Kuljinder Singh v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Kuljinder Singh (“Singh”), a native and citizen of India, petitions for review of a final order of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) affirming the denial of his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). Singh maintains that he faced persecution from police in Punjab, India due to his religion and political opinion, and that he has a well-founded fear of future persecution if he is removed to India. We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 (a). We deny the petition.

I

Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s determination that, while Singh established past persecution, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) rebutted the presumption of a well-founded fear of future persecution by demonstrating that Singh could safely relocate within India and that it would be reasonable to require him to do so. The DHS presented evidence indicating that the human-rights status of Sikhs in India, and particularly in Punjab, had greatly improved. Further, the DHS provided documentation stating “that there is ‘no reason to believe that someone who has or has had problems in Punjab would not be able to reside…