Court Opinion

ID: 4471951
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2020-01-13 21:00:24.114985+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:08:02.018915
License: Public Domain

NOT FOR PUBLICATION                        FILED
                    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS                        JAN 13 2020
                                                                      MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
                                                                       U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
                              FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

SANTOS ALVARADO-FIGUEROA, AKA                   No.    15-70587
Santos Alvarado Figueroa,
                                                Agency No. A205-054-425
                Petitioner,

 v.                                             MEMORANDUM*

WILLIAM P. BARR, Attorney General,

                Respondent.

                     On Petition for Review of an Order of the
                         Board of Immigration Appeals

                              Submitted January 8, 2020**

Before:      CALLAHAN, NGUYEN, and HURWITZ, Circuit Judges.

      Santos Alvarado-Figueroa, a native and citizen of Guatemala, petitions for

review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing his appeal

from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for asylum,

withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”).

      *
             This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
      **
             The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review for substantial

evidence the agency’s factual findings. Garcia-Milian v. Holder, 755 F.3d 1026,

1031 (9th Cir. 2014). We deny in part and dismiss in part the petition for review.

      In his opening brief, Alvarado-Figueroa fails to challenge the agency’s

dispositive bases for denying his asylum and withholding of removal claims. See

Lopez-Vasquez v. Holder, 706 F.3d 1072, 1079-80 (9th Cir. 2013) (issues not

specifically raised and argued in a party’s opening brief are waived).

      Substantial evidence supports the agency’s denial of CAT relief because

Alvarado-Figueroa failed to show that it is more likely than not he would be

tortured by or with the consent or acquiescence of the government if returned to

Guatemala. See Aden v. Holder, 589 F.3d 1040, 1047 (9th Cir. 2009).

      We lack jurisdiction to consider Alvarado-Figueroa’s contentions as to

proposed social groups and political opinion that he raises for the first time in his

opening brief. See Barron v. Ashcroft, 358 F.3d 674, 677-78 (9th Cir. 2004) (court

lacks jurisdiction to review claims not presented to the agency).

      We also lack jurisdiction to consider the denial of Alvarado-Figueroa’s

request for prosecutorial discretion. See Vilchiz-Soto v. Holder, 688 F.3d 642, 644

(9th Cir. 2012) (order).

      PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED in part; DISMISSED in part.

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