Opinion ID: 614073
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cole's Background and Testimony

Text: Cole is a native and citizen of Honduras who entered the United States with his family when he was eleven years old and has since acquired a lengthy criminal record. He has no extended family in Honduras. Cole is African-American and has numerous gang tattoos on his arms, legs and face that he acquired while in prison after he joined the Crips, an African-American gang. After his release from prison, Cole apparently left the gang and worked for a homeless services agency. He states he did not get the gang tattoos removed because tattoo removal is a long and painful process. In 2007, Cole was shot in a drive-by shooting. [1] As a result of the shooting, he suffers from certain ongoing medical problems and has a defective, fragile skull. In 2008, because of a 1999 conviction for possession of cocaine for sale, Cole was placed in removal proceedings where he sought asylum, withholding of removal, and CAT relief. The IJ determined that Cole was removable as an aggravated felon and therefore ineligible for asylum and withholding of removal. Cole did not contest those decisions before the BIA. At his immigration hearing, Cole testified that he feared he would be tortured or killed if he were returned to Honduras. He asserted that gangs, police, death squads, or even his neighbors may torture or kill him because of his race, gang tattoos, former gang membership, demeanor or accent, and that the torture and killing would be done with the acquiescence of the government. [2] Cole's sister and mother also testified that they feared he would be tortured or killed if returned to Honduras on the basis of his race and tattoos. In addition, Cole claimed that he would be intentionally denied medical care by public health officials and that this denial of health care would constitute torture.