Opinion ID: 4529315
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: standard of review

Text: “When the [board] issues a decision, we review only that decision, except to the extent the [board] expressly adopts the [immigration judge]’s decision.” Lopez v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 504 F.3d 1341, 1344 (11th Cir. 2007). “[L]egal determinations are reviewed de novo.” Id. “However, any factual determinations are reviewed under the substantial evidence test, and we ‘must affirm the . . . decision if it is supported by reasonable, substantial, and probative evidence on the record 7 Case: 19-12325 Date Filed: 04/28/2020 Page: 8 of 15 considered as a whole.’” Id. (citation omitted). “That means a finding of fact will be reversed ‘only when the record compels a reversal; the mere fact that the record may support a contrary conclusion is not enough to justify a reversal.’” Id. (citation omitted). Issues not reached by the board are not properly before us. See id. (refusing to address contention that the immigration judge erred in finding lack of past persecution “because the [immigration judge]’s finding was not adopted by the [board] in its decision and therefore [did] not form any part of the order . . . under review”).