Court Opinion

ID: 9498780
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 17:27:49.938125+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:59:03.801012
License: Public Domain

LEAVY, Circuit Judge,
concurring:
I concur in Part II of the opinion. In this relatively straightforward case, the IJ determined that Miranda had “assisted in the persecution of others ... on account of their political opinion” under 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42), and was thus ineligible for asylum and withholding of removal under 8 U.S.C. §§ 1158(b) (2) (A) (i) and 1231(b)(3)(B)®. The BIA “streamlined” the case, affirming the result without an opinion. In such a case, we review the IJ’s factual determinations for substantial evidence and we review de novo the IJ’s legal conclusions. Reyes-Reyes v. Ashcroft, 384 F.3d 782, 786(9th Cir.2004). I concur in the holding that substantial evidence supports the IJ’s factual determination that Miranda persecuted others on account of their political opinion under the our interpretation of the applicable statutes.
The discussion in Part I regarding Chevron deference is irrelevant to the outcome of this case. Whether we defer or not to the IJ’s legal conclusion has no effect on the outcome for Miranda — either way, he does not prevail. We should reserve the discussion on Chevron deference to a case where the resolution of this issue is necessary to the decision.