Opinion ID: 3151683
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: song’s claims

Text: Here, substantial evidence supports the BIA’s determination that Song failed to demonstrate eligibility for withholding of removal or CAT relief. First, the record does not compel the conclusion that Song suffered past harm rising to the level of persecution because he was only briefly detained, not physically threatened or harmed, and released on bail with limited conditions—reporting weekly to the security bureau and attending his trial. This treatment does not rise 9 Case: 14-14744 Date Filed: 11/03/2015 Page: 10 of 11 to the level of persecution. See, e.g., Kazemzadeh, 577 F.3d at 1353; Djonda, 514 F.3d at 1171, 1174; Zheng, 451 F.3d at 1290-91.4 Because Song did not establish past persecution, the BIA did not err in failing to afford him a presumption of future persecution. See Sanchez, 392 F.3d at 437. Moreover, there is nothing in the record to suggest that it is more likely than not that Song would be subject to persecution if returned to China. Indeed, Song’s past treatment by the police suggests at most that he would be subjected to harassment, which is not sufficient to establish persecution. See Rodriguez, 735 F.3d at 1308. Song asserted that he learned from his family that his co-organizers in the teachers’ strike were sentenced to prison terms for their activities; however, he did not explain the nature of the charges or sentences or offer proof to corroborate his claim. Additionally, Song provided no evidence, beyond his own statements, to demonstrate that the police continued to visit his family or intended to apprehend him. In fact, as both the IJ and the BIA noted, Song did not obtain any documents or letters from his family or others supporting his claim about his family in China. Notably, Song’s alleged activities did not prevent him from obtaining necessary travel documents to leave China in 2004 or from renewing his Chinese passport in 4 While Kazemzadeh, Djonda and Zheng involved petitioners seeking asylum for past persecution, where a petitioner is unable to meet his burden to prove his eligibility for asylum, he necessarily cannot satisfy the more stringent standard required for withholding of removal. See Al Najjar v. Ashcroft, 257 F.3d 1262, 1292-93 (11th Cir. 2001). 10 Case: 14-14744 Date Filed: 11/03/2015 Page: 11 of 11 2009. Further, Song identifies no evidence, aside from general statements in the Country Report related to conditions of detention, to establish that any sentence or detention for his purported political activities would rise to the level of persecution. Under the circumstances, we cannot say the record compels a conclusion that there is a “clear probability” that Song will be singled out for persecution if he is returned to China. Finally, substantial evidence supports the BIA’s determination that Song was not entitled to CAT relief. Song presented no specific evidence of past torture, nor did he testify about any specific threats or fears related to future torture by the Chinese government. For all these reasons, we deny Song’s petition for review of the denial of his claims for withholding of removal and CAT relief. PETITION DENIED. 11