Opinion ID: 3057986
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 2003 to 2006 Removal Proceedings Before IJ

Text: In September 2002, Morales, a citizen of Colombia, entered the United States as a non-immigrant visitor with authorization to remain until October 27, 2002. Morales overstayed his visa. In September 2003, Morales filed an application for asylum, withholding of removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). Morales’s application alleged past persecution and a well-founded fear of future persecution by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (“FARC”) based on his political opinion. Specifically, Morales claimed that, because of his involvement with the Liberal Party and his social activism, FARC members had threatened him; shot at his car, wounding him in the leg; and then tracked him down in another town and 1 We review the denial of a motion to reopen for an abuse of discretion. Jiang v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 568 F.3d 1252, 1256 (11th Cir. 2009). Under this standard, our review is “limited to determining whether there has been an exercise of administrative discretion and whether the matter of exercise has been arbitrary or capricious.” Abdi v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 430 F.3d 1148, 1149 (11th Cir. 2005)(quotation marks omitted). 2 sent him a “condolence” note threatening to kill him. In December 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) issued a Notice to Appear (“NTA”), charging Morales with removability, pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) § 237(a)(1)(B), 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(1)(B). Morales admitted the allegations in the NTA and conceded removability. After a 2006 merits hearing on Morales’s application for asylum, withholding or removal and CAT relief, the IJ denied all requested relief.