Opinion ID: 785841
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Criminal Persecution

Text: 17 The BIA found that the Gormleys failed to establish past criminal persecution, and the evidence does not compel a contrary conclusion. First, the two attacks that Mr. Gormley suffered do not rise to the level of persecution; robberies of this sort are an all too common byproduct of civil unrest and economic turmoil. See Huaman-Cornelio v. BIA, 979 F.2d 995, 1000 (4th Cir.1992) (stating that violence is often the byproduct of civil unrest but is not necessarily specific persecution). Second, Mr. Gormley presented no evidence that the perpetrators victimized him on account of his race as opposed to their observation that he carried a cell phone and a watch. See Ochave, 254 F.3d at 865 (Asylum generally is not available to victims of civil strife, unless they are singled out on account of a protected ground.). Third, Mr. Gormley failed to demonstrate that the crimes were committed by groups that the government is unwilling or unable to control.... Singh v. INS, 94 F.3d 1353, 1359 (9th Cir.1996). Random, isolated criminal acts perpetrated by anonymous thieves do not establish persecution. See Rostomian v. INS, 210 F.3d 1088, 1089 (9th Cir.2000). In short, the evidence does not compel a finding of criminal persecution.