Ambachew
Ambachew v. Ashcroft
Opinion
Lead Opinion
MEMORANDUM **
Shegaw Ambachew, a native and citizen of Ethiopia, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) summary affirmance of an immigration judge’s (“IJ”) denial of his application for asylum and withholding of removal and the *319 BIA’s order denying his motion to reopen and remand to apply for relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review a denial of asylum and withholding of removal for substantial evidence, Chebchoub v. INS, 257 F.3d 1038, 1042 (9th Cir.2001). We deny the petition for review.
Substantial evidence supports the IJ’s adverse credibility finding because Ambachew’s inconsistent testimony about whether or not he ceased all political activities after his second arrest by the Ethiopian police went to the heart of his asylum and withholding claims. See id. at 1043 .
Ambachew waived all contentions pertaining to the denial of his motion to reopen because he failed to challenge the BIA’s denial in his petition for review. See Martinez-Serrano v. INS, 94 F.3d 1256, 1259 (9th Cir.1996) (“Issues raised in a brief that are not supported by argument are deemed abandoned.”).