Arbid

Khalil-Salim Arbid (“Arbid”), a native and citizen of Lebanon, petitions for review of a decision from the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”). The BIA upheld the immigration judge’s (“IJ”) determination that Arbid had committed a particularly serious crime, rendering him ineligible for asylum or withholding of removal. The BIA also affirmed the IJ’s finding that conditions had changed in Lebanon such that it was no longer more likely than not that Arbid would be tortured upon his return. Arbid argues that his mail fraud conviction was not a particularly serious crime and that it is still more likely than not that he will be tortured upon his return to Lebanon. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 (a)(1), and we deny the petition.

I

After suffering torture at the hands of Syrian intelligence agents in Lebanon in the late 1990s, Arbid fled to the West. He traveled to Mexico in 2000 and soon entered the United States at the Port of Entry at Douglas, Arizona, falsely claiming to be an American citizen.

Three months after his illegal entry, Ar-bid was served with a Notice to Appear before an IJ. Arbid admitted that he had lied about his citizenship to gain…