Opinion ID: 857825
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Substantial Evidence Supported the BIA’s

Text: Finding that Blandino Failed to Establish a Clear Probability of Torture We affirm the BIA’s denial of withholding of removal under the CAT because Blandino has not established a clear probability that he would be tortured if he returned to Nicaragua. This court reviews “for substantial evidence the factual findings underlying the . . . BIA’s determination that [the applicant] was not eligible for deferral of removal under the CAT.” Arbid v. Holder, 674 F.3d 1138, 1143 (9th Cir. 2012). Under this standard, “administrative findings of fact are conclusive unless any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the contrary.” 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b)(4)(B). In its initial decision to grant Blandino relief under CAT, the IJ specifically identified the past persecution of Blandino’s family as grounds for granting relief. On appeal, the BIA found that the record as a whole provided insufficient evidence to establish that it was “more likely than not” that Blandino would be tortured by the Nicaraguan government, and noted that rather than presenting hard evidence of a probability that he would be tortured, Blandino merely presented a series of worst-case scenarios. Furthermore, he had not presented evidence that similarly-situated individuals are being tortured by Nicaraguan officials. Given the deference this court must afford to the BIA’s findings of fact, we affirm its decision to deny CAT relief to Blandino.