Soriano

DISCUSSION

To be eligible for asylum, an alien must show that he is unwilling or unable to return to his country of origin “because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a partic- ular social group, or political opinion.” 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42)(A). Petitioner argues that he fears future perse- cution on account of his “political opinion” and membership in a “particular social group.” He argues that his opposition 8016 SORIANO v. HOLDER to organized crime constitutes a political opinion and that, as someone who gave information to the police, “he is forever- more a member of a social group of ‘government infor- mants.’ ” We will consider each theory in turn.

A. Political Opinion

[1] To show that he was persecuted on account of a politi- cal opinion, Petitioner must satisfy two requirements. First, he must show that he held (or his persecutors believed that he held) a political opinion. Ernesto Navas v. INS, 217 F.3d 646, 656 (9th Cir. 2000). Second, he must show that his persecu- tors persecuted him (or that he faces the prospect of such per- secution) because of his political…