit explained the medical treatment he received after the September 14, 1998 incident. The third exhibit was an affidavit attesting that someone has been occupying his land for ten years and has a large amount of weapons stored on the property. (J.A. at 27-28). After hearing the evidence, the immigration judge found that the Volajs’ claims amounted to a well-founded fear of a neighbor who was threatening Mr. Volaj regarding his attempts to recover his land and did not amount to a claim for asylum. (J.A. at 40). The immigration judge found that there were too many inconsistencies in the evidence. In particular, the immigration judge found that Mr. Volaj’s testimony was not credible because it directly contradicted his wife’s testimony in her credible fear interview at the airport. The immigration judge denied the Volajs’ petitions for asylum. On April 28, 2003, the Volajs filed a motion to appeal the immigration judge’s decision. On June 15, 2004, the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) summarily affirmed the immigration judge’s decision without an opinion. On July 12, 2004, the Volajs petitioned this Court for review of the BIA’s denial of his petition for asylum. Volaj v. Gonzales Case No. 04-3900 Page 4 of 11