Ani

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

DANIEL TOCHUKWU ANI, No. 24-2339 Agency No. Petitioner,

A096-819-136

v.

OPINION

PAMELA BONDI, Attorney General,

Respondent.

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

Argued and Submitted May 16, 2025 San Francisco, California

Filed October 16, 2025

Before: Milan D. Smith, Jr. and Daniel A. Bress, Circuit Judges, and Brian M. Morris, Chief District Judge. *

Opinion by Judge Bress

* The Honorable Brian M. Morris, United States Chief District Judge for the District of Montana, sitting by designation. SUMMARY **

Immigration

The panel denied Daniel Ani’s petition for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ decision denying asylum and related relief on adverse credibility grounds. The panel considered the interaction of Alam v. Garland, 11 F.4th 1133 (9th Cir. 2021) (en banc), with longstanding case law permitting an immigration judge to find an asylum applicant not credible based on the applicant’s material and conscious deception of immigration authorities, even when the deception is not central to the basis for…