Milat v. Holder, Jr.

by
Petitioner, a national of Eritrea, requested asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). Petitioner claimed that he fled Eritrea to escape an assignment within the country's National Service program, which he asserts is a program of human trafficking and not a legitimate program of military conscription. The IJ denied petitioner's application for asylum and withholding of removal, but granted his application for protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The BIA affirmed. The court recognized that the evidence indicated the practices of the Eritrean government in enforcing its program of National Service were coercive and disturbing; the court noted that some of the evidence submitted in support of petitioner's motion to remand indicated that refusal to participate in National Service may be imputed as political opposition to the Government; but, however, the court could not say that the IJ's finding was unsupported by substantial evidence, nor could the court say that the BIA's denial of the motion was irrational or arbitrary. Accordingly, the court denied the petition. View "Milat v. Holder, Jr." on Justia Law