ALFARO MENJIVAR v. BARR (2020)

MEMORANDUM **

Douglas Alexis Alfaro-Menjivar, a native and citizen of El Salvador, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge's decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We deny the petition for review.

In his opening brief, Alfaro-Menjivar does not challenge the agency's dispositive bases for denying his claims for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under CAT. See Lopez-Vasquez v. Holder, 706 F.3d 1072, 1079-80 (9th Cir. 2013) (issues not specifically raised and argued in a party's opening brief are waived). Thus, we deny the petition for review as to his asylum, withholding of removal, and CAT claims.

We do not address Alfaro-Menjivar's contentions as to the cognizability of his proposed social group of “family members of police threatened with harm by organized gangs” because the BIA did not reach that issue. See Santiago-Rodriguez v. Holder, 657 F.3d 820, 829 (9th Cir. 2011) (review limited to the grounds relied on by the BIA).

As stated in the court's June 24, 2016 order, the temporary stay of removal remains in place until issuance of the mandate.

PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED.