United States First Circuit

Petition for review of a denial of applications for asylum is denied where: 1) forced conscription into a rebel group would not constitute "persecution" for asylum purposes absent evidence that the group targeted petitioners as a means to punish them for their political beliefs; 2) the petitioners did not suffer severe or regular harm; and 3) the agency's determination that petitioners failed to establish an objectively reasonable fear of future persecution based on their political opinions was sufficiently supported by substantial record evidence.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/08/2008
• Published 01/08/2008

Judges

• CYR, Senior Circuit Judge., Before LIPEZ, Circuit Judge, CYR, Senior Circuit Judge, and HOWARD, Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Desmond P. FitzGerald, with whom FitzGerald & Company, LLC, was on brief for petitioner.


• For Appellees:
  
• Peter D. Keisler, Acting Attorney General, Cindy S. Ferrier, Senior Litigation Counsel, and Rebecca A. Niburg, Trial Attorney, on brief for respondent.