Chavez-Pineda v. Gonzales
Chavez-Pineda v. Gonzales
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Walter Jesus Chavez-Pineda, Helen Marciela Murillo-Montoya, Geral Jesus
Where, as here, the BIA reviews the I J’s decision de novo, our review is limited to the BIA’s decision. See Shah v. INS, 220 F.3d 1062, 1067 (9th Cir. 2000). We review the agency’s decision for substantial evidence, see Gu v. Gonzales, 454 F.3d 1014, 1018 (9th Cir. 2006), and we deny the petition.
The BIA denied petitioners’ asylum claim, because it found that there was no nexus to a protected ground. Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s holding because the lead petitioner was not a member of a cognizable social group. See Sanchez-Trujillo v. INS, 801 F.2d 1571, 1575-77 (9th Cir. 1986).
Because petitioners failed to satisfy the lower standard of proof for asylum, they necessarily failed to satisfy the more stringent standard for withholding of removal. See Mansour v. Ashcroft, 390 F.3d 667, 673 (9th Cir. 2004).
PETITION DENIED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provid
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