Opinion ID: 4572660
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Zhakira's Motion to Reconsider

Text: Acquiescing to the agency's determination that he had presented a social-group claim, Zhakira argued in his motion to reconsider that the BIA had clearly erred in finding that his proposed group was not cognizable under the INA. He noted the clear misstatement concerning females who lack male support and disputed the BIA's characterization of his social group as limited to westernized males with or without U.S.-citizen children. Rather, he argued, his application and testimony established that he fears persecution on account of being a westernized/Americanized Christian who supports the international campaign against the Al Shabaab terrorists. He asserted that [t]he record . . . is replete with examples of Al-Shabaab targeting for attack those associated with Western education, with Christianity, with being unable to recite Koranic verses, with - 8 - believing in the UN mission in Somalia against Al-Shabaab in which Kenya plays a vital role. Zhakira also challenged the agency's rejection of his evidence showing that Al-Shabaab was engaging in a pattern or practice of persecuting Christians, its finding that he fears generalized violence rather than targeted harm, and its determination that he failed to show that the Kenyan government is unwilling or unable to protect him from Al-Shabaab. On the latter point, he noted that, despite international efforts to stop AlShabaab, the group has been able to increase its attacks against non-Muslim and western targets in Kenya. Finally, Zhakira argued that the BIA clearly erred in stating that he had insufficiently developed a claim based on his political opinion.