Ang

MEMORANDUM *

Lead petitioner Maria Aloysia Ang (“Ang”) and her husband Ek Kang Liem (“Liem”), Chinese Christian natives and citizens of Indonesia, petition for review of the Board of Immigration’s (“BIA”) affirmance of the Immigration Judge’s (“U”) denial of their applications for withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”).

Where it is unclear whether the BIA conducted a de novo review, as here, this court may “look to the I J’s oral decision as a guide to what lay behind the BIA’s conclusion.” Avetova-Elisseva v. INS, 213 *644 F.3d 1192, 1197 (9th Cir.2000). This court reviews questions of law de novo, see Kankamalage v. INS, 335 F.3d 858, 861-62 (9th Cir.2003), and reviews factual findings for substantial evidence, see Chebchoub v. INS, 257 F.3d 1038, 1042 (9th Cir.2001). Under the substantial evidence standard, this court reverses the IJ’s factual determinations only if “any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the contrary.” 8 U.S.C. § 1252 (b)(4)(B).

Substantial evidence supports the IJ’s conclusion that petitioners are not entitled to withholding of removal. This court does not reach the question of whether the…