Court Opinion

ID: 9476787
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 06:05:34.065389+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:45:30.719217
License: Public Domain

WIGGINS, Circuit Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I agree with the majority that Blanco-Comarribas is not entitled to withholding of deportation. I dissent from that part of the majority opinion finding Blanco-Comarribas had a well-founded fear of persecution. Were I reviewing the evidence de novo, I might well agree. But we “must apply a deferential standard of substantial evidence to the BIA’s conclusions based *1044upon the evidence in the record. Consequently, ‘we may not reverse the BIA simply because we disagree with its evaluation of the facts, but only if we conclude that the BIA’s evaluation is not supported by substantial evidence.’ ” Sanckez-Trujillo v. INS, 801 F.2d 1571, 1579 (9th Cir.1986) (quoting Diaz-Escobar v. INS, 782 F.2d 1488, 1493 (9th Cir.1986)). Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s conclusion that Blanco-Comarribas failed to show a reasonable possibility “that potential persecution would be directed at him as an individual, and that it would be politically motivated.” Rebollo-Jovel v. INS, 794 F.2d 441, 448 (9th Cir.1986) (citations omitted).
Blanco-Comarribas points to his father’s probable death at the hands of the Government as a specific reason for his fear of persecution. Blanco-Comarribas had no hostile contact with the government in the year and one-half following his father’s arrest, aside from his own arrest as a demonstrator, an event unrelated to his father’s death. The immigration judge found no evidence that Blanco-Comarribas himself, or any member of his immediate family, was singled out for retaliation because of his father’s political stand. Blanco-Comarribas also testified that his arrest for participating in a Nicaraguan Christian Youth demonstration was a basis for a reasonable fear of persecution. The immigration judge found that neither Blanco-Comarribas’ arrest nor his affiliation with the youth group provided an objective basis for his fear of persecution on his return to Nicaragua. He was released after only three days and no further proceedings were instituted against him. He continued to demonstrate with the group and failed to show he was singled out for specific persecution. Finally, while Blanco-Comarribas fears returning to Nicaragua in part because of the possibility of military recruitment, the threat of compulsory military service is not persecution. Kaveh-Haghigy v. INS, 783 F.2d 1321, 1323 (9th Cir.1986).
In light of the paucity of evidence that Blanco-Comarribas was singled out for retaliation because of his father’s views or as a member of the youth group, I would find the BIA had substantial evidence to support its conclusion that Blanco-Comarribas lacked a reasonable fear of persecution. I would therefore deny the petition for review of the BIA’s decision.