Opinion ID: 3033597
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Proceedings Before the IJ and Board

Text: The IJ found that Bhasin had established a well-founded fear of persecution,1 but denied eligibility for asylum and withholding because the persecution was not “on account of” one of the five enumerated grounds. Specifically, the IJ stated, “Here, respondent may have a well-founded fear of harm, but that harm stems from retribution threatened by the JKLF because of the actions taken by her son, Yogesh Kumar, in the arrest of JKLF leadership.” The IJ specifically rejected Bhasin’s claims that she had been persecuted on account of an imputed political opinion and on account of her membership in a particular social group, namely her family. The Board affirmed. First, the Board did not specifically address whether Bhasin had established past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution, but obliquely stated, “Even accepting the truth of the testimony, the Immigration Judge was correct in holding that the respondent failed to prove persecution on account of” either protected ground. Specifically, the Board rejected Bhasin’s claim that she had been persecuted on account of imputed political opinion because the “actions of the militants reflect a vendetta against the respondent’s eldest son and not a belief that the respondent held certain political opinions.” Similarly, the Board concluded that Bhasin had failed to establish persecution on account of membership in her family social group because the “respondent was victimized because the JKLF wanted to locate her son, and perhaps as a means of retribution against 1 The IJ’s oral decision is slightly equivocal on whether he was making a finding based on past persecution or on a well-founded fear of future persecution. The IJ found that, “Here, respondent may have a wellfounded fear of harm, but . . . .” In addition, the hearing transcript clearly indicates that the IJ believed that Bhasin had a well-founded fear of persecution, in which he stated, “such persons may have a well-founded fear of harm, which I believe she does, but . . .” , and “Now I do believe that you have a legitimate fear from harm . . . .” BHASIN v. GONZALES 12045 the son, but not on account of membership in a particular social group.” The Board then made the following finding: Moreover, other close members of the respondent’s family are living in India without difficulty. The JKLF has not persecuted the respondent’s brother, two daughters, or one daughter-in-law, the wife of her missing eldest son. It is later-discovered evidence presented in the motion to reopen that rebuts this critical finding. Finally, the Board concluded that Bhasin was not eligible for asylum and withholding because Bhasin “has not established that her alleged persecution is countrywide.”