Panda

facts that the assailants explicitly sought out Panda, assaulted his wife, and put his

child in a confined space until his wife revealed Panda’s location.

2. In addition, the agency either failed to adequately consider key features of

Panda’s claim of political persecution, or else misstated the record in ways that

materially understated Panda’s account of persecution.

a. Regarding the circumstances of Panda’s release from custody after he was

arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with an anti-government political event,

the IJ noted in summarizing Panda’s testimony that Panda was released because “[i]t

turns out [Panda’s] wife was a hairstylist and the police chief’s wife was a customer

of hers. His wife reached out to her for help in getting [Panda] released from jail.

[Panda’s] pastor was involved, and they were able to organize an ‘intervention’ to

get [Panda] released.” In finding no past persecution, the IJ focused on the fact that

“[t]he police made no death threats, and they asked him where he would like to be

24-6795 dropped off after his release. [Panda] instructed the police to take him to his pastor’s

house which…