Armen Soghbatyan v. Loretta E. Lynch

MEMORANDUM

Pasang Tsering Lama, a native and citizen of Nepal, 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 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, applying the standards governing adverse credibility determinations created by the REAL ID Act. Shrestha v. Holder, 590 F.3d 1034, 1039-40 (9th Cir.2010). We deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s adverse credibility finding based on Lama’s admitted misrepresentations on prior visa applications and based on the discrepancy between his declaration and his asylum office interview regarding the first ransom note. See id. at 1048 (adverse credibility finding reasonable under totality of circumstances); Singh v. Holder, 643 F.3d 1178, 1180-81 (9th Cir.2011) (lies to immigration authorities supported adverse credibility determination). The agency was not compelled to accept Lama’s explanations for the discrepancy regarding the ransom…