Opinion ID: 78460
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Kazemzadeh's Entrance to the United States and Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal

Text: Kazemzadeh entered the United States on April 7, 2005, as a nonimmigrant visitor entitled to remain in the country until October 6, 2005. Kazemzadeh stayed in the United States longer than permitted. On March 20, 2006, Kazemzadeh applied for asylum, 8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(1), and withholding of removal, id. § 1231(b)(3), based on religion, political opinion, and membership in a particular social group, and he sought relief under the Convention Against Torture, 8 C.F.R. § 208.16(c)(2). In his application, Kazemzadeh stated that, while attending a university in Iran in August 2003, he became involved in the student group opposed to the government of Iran. He said that he helped organize and participated in several student demonstrations during this time and spoke openly about freedom of religion. Kazemzadeh stated that he was arrested and detained for several days after he participated in a large demonstration on July 10, 2004. Kazemzadeh alleged that he was interrogated, beaten, tortured, and denied access to his family and an attorney. Kazemzadeh stated that after his release he was monitored by Iranian authorities and the discipline committee of the university. Kazemzadeh alleged that in October 2004 he was summoned to appear before the committee, did not appear because he feared arrest, and stopped attending the university. Kazemzadeh alleged that he was notified in December 2004 that he had been expelled from the university. Kazemzadeh also stated that in January 2005 he traveled to Germany to apply for a United States visa. Kazemzadeh stated that he returned to Iran later that month and kept a low profile, sometimes sleep[ing] at friends' and other relatives' homes. Kazemzadeh alleged that in April 2005 he received a Subpeona [sic] to appear in Court on June 1, 2005. According to Kazemzadeh, he then decided to leave Iran for a while to see if things would get better. Kazemzadeh alleged that, after he left Iran for the second time, he was convicted of being an Agitator against the Islamic Republic of Iran and sentenced to 6 years in prison. Kazemzadeh also stated in his application that in 1987 his father was accused of being active with an anti-revolutionary group advocating against the government and against the islamic religion. His father was found guilty and was expelled from the public education system and from all government jobs for life. Kazemzadeh submitted several documents with his application: (1) an undated letter from Jose David Lopez, associate pastor at West Kendall Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, which confirmed Kazemzadeh's conversion to Christianity while in the United States; (2) a letter dated January 23, 2006, from Rob Myers, senior pastor at West Kendall, which confirmed that Kazemzadeh began visiting West Kendall in September 2005, was baptized on November 6, 2005, and remained a member in good standing after his baptism; (3) a certificate of Kazemzadeh's baptism at West Kendall on November 6, 2005; (4) two letters that summoned Kazemzadeh to appear before the discipline committee of the Iranian university, dated October 24, 2004, and November 24, 2004, respectively; (5) a letter dated December 29, 2004, from the discipline committee to Kazemzadeh, which stated that he had been expelled from the university; (6) a complaint dated January 7, 2005, filed against Kazemzadeh by the committee; (7) a letter dated April 4, 2005, from the Ministry of Justice of Iran that commanded Kazemzadeh to appear in court on June 1, 2005; (8) a default judgment dated August 14, 2005, which sentenced Kazemzadeh to six years in prison; (9) a petition signed by several resident[s] of Bagh Flahat, Restaurant Mizban Street, which confirmed Kazemzadeh's arrest on July 10, 2004, and the harassment by the authorities that followed; and (10) various forms of government-issued identification. After an asylum officer interviewed Kazemzadeh and declined to grant him asylum, the Immigration and Naturalization Service charged him with removability, 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(1)(B), and ordered him to appear at a removal hearing. Kazemzadeh appeared with counsel. Kazemzadeh admitted the allegations in the notice to appear, conceded removability, and renewed his requests for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture.