Calixto Segura-Mendoza v. Loretta E. Lynch

MEMORANDUM

Calixto Segura-Mendoza, a native and citizen of El Salvador, 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”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence factual findings. Zetino v. Holder, 622 F.3d 1007, 1012 (9th Cir.2010). We deny the petition for review.

Segura-Mendoza has not challenged the agency’s dispositive determination that his asylum claim is time-barred. See Martinez-Serrano v. INS, 94 F.3d 1256, 1259-60 (9th Cir.1996) (issues which are not specifically raised and argued in a party’s opening brief are waived). Thus, we deny the petition as to Segura-Mendoza’s asylum claim.

Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s finding that Segura-Mendoza’s experiences with FMLN members and gang members in El Salvador did not rise to the level of past persecution. See Lim v. INS, 224 F.3d 929, 936 (9th Cir.2000) (record did not compel finding threats against petitioner, including death threats, constituted past persecution). Substantial…