Alas

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS MAR 6 2024

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

JORGE ALBERTO ALAS, No. 22-1485 Agency No. Petitioner, A029-153-560 v.

MEMORANDUM*

MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney General,

Respondent.

On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals

Submitted March 4, 2024** Pasadena, California

Before: CLIFTON, H.A. THOMAS, and DESAI, Circuit Judges.

Jorge Alberto Alas, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review

of a Board of Immigration Appeals (“Board”) decision denying his application for

asylum. We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252.

* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). Generally, we review de novo the legal question of whether a particular social

group is cognizable. Gutierrez-Alm v. Garland, 62 F.4th 1186, 1199 (9th Cir. 2023).

But “[t]he [Board]’s…