Elston Castillo v. Loretta E. Lynch

MEMORANDUM

Elston Thomas Castillo, a native and citizen of Belize, petitions pro'se for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for 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. Ahmed v. Keisler, 504 F.3d 1183, 1191 (9th Cir.2007). We deny the petition for review.

Castillo testified that he was beaten and interrogated by police in Belize who sought information about his and his cousin’s alleged involvement in criminal activities. Substantial evidence supports the agency’s determination that Castillo did not establish that any past or feared harm was or would be on account of a protected ground. See Parussimova v. Mukasey, 555 F.3d 734, 741 (9th Cir.2009) (protected ground must be ‘one central reason’ for persecution); see also Ayala v. Holder, 640 F.3d 1095, 1097 (9th Cir.2011) (per curiam) (even if social group is cognizable, petitioner must show persecution on account of his membership in that group); see also Dinu v. Ashcroft, 372 F.3d…