Opinion ID: 36012
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether the IJ erred by improperly considering

Text: the safety of Petitioners’ family members in Indonesia. The IJ emphasized that the reasonableness of Petitioners’ fears was diminished because their family members in Indonesia had not been persecuted.11 Petitioners contend that the IJ “applied an incorrect legal standard to determine the significance of family 11 Eduard’s siblings have not been harmed as a result of either their imputed Chinese ethnicity or Christian faith. Although Pakkung’s mother is afraid to go to church because of the recent church burnings, she has not been harmed because of her Chinese ethnicity or Christianity. Pakkung’s brother, however, was beaten at an Indonesian school when he was eight years old. 17 members residing in Indonesia to the question of whether [they] have a well-founded fear of persecution there.” In Matter of A-E-M-, 21 I & N Dec. 1157, 1160 (BIA 1998), the BIA held that the reasonableness of an alien’s fear of persecution is reduced when his family remains in his native country unharmed for a long period of time after his departure. Petitioners attempt to distinguish A-E-M-, where persecutors existed in only limited areas, from cases, such as theirs, where the feared persecutors operate throughout the whole country. Such a distinction is not valid. The holding of A-E-M- is not limited to cases where the persecutor operates regionally. Id. at 1159-61. The opinion merely sets out several factors to be considered, and applies those factors to the facts of the case, which happened to involve persecutors with a mere regional influence. Id. There is no logical reason to distinguish between those cases with a regional persecutor and those cases involving a national persecutor; in fact, ongoing family safety seems to be an even stronger indicator of “unreasonable” fear when the feared persecutor has a national influence. Thus, it was not legal error for the IJ to consider the fact that Petitioners’ families remain in Indonesia unharmed.12 12 Respondent does not cite any authority establishing that the safety of family members is enough, by itself, to render a fear of persecution unreasonable. Thus, it appears that it is merely one factor which courts should consider. 18 In summary, although the IJ was not precluded from considering the safety of Petitioners’ family members in Indonesia, the IJ’s holding that Petitioners’ fear of persecution was unreasonable was nonetheless based on erroneous law. In particular, the IJ erred by requiring Petitioners to prove that they had been targeted for punishment in the past. The IJ also erred in its analysis regarding whether persecutors were required to be aware of Petitioners’ protected beliefs and characteristics. 3. Whether the IJ applied erroneous law to conclude that Petitioners could relocate within Indonesia. Although the IJ applied improper legal analyses to determine whether Petitioners’ fears of persecution were “reasonable,” such errors are harmless if Petitioners could safely relocate within Indonesia. An applicant does not have a well-founded fear of persecution if the applicant could avoid persecution by relocating to another part of the applicant’s country of nationality . . . if under all the circumstances it would be reasonable to expect the applicant to do so. 8 C.F.R. § 208.13(b)(2)(ii). The regulations direct the IJ to consider: [W]hether the applicant would face other serious harm in the place of suggested relocation; any ongoing civil strife within the country; administrative, economic, or judicial infrastructure; geographical limitations; and social and cultural constraints, such as age, gender, health, and social and family ties. Those factors may, or may not, be relevant, depending on all the circumstances of the case, and are not necessarily determinative of whether it would be reasonable for the applicant to relocate. 19 Id. § 208.13(b)(3). Because there was no showing of past persecution, Petitioners had the burden to establish that their relocation was unreasonable. Id. § 208.13(b)(3)(i) (“In cases in which the applicant has not established past persecution, the applicant shall bear the burden of establishing that it would not be reasonable for him or her to relocate, unless the persecution is by a government or is government-sponsored.”). Petitioners were required to show that relocation in Indonesia was “not reasonable.” The IJ held that “although there are differences in Indonesia with regard to the diverse populations, that [Petitioners] could, if necessary, relocate within Indonesia to avoid problems.” (Emphasis added). The IJ’s finding that Petitioners could relocate “if necessary” in no way indicates that the IJ applied the requisite standard of proof that relocation be “not reasonable.” Moreover, the tone of the IJ’s decision reveals the IJ did not analyze whether Petitioners’ relocation would be “not reasonable.” For instance, the IJ recognized many of the hardships of relocating within Indonesia. The IJ recounted Eduard’s testimony that “Indonesia has many diverse groups, and it would be difficult to relocate within Indonesia in an inconspicuous way, and always the Muslim majority would present a risk under present conditions.” The IJ also recognized that the Laskar Jihad has infiltrated the 20 Christian settlements within Indonesia.13 The IJ applied an erroneous heightened standard of proof by requiring that Petitioners establish they would be unable to relocate even “if necessary.” In conclusion, the IJ correctly held that Petitioners did not suffer past persecution. The IJ committed legal error, however, in holding that Petitioners did not have a well-founded fear of persecution. In particular, the IJ applied erroneous law in concluding that: (1) Petitioners’ fear was not based on race or religion, (2) Petitioners’ fear was unreasonable, and (3) Petitioners could relocate within Indonesia. Petitioners’ applications for withholding removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B) were summarily denied based on the IJ’s denial of their applications for asylum. Thus, the IJ’s denials of Petitioners’ applications for asylum and withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B) are reversed and remanded for a determination under the proper legal standards. II. Whether the IJ erred by failing to address Petitioners’ claims for relief under the CAT. The IJ did not address whether Petitioners’ removal may be withheld under the CAT. Respondent explains that Petitioners 13 Petitioners presented substantial evidence emphasizing the severe barriers to relocation in the Indonesian archipelago: the one million Indonesians currently displaced; the various ethnic upheavals throughout the country; and the diversity of languages and customs. 