Edwin Ramirez v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Edwin Rocael Tercero Ramirez (Ramirez), a native and citizen of Guatemala, petitions for review of a decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) affirming the Immigration Judge’s denial of his applications for asylum and withholding of removal. The BIA concluded that Ramirez failed to establish an objectively reasonable fear of future persecution on account of a protected ground. Because the parties are familiar with the facts and procedural history of this case, we repeat only those facts necessary to resolve the issues raised on appeal. We deny the petition for review.

Even assuming “family, members of journalists” qualifies as a particular social group, substantial evidence supports the BIA’s conclusion that Ramirez failed to establish the requisite nexus between the persecution feared and a protected ground. See Li v. Holder, 559 F.3d 1096, 1102 (9th Cir.2009); Navas v. INS, 217 F.3d 646, 654 (9th Cir.2000). The testimony of Ramirez’s brother, Domingo Tercero (Terce-ro), and the reasonable inferences taken from it, see Ornelas-Chavez v. Gonzales, 458 F.3d 1052, 1056 (9th Cir.2006); Lopez-Alvarado v. Ashcroft, 381 F.3d 847, 851 (9th Cir.2004), do not compel…