Jose Grijalva-Flores v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Jose Luis Grijalva-Flores, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ 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 the agency’s factual findings. Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006). We deny the petition for review.

Grijalva-Flores does not raise any challenge to the agency’s dispositive finding that he withdrew his asylum application, or make any arguments regarding CAT relief. See Martinez-Serrano v. INS, 94 F.3d 1256, 1259-60 (9th Cir.1996) (issues not specifically raised and argued in a party’s opening brief are waived). Thus, we deny the petition as to Grijalva-Flores’s asylum and CAT claims.

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s finding that Grijalva-Flores’s experi ence didi not rise to the level of persecution. See Nahrvani v. Gonzales, 399 F.3d 1148, 1153-54 (9th Cir.2005) (record did not compel finding of past persecution). Further, contrary to Grijalva-Flores’s…