Ramos

*573 MEMORANDUM ***

Reynaldo Olivera Ramos (and derivatively his wife and three children) appeals a final order of deportation entered on April 23, 2001, by the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) upholding the decision of the Immigration Judge (“IJ”). In October 1995, in response to an Order to Show Cause issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (“INS”), Ramos conceded deportability and requested suspension of deportation, asylum, withholding of deportation, or in the alternative, voluntary departure. On March 26, 1996, after a hearing on the merits, the IJ denied the applications for suspension of deportation, asylum, and withholding of deportation, but granted the request for voluntary departure. The BIA affirmed the decision of the IJ in all respects. Ramos appeals only the denial of the application for asylum and withholding of deportation.

Ramos and his wife entered the United States in 1988 for the purpose of attending a rice millers’ conference in Colorado. Up until this time, Ramos worked as a rice miller on his aunt’s property in the Philippines. While in Colorado, Ramos telephoned his aunt who informed him members of the New People’s Army (“NPA”)—…