Opinion ID: 2973518
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Tiger Cela

Text: 7 In Tiger’s case, because the BIA affirmed the decision of the IJ without a separate opinion, we review the decision of the immigration judge directly. Gilaj v. Gonzales, 408 F.3d 275, 282-83 (6th Cir. 2005) (citing Denko v. INS, 351 F.3d 717, 723 (6th Cir. 2003)). The IJ found that “what happened to the respondents, although unfortunate and somewhat deplorable, is not traceable to political opinion but is rather traceable to the general conditions and the criminal conditions that exist in Albania and specifically to their father’s position as an honest police officer who was attempting to combat that.” J.A. at 49-50. The IJ went on to note that even though the “respondents’ father was out of favor with elements of the Democratic Party he was nevertheless selected by the Democratic Party to be a police officer and was retained in that position by the Socialist Party,” and that “[g]iven those facts...the court is unable to conclude that the difficulties that the witness had (and as a result perhaps his son had) were traceable to his political opinion.” J.A. at 50. The court concluded those difficulties were more likely traceable to “their father’s honesty as a police officer and his willingness to speak out against crime.” J.A. at 50. Because the IJ denied asylum based on his finding that Tiger failed to establish the requisite nexus between any harm he experienced and one of the 1101(a)(42) grounds of the INA, (in his case, political opinion), the IJ did not make any finding regarding past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution. Tiger argues that the IJ “improperly impose[d] a negative slant on the testimony provided which would have otherwise established Petitioner’s claim of a well-founded fear of persecution.” Tiger Br. at 37. We disagree and find that the evidence in this case supports the IJ’s finding that there is not a sufficient nexus between any harm suffered by Tiger and his or his family’s political views. The record establishes that regardless of the political party in control, Mr. Cela continued to 8 work as a police officer. Thus, the IJ found that any difficulties Tiger and his family experienced in Albania were not traceable to Mr. Cela’s - or Tiger’s - political opinion, but rather to the fact that Mr. Cela was an “honest cop.” This finding is supported by Mr. Cela’s testimony at the hearing: Q. ...Sir, to speed things up here I’m going to try and tell everything that I see is going on here. And just tell me if this is a fair appraisal, what I see going on. A. Yes. Q. Basically, what I see is except for the three months you were [a parliamentary] deputy, you’ve basically been a police officer your whole life, haven’t you? A. Yes. Q. And you’ve been an honest officer haven’t you? A. Yes. Q. And you worked when the [C]ommunist[s] were in control from ‘85 to ‘92, you worked for the [C]ommunist[s] but you did it in a fair way as a police officer, is that correct? A. Yes. Q. And you’re an honest police officer and you see things going on that appear to be dishonest like hiring police officers that shouldn’t be hired and you tell people what you think, right? A. It was true it was against the [D]emocratic [P]arty program. Q. Okay. But because of that for the next four years basically you’re unemployed, aren’t you? A. Yes. Q. Okay. And then somewhere a couple of years in ‘94, it looks like you even get frustrated with the [D]emocratic [P]arty and so you join Bali (phonestic sp.) Kompetar (phonetic sp.), is that fair? A. Yes. J.A. at 218-19. Mr. Cela went on to concede that he retained his position as a police officer even after the Socialist Party won the election in 1997 because they saw him as an “honest good cop that will help the government.” Mr. Cela was also asked questions to clarify the motive of those who threatened him and his sons: Q...And because you’re an honest cop is that the reason why they kidnaped your son [Luan]? A. This is one of the reasons. Q. Well, what’s the other reason? A. And my political beliefs. 9 Q. But sir, I don’t understand what your political beliefs are. I know you’re anti- [C]ommunist but you work[ed] for the [C]ommunist[s]. I know you’re a [D]emocratic [P]arty candidate but they basically throw you out of a job after six months because you criticize them. Then you become a nationalist (indiscernible) union member, correct? A. Bali (phonetic sp.) Contar (phonetic sp.). Q. Bali Contar, correct? So what I’m seeing here is I don’t see how anybody sees your politics is because what I really see is you were once a Democratic Party, you were Bali Contar, and all I know is you hate the [C]ommunist[s] but you worked for them. And you hated the [S]ocialist[s] and you worked for them. So what are you[r] political beliefs in all of this? A. I always worked for the right and for the law.