Samuel Aguilar-Ortiz v. Eric H. Holder Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Samuel Aguilar-Ortiz, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence, Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006), and we deny the petition for review

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s finding that the threats and shootings Aguilar-Ortiz suffered while serving in the military and civilian police force were on account of his ongoing service and not on account of a protected ground. See Cruz-Navarro v. INS, 232 F.3d 1024, 1029-30 (9th Cir.2000) (persecution occurring because a person is a current member of a police force or the military is not on account of a protected ground). Substantial evidence also supports the agency’s finding that Aguilar-Ortiz did not establish a well-founded fear of future persecution based on his former military or police service because Aguilar-Ortiz lived in El Salvador without incident for over 15…