Jose Guevara v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Jose Mauricio Guevara, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions pro se for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”), voluntary departure, and special-rule cancellation of removal under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (“NACARA”). Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings. Zetino v. Holder, 622 F.3d 1007, 1012 (9th Cir.2010). We deny in part and dismiss in part the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s denial of asylum because Guevara did not establish a well-founded fear of persecution on account of a protected ground in El Salvador. See Pagayon v. Holder, 675 F.3d 1182, 1191 (9th Cir.2011) (per curiam) (a personal dispute unconnected to a protected ground is not a basis for asylum); Zetino, 622 F.3d at 1016 (“An [applicant’s] desire to be free from harassment by criminals motivated by theft or random violence by gang members bears no nexus to a…