Aloyan

MEMORANDUM **

Artem Aloyan, a native and citizen of Armenia, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) decision, which summarily affirmed the Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) order denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 .

Where, as here, the BIA affirms without an opinion, we review the IJ’s decision directly. Falcon Carriche v. Ashcroft, 350 F.3d 845, 849 (9th Cir.2003). We review for substantial evidence and will not reverse unless the evidence compels a contrary result. Gormley v. Ashcroft, 364 F.3d 1172, 1176 (9th Cir.2004). We deny the petition for review.

We conclude that substantial evidence supports the IJ’s denial of asylum because Aloyan failed to establish that he was persecuted by the government or forces that the government was unwilling or unable to control. See id. at 1177 . Accordingly, Aloyan failed to establish eligibility for asylum. See id.

Because Aloyan did not establish that he was eligible for asylum, it follows that he did not satisfy the more stringent standard for withholding of removal. See Pedro-Mateo v. INS,…