Dhillon v. Holder

FILED NOT FOR PUBLICATION DEC 28 2009 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U .S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT IQBAL SINGH DHILLON, No. 07-70812 Petitioner, Agency No. A097-602-205 v. MEMORANDUM * ERIC H. HOLDER Jr., Attorney General, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Submitted December 15, 2009 ** Before: GOODWIN, WALLACE, and CLIFTON, Circuit Judges. Iqbal Singh Dhillon, a native and citizen of India, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and * This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). KAD/Research 1 protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review for substantial evidence, Husyev v. Mukasey, 528 F.3d 1172, 1177 (9th Cir. 2008), and we deny the petition. Substantial evidence supports the agency’s adverse credibility determination because Dillion testified about ongoing police visits to his home but he omitted this information, without adequate explanation, from his otherwise detailed asylum application, see Li v. Ashcroft, 378 F.3d 959, 963 (9th Cir. 2004), and his testimony was inconsistent with his documentary evidence regarding the nature of his family’s relationship with Simranjit Singh Mann, see Goel v. Gonzales, 490 F.3d 735, 739 (9th Cir. 2007) (inconsistencies between testimony and documentary evidence support an adverse credibility finding where inconsistencies go to the heart of the claim). In the absence of credible testimony, Dhillon’s asylum and withholding of removal claims fail. See Farah v. Ashcroft, 348 F.3d 1153, 1156 (9th Cir. 2003). Because Dhillon’s CAT claim is based on the testimony the agency found not credible, and Dhillon points to no other evidence to show it is more likely than not he would be tortured if returned to India, his CAT claim fails. See id. at 1156- 57. PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED. KAD/Research 2 07-70812