Masood Shirazi-Parsa Georgina Shirazi-Parsa v. Immigration & Naturalization Service

Petitioner, Masood Shirazi-Parsa, and his wife, Georgina Shirazi-Parsa, petition this court for review of a final order of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA” or “Board”) that denied their request for asylum pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1158 (a) but granted them voluntary departure under 8 U.S.C. § 1254 (e). We reverse the decision of the Board and remand for further proceedings.

1. Factual and Procedural Background

Masood Shirazi-Parsa is a native and citizen of Iran. His wife, Georgina, is a native and citizen of Mexico. They met while students in the United States, and, in 1982, moved to Iran and married. Georgina Shira-zi-Parsa made three trips to the United States during the course of their marriage. The first, in 1988, was to give birth to their daughter; the second occurred in 1985 when her husband was drafted into the Iranian army. The third and final trip, Petitioner contends, was occasioned by a series of events that occurred about August 1988. The couple was invited to dinner at an army officer’s home. During.the course of the evening, Georgina became very upset when the officer’s wife made insulting remarks about Georgina’s Mormon religion. Petitioner and his wife…