Hugo Ceren v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Hugo Alexander Ceren, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings, and we review de novo the agency’s legal determinations. Wakkary v. Holder, 558 F.3d 1049, 1056 (9th Cir. 2009). We deny the petition for review.

Ceren does not contend he suffered past persecution but fears he will be harmed by the descendants of guerrillas he believes killed his grandfather and uncle. Substantial evidence supports the agency’s finding that Ceren failed to establish it is more likely than not he will be harmed on account of an imputed political opinion. See Ochoa v. Gonzales, 406 F.3d 1166, 1172 (9th Cir.2005) (“[T]he record provides no evidence [that the people petitioner feared] imputed political beliefs to [the petitioner].”); see also Parussimova v. Mukasey, 555 F.3d 734, 740 (9th Cir.2009) (“[t]he Real ID Act requires that a protected ground…