Denis Amaya-Flores v. Eric H. Holder Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Rodolfo Mendoza-Mendoza, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order affirming an immigration judge’s deci sion denying his application for asylum and withholding of removal. Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review de novo questions of law, Cerezo v. Mukasey, 512 F.3d 1163, 1166 (9th Cir. 2008), except to the extent that deference is owed to the BIA’s determination of the governing statutes and regulations, Simeonov v. Ashcroft, 371 F.3d 532, 535 (9th Cir.2004). We review factual findings for substantial evidence. Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006). We deny the petition for review.

We lack jurisdiction to consider Mendoza-Mendoza’s imputed political opinion and family as a social group claims because he did not exhaust them before the agency. See Barron v. Ashcroft, 358 F.3d 674, 677-78 (9th Cir.2004).

We reject Mendoza-Mendoza’s claim that he is eligible for asylum and withholding of removal based on his membership in a particular social group, namely, young El Salvadorean males opposed to gangs. See Barrios v. Holder, 581 F.3d 849, 854-56 (9th Cir.2009) (rejecting…