21 failed to raise sufficient claims for relief under the CAT.14 Petitioners, however, contend that their applications for asylum and withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B) constituted sufficient claims for CAT relief.15 Petitioners argue that, as a matter of law, CAT claims are raised every time an applicant files for asylum or withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B). We do not agree. A claim under the CAT is a separate claim from withholding of removal under the INA. Efe v. Ashcroft, 293 F.3d 899, 906-07 (5th Cir. 2002). Moreover, regulatory language indicates that applicants must demonstrate some specific intent to raise a claim for CAT relief. Title 8, C.F.R. § 208.18(b) states that “[a]n alien who is in exclusion, deportation, or removal proceedings on or after March 22, 1999 may apply for withholding of removal under [the CAT].” 14 It is irrelevant that Petitioners raised claims for CAT relief before the BIA. See generally Matter of Jimenez-Santillano, 21 I. & N. Dec. 567, 570 n.2 (BIA 1996) (stating that BIA need not consider an issue raised for the first time on appeal); Matter of Edwards, 20 I & N Dec. 191, 196 n.4 (BIA 1990) (same). 15 Petitioners first contend that the BIA should not have summarily affirmed the decision of the IJ as a matter of law because it contained “substantial factual and legal issues.” We do not agree with Petitioners as such review would be “unnecessary and duplicative” because courts review the actual merits of the claim when addressing the IJ’s decision. Carriche v. INS, 335 F.3d 1009, 1018 (9th Cir. 2002), amended and superseded by 350 F.3d 845 (9th Cir. 2003). That is, “[t]he decision to streamline becomes indistinguishable from the merits” of the case. Id. If the IJ’s decision is incorrect, the Board “is saddled with any errors the IJ makes and with the risk of reversal on grounds that do not reflect the BIA’s actual reasons.” Id. 22 (Emphasis added). In addition Title 8, C.F.R. § 208.16(c)(4) states: “In considering an application for withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture, the immigration judge shall first determine whether the alien is more likely than not to be tortured in the country of removal.” (Emphasis added). Thus, a claim for CAT relief is not raised, as a matter of law, by simply filing an application for asylum or withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B). Petitioners next contend that their responses to their “Application for Asylum and/or Withholding of Removal” constituted, as a matter of fact, a claim for CAT relief. Their asylum applications expressly stated that they feared being subjected to torture in Indonesia. Question 5 of the application asked: “Do you fear being subjected to torture (severe physical or mental pain or suffering, including rape or other sexual abuse) in your home country or any other country if you return?” Both Petitioners marked the box stating “Yes,” and described their fears of future torture related to their religion and ethnicity. For example, Pakkung stated on her application that “[k]illings, bloodshed, burnings, persecutions of Christians are happening all over Indonesia” and “[a] lot of bodies have been thrown in the forest and become food for wild pigs.” Eduard stated on his application that he is “afraid [he] will be beaten or killed for practicing [his] religion.” 23 Neither the regulations nor the briefs nor arguments in this case elaborate on what constitutes a sufficient claim for CAT relief. Nonetheless, applicants who file for general withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B), and express on such application their fear of torture, probably believe that they have raised a claim for CAT relief. For instance, CAT relief is described in the same Federal Regulation that outlines the withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B). See 8 C.F.R. § 208.16(c). Likewise there is no separate form that an applicant must file to claim relief under the CAT. Moreover, withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3)(B) does not require that an applicant have a fear of torture; therefore, the very existence of a question regarding torture on the application for general withholding of removal might lead an applicant to believe he has raised a claim for CAT relief. Because there is no separate and distinct procedure for seeking CAT relief, then Petitioners’ application responses, which clearly evinced their fears of torture, constitute claims for relief under the CAT. Respondent, however, argues that Petitioners did not expressly mention the CAT during their hearing before the IJ. Nonetheless, Respondent cites no authority to establish that an applicant need restate legal claims which had been previously claimed in a written application. Petitioners raised claims for withholding of removal under the 24 CAT but the claims were ignored. Therefore, we find that the CAT claims were raised before the IJ, and Respondent concedes that a remand of this issue is required if the CAT claims were raised. See INS v. Ventura, 537 U.S. 12, 16-18 (2002) (holding that the courts of appeals may not review the administrative records to consider matters that must have been determined by the agency in the first instance).