Musa Daramy v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Musa Mohamed Daramy, a native and citizen of Sierra Leone, 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 relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings. Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006). We deny in part and dismiss in part the petition for review.

Daramy contends rebels targeted him and his family because of his ethnicity and political opinion. Substantial evidence supports the agency’s determination that Daramy failed to establish past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of a protected ground. See Sangha v. INS, 103 F.3d 1482, 1490-91 (9th Cir.1997); INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478 , 481 n. 1, 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992) (to obtain reversal, petitioner must show “the evidence not only supports that conclusion, but compels it”) (emphasis in original). In the absence of past persecution, Daramy’s humanitarian asylum claim necessarily…