Morales-Barela

MEMORANDUM **

Francisco Morales-Barela, a native and citizen of Honduras, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s (“U”) decision 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 . We review the IJ’s findings of fact for substantial evidence, Nagoulko v. INS, 333 F.3d 1012, 1015 (9th Cir.2003), and questions of law, including claims of due process violations, de novo, Vasquez-Zavala v. Ashcroft, 324 F.3d 1105, 1107 (9th Cir.2003). We deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s determination that MoralesBarela failed to establish past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of a protected ground. The agency correctly determined that Mara Salvatrucha is not a recognized social group and that Morales-Barela’s membership in a gang is not a protected ground. See Arteaga v. Mukasey, 511 F.3d 940, 943-45 (9th Cir.2007). Furthermore, Morales-Barela did not show he was targeted by police for his disagreement ■with anti-gang laws rather than for…