Perez Acuna v. Gonzales

MEMORANDUM **

Benilda Perez Acuna, a native and citizen of the Philippines, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) decision, affirming the Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) order denying her application for asylum and withholding of removal. We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 .

“Where ... the BIA has reviewed the IJ’s decision and incorporated portions of it as its own, we treat the incorporated parts of the IJ’s decision as the BIA’s.” Molina-Estrada v. INS, 293 F.3d 1089, 1093 (9th Cir.2002). We review for substantial evidence, see Marcos v. Gonzales, 410 F.3d 1112, 1119 (9th Cir.2005), and we deny the petition for review.

Assuming credibility, we conclude that substantial evidence supports the IJ’s finding that Acuna suffered no past persecution, because Acuna was never directly confronted by anyone from the New People’s Army (“NPA”), in conjunction with threats issued by the NPA. See id. at 1119 .

Substantial evidence also supports the IJ’s finding regarding a lack of a well-founded fear in that harm from the NPA’s recent threats is “too speculative to be credited as a basis for fear of future persecution.” See Nagoulko v. INS, 333 F.3d 1012,…