Immigration — asylum

Listen to this article

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Civil

Immigration — asylum

An alien cannot obtain asylum based on imputed political opinions.

“Ruiz-Cabrera next asserts that the Board and immigration judge misinterpreted his claim that he would face persecution on the basis of imputed political opinion. He seems to suggest that two different and opposing types of political opinion will be imputed to him: first, PRD politicians see him as anti-PRD because of his bad relationship with his wife, but second, drug traffickers will ‘mistake his wife’s involvement in politics for his own support for the government’ and will target him on that basis.”

“The immigration judge reasonably found that Ruiz-Cabrera failed to substantiate his claim that any political opinion would be imputed to him based on his wife’s politics. It is not enough to show that a family member holds a political opinion. Ruiz-Cabrera also must show that an alleged persecutor would impute that opinion to him. See N.L.A. v. Holder, No. 11-2706, — F.3d —, —, 2014 WL 806954, at *6 (7th Cir. March 3, 2014); Hassan v. Holder, 571 F.3d 631, 641–42 (7th Cir. 2009); Sankoh v. Mukasey, 539 F.3d 456, 471–72 (7th Cir. 2008). The only evidence Ruiz-Cabrera supplied on this theory was general background evidence of drug violence and political corruption in Mexico. Nothing in the record indicates that traffickers or politicians are likely to connect him to his wife’s politics or to target him for those reasons.”

Petition Denied.

13-2939 Ruiz-Cabrera v. Holder

Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals, Hamilton, J.