Kumar

MEMORANDUM

Vikas Kumar (“Kumar”) appeals the decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) affirming an Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) denial of his claims for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture. Specifically, Kumar claims that the BIA erred in affirming both the IJ’s adverse credibility determination and the IJ’s finding that, regardless of credibility, he did not have a well-founded fear of future persecution. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 , and we deny Kumar’s petition in its entirety.

This Court reviews credibility determinations and denials of asylum for substantial evidence. Li v. Ashcroft, 378 F.3d 959, 962 (9th Cir.2004) (citing Baballah v. Ashcroft, 335 F.3d 981, 987 (9th Cir.2003)). A credibility determination “must be supported by a specific, cogent reason,” and it will be “upheld so long as identified inconsistencies go to the heart of the asylum claim.” Id. (internal quotations omitted).

Here, the BIA pointed to substantial evidence in the record regarding Kumar’s “failure to establish his identity; inconsistencies in the documents he submitted; inconsistent statements about the documents and his…