Victor Calles v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Victor Manuel Calles, 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 asylum, 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, Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006), and we review de novo claims of due process violations, Colmenar v. INS, 210 F.3d 967, 971 (9th Cir.2000). We deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s conclusion that Calles failed to establish past persecution or a fear of future persecution on account of a protected ground. See Ochave v. INS, 254 F.3d 859, 865 (9th Cir.2001) (“Asylum generally is not available to victims of civil strife, unless they are singled out on account of a protected ground.”); 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 [petitioner].”). Accordingly, in the absence of a nexus to a…