Sukhjinder Singh v. Loretta E. Lynch

MEMORANDUM

Sukhjinder Singh, a native and citizen of India, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order affirming the decision of the Immigration Judge (“IJ”) denying his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). The IJ found Singh credible and found that he was the subject of past persecution on account of his political opinion. Singh, a Sikh from the Indian state of Punjab, belongs to the Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar political party—a party that advocates the creation of a separate Sikh state. The IJ concluded, however, that the government rebutted the presumption of a well-founded fear of future persecution because Singh could safely and reasonably relocate elsewhere in India. The IJ also determined that Singh did not warrant humanitarian asylum, did not establish his eligibility for withholding of removal, and was not eligible for CAT relief. The BIA affirmed.

We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings. Jiang v. Holder, 611 F.3d 1086, 1091 (9th Cir. 2010). We review for abuse of discretion the agency’s denial of…