Discua-Castillo

Valencia-Vasquez v. Holder

Good Law
367 F. App'x 789
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitMarch 25, 201007-74312California308 words

Opinion

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

■Veronica Natali Valencia-Vasquez, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing her appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying her 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 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 reject Valencia-Vasquez’s claim that she is eligible for asylum and withholding of removal based upon an anti-gang political opinion or based upon her membership in a particular social group. See Barrios v. Holder, 581 F.3d 849, 854-56 (9th Cir.2009); Santos-Lemus v. Mukasey, 542 F.3d 738, 745-46 (9th Cir.2008). Accordingly, because Valencia-Vasquez failed to demonstrate that she was persecuted or fears…

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