Gomes
Gomes v. Ashcroft
Opinion
Lead Opinion
MEMORANDUM ***
Collins Gomes, a native and citizen of Bangladesh and a Roman Catholic, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals streamlined affirmance of the Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) denial of his application for political asylum and withholding of deportation. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1105a(a). See Kalaw v. INS, 133 F.3d 1147, 1150 (9th Cir.1997). We review the IJ’s decision for substantial evidence, Singh-Kaur v. INS, 183 F.3d 1147, 1149-50 (9th Cir.1999), and we will uphold the decision unless the record compels a contrary conclusion, INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478 , 481 n. 1, 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992). We deny the petition.
Contrary to Gomes’s contentions, the evidence does not compel the conclusion that he suffered past persecution on account of his religion and political opinion. See Pra *585 sad v. INS, 47 F.3d 336, 339-40 (9th Cir. 1995) (upholding finding of no persecution although petitioner was hit, kicked and questioned). Moreover, Gomes’s alleged fear of potential conflict between the Muslims and Christians did not demonstrate a well-founded fear of future persecution. See Singh v. INS, 134 F.3d 962, 967 (9th…