Tigran Hovhannisyan v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Tigran Hovhannisyan, a native and citizen of Armenia, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) April 29, 2011 order reaffirming its July 22, 2004 order dismissing Hovhannisyan’s appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for asylum and withholding of removal. Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s decision that a petitioner has not established eligibility for asylum or withholding of removal. Hu v. Holder, 652 F.3d 1011, 1016 (9th Cir.2011). We deny in part and dismiss in part the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s finding that Hovhannisyan failed to establish the harm he suffered or fears is on account of a protected ground. See INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478 , 481 n. 1, 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992) (noting that, to reverse a BIA decision under the substantial evidence standard of review, “we must find that the evidence not only supports ... but compels ” a contrary conclusion) (emphasis in original). Contrary to his contention, the evidence does not compel the conclusion that Hovhannisyan’s actions “were directed toward…