Opinion ID: 724042
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Fear of Punishment for Illegal Departure

Text: 14 Petitioner fears that, as punishment for his illegal departure, he will face extended detention, exorbitant fines and torture at the hands of the local authorities. He argues that he will receive this punishment because his leaving China illegally will be equated with the expression of an anti-China political opinion. See Singh, 69 F.3d at 379 (recognizing the theory of imputed political opinion). He bases these fears on what has happened to a cousin and an acquaintance who were deported to China. 15 Criminal prosecution for illegal departure is generally not considered to be persecution. See, e.g., Abedini v. U.S.I.N.S., 971 F.2d 188, 191 (9th Cir.1992)(punishment for using a false passport does not amount to persecution. The general rule is a country's restriction of travel abroad is not persecution); Matter of Sibrun, 18 I & N Dec. 354, 359 (BIA 1983)(possibility that the applicant may be subjected to criminal prosecution and perhaps severe punishment as a result of his illegal departure from Haiti does not demonstrate a likelihood of persecution under the Act.). The exception to this general rule applies where a petitioner can show that he will be subject to a disproportionately severe punishment on account of one of the five enumerated grounds. Abedini, 971 F.2d at 191. For example, Petitioner must establish that the exit control laws as applied to him were especially unconscionable or were merely a pretext to persecute him for his beliefs or characteristics. Id. 16 Petitioner's anecdotes of severe punishment and torture for illegal departure were rebutted by the report provided by the Department of State Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. The report, which documented the findings of a U.S. government delegation, stated that most people returned to the Fujian province in 1993 were released within three weeks of arrival after paying a fine. Most significantly, the report stated that for 118 illegal migrants who were repatriated from the United States to the Fujian province, there was no evidence of any pattern of harassment or criminal imprisonment (other than detention for initial screening and a fine). The report stated that, in addition to fines, the criminal code provides for up to one year of imprisonment for violating the exit control laws, but there were no reports of repeat illegal emigrants being sentenced to criminal imprisonment. 1 17 Petitioner has not demonstrated that the punishment for illegal departure would be a pretext to persecute him for his political opinion. From the record, it appears that any punishment that awaits Petitioner upon his return to China would be the same punishment that awaits other illegal emigrants. To accept Petitioner's argument on this point would effectively open our borders to unlimited immigration.