United States First Circuit

Sri Lankan citizen's petitions for review of BIA orders denying him relief from removal based on his alleged persecution as an ethnic Tamil by the majority Sinhalese ethnic group, as well as a denial of his motion to reopen based on a claim that conditions in Sri Lanka had worsened for Tamils, are denied where: 1) petitioner failed to demonstrate past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution based on an enumerated ground; 2) record did not compel a conclusion that it was more likely than not that petitioner would be tortured if returned; and 3) there was no abuse of discretion in denying the motion to reopen.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/12/2009
• Published 02/12/2009

Judges

• LYNCH, Chief Judge., Before LYNCH, Chief Judge, BOUDIN and LIPEZ, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran and Law Office of V. Rudrakumaran, for petitioner.


• For Appellees:
  
• Manuel A. Palau, Trial Attorney, Office of Immigration Litigation, Gregory G. Katsas, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, and Terri J. Scadron, Assistant Director, for respondent.