Opinion ID: 705598
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: BIA's Credibility Determination

Text: 14 Petitioner next attacks the BIA's failure to reconsider its independent finding that Petitioner lacked credibility. He argues that because the IJ found him credible based on his tone and demeanor, the BIA abused its discretion in making a contrary finding. Although the IJ's credibility determinations are accorded substantial deference, De Valle v. INS, 901 F.2d 787, 792 (9th Cir.1990), the BIA may reject the IJ's credibility findings in appropriate circumstances based on a de novo review. Castillo v. INS, 951 F.2d 1117, 1120 n. 1 (9th Cir.1991) (citing McMullen v. INS, 658 F.2d 1312, 1318 (9th Cir.1981)). The BIA correctly found that Petitioner's asylum application and testimony contained inconsistencies going to the heart of his claim of persecution. 4 See Ceballos-Castillo v. INS, 904 F.2d 519, 520 (9th Cir.1990) (refugee status appropriately denied where asylum application was inconsistent with sworn testimony on points ranging from the general claim of persecution to the details of that claim). We therefore conclude that the BIA's adverse credibility determination was supported by substantial evidence and that the BIA stated specific and cogent reasons for rejecting the IJ's credibility finding. See De Brown v. Department of Justice, 18 F.3d 774, 778 (9th Cir.1994) (citing DeValle v. INS, 901 F.2d 787, 792 (9th Cir.1990)). 5 15 Finally, Petitioner contends that the BIA's adverse credibility finding was based on evidence improperly introduced by the government. This evidence called into question the validity of his second marriage and his paternity of a child born in the United States. Even assuming that Petitioner is correct that the evidence should not have been admitted under 8 C.F.R. Sec. 3.2, we conclude that it had no effect on the BIA's credibility determination. Although the BIA did note that the evidence was relevant to Petitioner's credibility, the BIA did not once mention it in its discussion of Petitioner's credibility.