Filed: Nov. 22, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS NOV 22 2019 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT JUAN RECIMOS OSLA, No. 14-71869 Petitioner, Agency No. A072-996-271 v. MEMORANDUM* WILLIAM P. BARR, Attorney General, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Submitted November 18, 2019** Before: CANBY, TASHIMA, and CHRISTEN, Circuit Judges. Juan Recimos Osla, a native and citizen of Guatemala, petitions for review of th
Summary: NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS NOV 22 2019 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT JUAN RECIMOS OSLA, No. 14-71869 Petitioner, Agency No. A072-996-271 v. MEMORANDUM* WILLIAM P. BARR, Attorney General, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Submitted November 18, 2019** Before: CANBY, TASHIMA, and CHRISTEN, Circuit Judges. Juan Recimos Osla, a native and citizen of Guatemala, petitions for review of the..
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NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS NOV 22 2019
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
JUAN RECIMOS OSLA, No. 14-71869
Petitioner, Agency No. A072-996-271
v.
MEMORANDUM*
WILLIAM P. BARR, Attorney General,
Respondent.
On Petition for Review of an Order of the
Board of Immigration Appeals
Submitted November 18, 2019**
Before: CANBY, TASHIMA, and CHRISTEN, Circuit Judges.
Juan Recimos Osla, 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 withholding of removal
and relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction
under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review de novo questions of law, Cerezo v. Mukasey,
*
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).
512 F.3d 1163, 1166 (9th Cir. 2008), except to the extent that deference is owed to
the BIA’s interpretation of the governing statutes and regulations, Simeonov v.
Ashcroft,
371 F.3d 532, 535 (9th Cir. 2004). We review for substantial evidence
the agency’s factual findings. Silaya v. Mukasey,
524 F.3d 1066, 1070 (9th Cir.
2008). We deny in part and grant in part the petition for review, and we remand.
The agency did not err in finding that Recimos Osla failed to establish
membership in a cognizable social group. See Reyes v. Lynch,
842 F.3d 1125,
1131 (9th Cir. 2016) (in order to demonstrate membership in a particular group,
“[t]he applicant must ‘establish that the group is (1) composed of members who
share a common immutable characteristic, (2) defined with particularity, and (3)
socially distinct within the society in question.’” (quoting Matter of M-E-V-G-, 26
I. & N. Dec. 227, 237 (BIA 2014))); see also Barrios v. Holder,
581 F.3d 849,
854-55 (9th Cir. 2009) (men in Guatemala resisting gang violence is not a
particular social group).
Substantial evidence supports the agency’s determination that Recimos Osla
otherwise failed to demonstrate that the harm he fears in Guatemala would be on
account of a protected ground. See Zetino v. Holder,
622 F.3d 1007, 1016 (9th Cir.
2010) (an applicant’s “desire to be free from harassment by criminals motivated by
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theft or random violence by gang members bears no nexus to a protected ground”).
Thus, Recimos Osla’s withholding of removal claim fails.
In light of this disposition, we do not reach Recimos Osla’s remaining
contentions regarding the merits of his withholding of removal claim. See
Simeonov v. Ashcroft,
371 F.3d 532, 538 (9th Cir. 2004) (courts and agencies are
not required to decide issues unnecessary to the results they reach).
In denying CAT, the agency determined that Recimos Osla failed to
establish government acquiescence. Substantial evidence does not support that
finding. See 8 C.F.R. § 1208.18(a)(1), (7); see also Madrigal v. Holder,
716 F.3d
499, 509 (9th Cir. 2013) (“It is sufficient that the public official be aware that
torture of the sort feared by the applicant occurs and remain willfully blind to it.”).
Apart from this finding, it is unclear why the BIA denied Recimos Osla’s CAT
claim. See Movsisian v. Ashcroft,
395 F.3d 1095, 1098 (9th Cir. 2005) (BIA must
provide a reasoned explanation for its actions). Thus, we grant the petition for
review and remand Recimos Osla’s CAT claim to the agency for further
proceedings consistent with this disposition. See INS v. Ventura,
537 U.S. 12, 16-
18 (2002) (per curiam).
The government must bear the costs for this petition for review.
3 14-71869
PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED in part; GRANTED in part;
REMANDED.
4 14-71869