NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS OCT 15 2021
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
HELIAN CHEN, No. 20-72645
Petitioner, Agency No. A208-733-488
v.
MEMORANDUM*
MERRICK B. GARLAND, Attorney
General,
Respondent.
On Petition for Review of an Order of the
Board of Immigration Appeals
Submitted October 13, 2021**
Honolulu, Hawaii
Before: O’SCANNLAIN, MILLER, and LEE, Circuit Judges.
Helian Chen, a native and citizen of China, petitions this court for review of
the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA’s”) denial of his claim for asylum. As
the facts are known to the parties, we repeat them only as necessary to explain our
decision.
*
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
**
The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
I
Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s adverse credibility determination.
Cf., e.g., Garcia v. Holder, 749 F.3d 785, 789 (9th Cir. 2014).
The BIA identified and analyzed a long list of “specific, cogent reason[s]”
for such determination, Malhi v. INS, 336 F.3d 989, 992 (9th Cir. 2003) (citation
omitted), including “[t]he overall implausibility of [Chen’s] testimony, the
falsehoods in his visa application, the inconsistency [between] his testimony [and
his documentary evidence], and the lack of corroborating evidence,” which, taken
together, “undermine[d] the veracity of [Chen’s] claim of persecution.” All such
factors were permissible and relevant for the BIA to consider in making its
credibility determination. See 8 U.S.C. § 1158(b)(1)(B)(iii); see also Jibril v.
Gonzales, 423 F.3d 1129, 1135 (9th Cir. 2005).
Such factors, viewed within the “totality of the circumstances,” Alam v.
Garland, 11 F.4th 1133, 1137 (9th Cir. 2021) (en banc) (quoting 8 U.S.C. §
1158(b)(1)(B)(iii)), constitute substantial evidence for the BIA’s conclusion that
Chen lacked credibility. Chen fails to “show that the evidence compelled a
contrary conclusion.” Malhi, 336 F.3d at 993.
II
The BIA properly concluded that the incredibility of Chen’s testimony was
dispositive in preventing him from meeting his burden to show eligibility for
2
asylum. A “persecution claim which lacks veracity cannot satisfy the burdens of
proof and persuasion necessary to establish eligibility for asylum.” In re M-S-, 21
I. & N. Dec. 125, 129 (BIA 1995).
While an asylum applicant can establish eligibility based on documentary
evidence alone, notwithstanding his lack of credible testimony, Al-Harbi v. INS,
242 F.3d 882, 890–94 (9th Cir. 2001), the BIA properly concluded that Chen had
waived any such argument, see Matter of R-A-M-, 25 I. & N. Dec. 657, 658 n.2
(BIA 2012). Thus, to the extent that Chen’s Petition for Review might be read as
arguing that he “has established past persecution” or “an objectively reasonable
fear of persecution” based on his documentary evidence alone, such arguments
would fall outside the scope of this court’s review. See Santiago-Rodriguez v.
Holder, 657 F.3d 820, 829 (9th Cir. 2011); see also Lai v. Holder, 773 F.3d 966,
970 (9th Cir. 2014).
PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED.
3