Johnny Gonzales v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Petitioner Johnny Gonzales petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) denial of relief from removal. Reviewing for substantial evidence, Zhiqiang Hu v. Holder, 652 F.3d 1011, 1016 (9th Cir.2011), we deny the petition.

1. Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s finding that Petitioner failed to show that he suffered past persecution on account of a protected ground under 8 U.S.C. § 1158 (b)(1). The record does not compel the conclusion that Petitioner suffered harm rising to the level of persecution on account of his religion during the one incident in which Petitioner hid under the bed. Even assuming that Petitioner fell within a purported social group of “sexually exploited, abandoned Guatemalan children,” see generally Santos-Lemus v. Mukasey, 542 F.3d 738, 745-46 (9th Cir.2008), the record does not compel the conclusion that his attackers attacked him because of his membership in that group.

2. Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s finding that Petitioner failed to show that he has a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of a protected ground under 8 U.S.C. § 1158 (b)(1). We have previously rejected, as bearing no nexus to a…